6 Best Tow/ Recovery Strap Reviews

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where your vehicle gets stuck in the snow or mud? One tool that many of us overlook to stock in our trunk is towing strap.

Tow straps are used to attach a stuck vehicle to a recovery vehicle so that it can be pulled to safety. But using the wrong types of tow straps can lead to an expensive mistake.

We know what you’re thinking, how do you find the best tow straps? I understand how important it is to have the right recovery tools for this job. That’s why I’ve reviewed these six tow straps so that you know what to look for.

If you can’t wait…

1. RHINO Recovery Tow Strap
2. Smittybilt Recovery Strap
3. Mozzbi Heavy Duty Recovery Tow Strap
4. USWAY GEAR Tow Strap
5. ALL-TOP Tow Strap Recovery Kit
6. Grip Heavy Duty Tow Strap

Top 6 Best Tow Strap Reviews

If you’re unsure about what recovery tow straps will work best for you, I’ve selected six of the best recovery straps for 2019. I’ll show you the features of each of the recovery straps so that you can choose the type that will best meet your needs.

1. RHINO Recovery Tow Straps

Rhino is a US based company that produces various recovery tow straps for off-roading and recovery operations. The Rhino recover tow strap is 20 feet by 3 inches, though there is also a 30 foot option available as well.

These straps are made of a polyester and silk 80/20 blend that aids in the durability and strength of the straps. This allows the Rhino straps to be dual purpose for both tow and recovery straps.

One item to note with the straps is that compared to nylon recovery straps, they have less stretch to their design. The added durability allows the straps to handle workloads of up to 10,000 pounds, and has a 31,518 pound break strength rating from the tests that Rhino ran.

There are loops on each end of the straps and have been triple reinforced for added durability, and the straps store conveniently in the included drawstring bag when not in use.

Things We Liked:

• Multi-purpose straps can be used as both a recovery tow strap or tow strap.
• A heavy-duty carry bag stores the straps and can hold up to 10 pounds of accessories.
• A unique material blend of polyester and silk allows for more flexibility and stretching than a polyester strap.

Things We Didn’t Like:

• While the Rhino Recovery straps work well as an all-purpose strap, it doesn’t have the same amount of flexibility as a nylon strap.

The Rhino Recovery Tow Straps can be a good choice if you need a strap that can be used for both towing and recovery operations. If you need a recovery strap with more flexibility for recovering stuck vehicles, one of the other selections later on may be a better choice.

2. Smittybilt Recovery Strap

Smittybilt manufactures bumpers and off-roading accessories for Jeeps and other SUVs. With their CC330 recovery straps, you get a 30 foot strap length to provide clearance between the vehicles along with a 3″ width.

The CC330 straps have a 30,000 pound pull rating that can help you with towing vehicles, moving debris, and pulling equipment with the straps and your vehicle.

The straps are made of a high tenacity polyester yarn that makes the straps useful for towing due to the lower flexibility of the material.

How do the straps hold up to towing work? The straps have been manufactured using double stitch webbing that adds to the durability along with the double loops that add to the strength.

Smittybilt offers other strap models as well with widths between 2-4″ and lengths between 20 to 30 feet depending on your needs. Some of these straps also have higher pull ratings of up to 40,000 pounds that allow you to pull more.

The CC330 recovery straps can be a good option if you need a dedicated tow strap for your tool kit. With a 30,000 pull rating, you can tow vehicles of varying sizes with the flexibility of securing them with d-ring shackles or other accessories. You can check this Smittybilt Receiver Hitch D-Ring with Shackle

Things We Liked:

• The high tenacity polyester yarns make the Smittybilt CC330 a good option if you’re looking for a tow strap.
• The high pull rating of the straps allows you to tow heavier payloads compared to lower-rated straps.
• The yellow design makes the straps highly visible for use in inclement weather.

Things We Didn’t Like:

• Smaller amount of stretch requires a slower pull when using the straps for recovery operations.

3. Mozzbi Heavy Duty Recovery Tow Straps

If you need a heavy duty tow strap, take a look at the 4 inch recovery straps from Mozzbi. Made of reinforced polyester fabric, they have a small amount of stretch that allows the straps to be used as a recovery strap by removing the included D-ring shackles.

The included D-ring shackles are coated in zinc that allows them to be resistant to trust. The D-ring shackles are rated for up to 4.75 tons of force.

These straps measure just under 20 feet and have reinforced looped ends for added durability and have a 13.6 ton load capacity. In addition it has a minimum break capacity of 30,000 pounds.

