Anybody who regularly goes offroading will confirm that potential disaster is always just around the corner.
It doesn’t take much to end up in a dangerous situation. Drivers consistently underestimate the terrain around them. They enter pools that are too deep or their tyres can’t grip loose surfaces and end up stuck.
Even if you’re not in trouble, you may encounter somebody in a difficult spot. That’s why a good 4WD recovery kit is an essential purchase for every SUV and ute. You never know when you might need it.
In this guide, we’ll look at some of the most popular recovery gear in Australia. We’ve selected a range of products at different price points for every budget.
Check them out!
| XTM 7 Piece Recovery Kit | Mean Mother Recovery Kit 5 Piece - 8 Tonne | ARB Essentials Recovery Kit | MAXTRAX Recovery Kit - Bush |
---|---|---|---|---|
Our pick | premium option | |||
8,000kg | 8,000kg | 8,000kg | 12,000kg | |
8,000kg | N/A | 9,000kg | N/A | |
10 m | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
9 m | N/A | N/A | 2-5m | |
2 x 4.7T | 2 x 3.2T | 2.47T | Fuse: 7T /Core: 14T | |
10 Tonne | N/A | 12 Tonne | N/A | |
Dampener doubles as a carry bag | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Best Recovery Kits - Australia
XTM 7 Piece Recovery Kit
Our Top Pick
The XTM 7 Piece Recovery Kit represents incredible value for money.
For just over $100, customers get their hands on everything they need for a rescue. This includes an 8000kg snatch strap with a length of nine meters. Meanwhile, there’s also an 8000kg snatch block for good measure.
It comes with a tree protector which is always a nice touch, and means that there’s less chance of damaging the surrounding environment. XTM also supplies a pair of 4.7-tonne bow shackles for secure attachment.
Finally, they include a dampener that also doubles as a carry bag. Yes, there are fancier and higher-performing recovery kits out there. But it’s hard to argue with this price.
Mean Mother Recovery Kit 5 Piece - 8 Tonne
Not Worth It
Mean Mother is an Australian brand that specializes in off-roading accessories.
However, their recovery gear is the most disappointing in this guide. Firstly, they promote it as a five-piece kit. But this includes a pair of heavy-duty gloves and a storage bag.
That just leaves an 8000kg snatch strap as well as a pair of bow shackles. The latter has a weight capacity of 3.2 tonnes. This is noticeably less than the XTM alternative above. It should also be noted that these two kits cost roughly the same amount of money.
That’s what makes the Mean Mother recovery kit underwhelming.
To be fair, their equipment is high-quality, but customers don’t receive enough for their investment. There’s no snatch block or tree protector and the performance capabilities are lower.
It simply doesn’t make sense to get their recovery kit instead of the XTM.
ARB Essentials Recovery Kit
Great For Heavier Vehicles
Next, let’s look at the ARB Essential Recovery Kit.
This is another great example of 4WD recovery gear because it includes almost everything you need. There’s an 8000kg snatch strap. Meanwhile, their 9000kg snatch block outperforms the XTM version we looked at earlier.
It also has a tree protector with a weight resistance of 12,000kg. The bow shackles match the XTM recovery kit at 4.75kg. ARB supplies a carry bag too.
If you own a larger 4X4 like a Ford Ranger Raptor, this may be a good option because of the snatch blocks’ higher capacity. But this recovery kit is almost twice the cost of the XTM gear.
This makes it quite expensive considering everything else is effectively the same.
MAXTRAX Recovery Kit - Bush
Premium 4WD Recovery Kit