Things We Liked:

• Straps come with preinstalled d-ring shackles that can be removed easily for added usability.
• Includes a carrying bag to store the straps when not in use.
• Heavy duty capacity of up to 30,000 pounds allows for a variety of vehicles to be pulled out.

Things We Didn’t Like:

• Shorter length compared to other recovery straps and lower flexibility require slower pulling for recovery compared to longer dedicated recovery straps.

4. USWAY Gear Tow Strap

One of the best tow straps for heavy duty use are the 30 foot straps from Usway. These straps can work well in cold weather due to the straps being water and weather resistant. This limits the amount of moisture and frost that can build up and weaken the straps during winter use.

The straps are made of heavy duty 100% polyester that has been reinforced with stitching. Usway provides extra padding on the straps to move the tension to the connecting points.

Since the straps are made of polyester, the straps provide little snap which makes it useful for towing operations. The straps can also be used for recovery use as well but would need to go slow.

The 30 foot length provides the clearance needed between the two vehicles. The straps have a 5 ton working load and up to a 15 ton rate capacity.

Things We Liked:

• The straps come with a storage bag and a pair of sleeves to store the straps when not in use.
• Low weight straps are able to provide the strength and durability needed for towing.
• Weather resistant design makes them useful for operating in cold and wet weather.

Things We Didn’t Like:

• Limited working load can limit you from towing extremely heavy loads.

5. All-Top Tow Strap Recovery Kit

This next strap from All-Top is one of the best recovery tow straps available on the market. This particular kit is 30 ft in length and can be looped backed to make it 15 ft when needed.

This snatch strap is made out of 100% nylon and offers an impressive 22% stretch rating that makes it ideal for Recovery operations. The loops have been reinforced with eyelets and nylon webbing along with neoprene sleeve coverings on the loops.

When using the straps for recovery operations you want to make sure that the minimum break rating is at least two to three times the vehicle’s gross weight. With these straps from All-Top, they have a minimum break rating of 24,200 pounds and a maximum break rating of 32,000 pounds.

This kit includes two d-ring shackles that are ¾” in size that can be removed from the loops. These heavy duty shackles are rated for up to 9500 lb to handle a variety of payloads.

Things We Liked:

• Stores the straps and d-ring shackles in a compact heavy duty recovery bag.
• Orange colored straps provide for a higher amount of visibility.
• Straps have the amount of stretch needed to be a useful recovery strap.

Things We Didn’t Like:

• When looped through to make the length shorter, the straps will stretch less and be less flexible.

6. Grip Heavy Duty Tow Strap

This last tow strap from Grip features a 30-foot length tow strap that is 4 inches thick. These straps come in a highly visible green color that adds to safely operating with this tool.

Similar to other tow straps on the market, these are abrasion and weather resistant so that you can use them in a variety of weather conditions. They are made of 100% polyester and their low stretch allow them to work as a good tow strap.

The looped ends are semi thick and have been reinforced for added strength and durability. This design provides up to 6,666 pounds of working capacity and a breaking capacity of up to 20,000 pounds.

Another advantage of these straps is that they’re lightweight in design at 4.5 pounds while still being durable for the job.

Things We Liked:

• Lightweight design allows the straps to be brought along in a variety of vehicles.
• Breaking capacity of 20,000 pounds thanks to the polyester webbing design of the tow straps.
• Thicker straps can have d-ring shackles added to put connecting points onto the straps.

Things We Didn’t Like:

• 20,000 pound breaking capacity may not be enough for heavy duty tow straps.

Tow Strap vs Recovery Strap

Aren’t the two straps basically the same? While they may look similar, recovery and tow straps are sued for different situations.

Recovery tow straps are used to recover a vehicle tuck in the mud or snow. This type of strap will have loops on each end. These loops are attached to a recovery point or the frame on both vehicles. Recovery tow straps are made of a stretchy nylon that aids in pulling the vehicle free.

Tow straps on the other hand are made of a nylon material that provides little stretching. Instead of the loops, tow straps will typically have metal hooks that aid in towing a vehicle behind another vehicle.

Things to Consider Before Buying a Recovery Tow Strap

Finding the best towing and recovery straps for your kit, there are different features to consider. These are the types of tools that you hope to never use, but will be thankful to have when an emergency comes up.

Investing in a good set of tow straps can be a useful alternative to needing to call a tow truck and recovery operations. But where should you begin?

Some features to consider when looking for a tow strap include the weight rating of your vehicle and the length of the straps. Some other features to consider include weather resistance, weight, durability, materials, and loops of the straps. Let’s take a look at each of these features.

Weight Rating

The first consideration that you should make is the weight of your vehicle. If you have a large pickup truck that can weigh anywhere between 6000 pounds and up While a car or smaller SUV might be less than 5000 pounds.

When looking at the weight rating of the tow straps, you should always try to find a set that has a higher work rating then your vehicle. That way you can account for any cargo that you’re carrying as well.

For vehicles less than 5,000 lb most tow straps will work for this size of a vehicle.

Length

Once you have decided on the vehicle size, you’ll want to take a look at the length of the tow straps. Most of the ones that I presented today are 30 ft in length. Depending on your use you may not need as long of a tow strap.

If you are going to be towing a vehicle on a road, shorter’s tow straps will make more sense. Some of the 30-foot straps can be looped together to make a shorter distance between the two vehicles.

For recovery purposes, a longer length will create more distance between both vehicles. This can be helpful and in situations where the vehicle may jump forward during recovery. In most situations, the 30-foot length will be sufficient, but you can also opt for shorter length depending on your use.

Materials

The materials used in the tow straps will have an impact on what they can be used for. Materials such as nylon will be common in recovery straps. Nylon has some elasticity to it that is a vital feature of recovery straps.

Some hybrid straps will use a combination of polyester, along with other materials like silk to provide some elasticity. These types of straps will be more of a multi-purpose option.

With tow straps, on the other hand, you typically want to have less elasticity. Straps made out of 100% polyester will have a stretch of 3% or less. This can be a better option since there’s little recoil.

Polyester can also be used for recovery options, but you have to move slower so that there is less of a jerk movement when pulled taut. Polyester straps will typically be the most durable of the tow strap materials and can handle abrasion from rocks, sand, and cement.

Durability

When selecting a tow strap for your vehicle, you are depending on it to get the job done. Not only are you looking at the materials used in the design, how it’s constructed will also make an impact.

Take a look at the loops constructed on each end of the strap. This part of the strap will receive most of the tension when pulling another vehicle.

Look for straps that have reinforced looped ends. Reinforced loops will have additional stitching, thicker material, and will be multi-layered for extra strength and durability.

Some tow straps will have a hook pre-attached to the frame. With the tow straps included in this list, they all feature an open-loop design that allows you to use D-ring shackles to act as a connection point for your vehicle.

Another consideration with durability includes the breaking capacity of the two straps. Typically you want to have a minimum break capacity of at least two to three times the weight of the vehicle. Having too low of a minimum break capacity can cause the tow strap to break when in use.

Weather Resistance

When you need to use the tow straps, odds are good that you will be using them during inclement weather conditions. Most tow straps will provide at least some resistance to the elements, but some go above the standard for additional durability.

Some features to consider in this category are water resistance or waterproofing. Not only can this be useful during a rainstorm, but winter weather can also be a hazard for tow straps. Without moisture-wicking features, ice can form in your straps, and weaken them over time.

The sun can also affect the durability of your tow straps. Over time, the sun can fade the material and weaken them. Some straps will have a UV coating applied to the material. Storing the straps and a bag or a case can also protect them when not in use.

User friendliness

When selecting tow straps or your vehicle, you want to make sure that they’re easy to use. No one wants to read a booklet of instructions in the middle of an accident.

Another consideration is how easy you can attach D-ring shackles or other accessories to the loops. Look for straps that have enough room on the loops to mount equipment with ease.

If you have to Loop the tow straps around a tree or other object, having larger loops will make this easier as well.

In some situations having a hook can also be another useful alternative. Some hooks will have a clip attached that allows the strap to be attached to an anchor point.

Another ease-of-use feature to look at is storage options. Some tow straps will feature a reasonable storage strap that wraps around a strap once folded for easy storage in your vehicle. Other tow straps will have a bag that can store the straps as well.

Other Considerations

The color that you select for the tow strap can also make an impact on the performance. Brighter colors like orange, yellow, and neon green are more visible and can signal to other drivers to approach cautiously. Some tow straps will also have reflective surfaces as well to aid in visibility.

Other considerations include the weight and storage space of the tow straps. This is especially important if you’re bringing these along on an ATV, or another vehicle where space is limited.

Tow straps that are under 10 lb will generally be considered lightweight. If you add in D-ring shackles or other accessories, this can add additional weight to the package.

With the weight, you should make sure that you’re using a tow strap that is right for the job. Generally speaking, lighter tow straps will have to make up for the weight by using less material. The straps may be less thick, not as wide, or other be shorter than what you need.

How much room will the tow straps take up? If you don’t need a 30-foot tow strap, you may be able to get away with a 20-foot strap that will take up less space.

Whatever option you choose, I hope that you found this information helpful. having all of the information can help make a selection process easier and you can be better prepared during an emergency.

Last update on 2023-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API