The Silk Road in a VW Grand California

Self-recovery in the field - what helps?

How can I get unstuck in 4WD offroad conditions from snow or mud? Which products are really useful? 4x4 selfrecovery in offroad conditions with lightweight tools! What Self-Recovery-Kit do you really need for travelling or an Worldtrip?

In the meantime I have traveled over 119`000 kilometers with my Landcruiser. From a Trans Africa, Iceland, Europe to South America. On my travels I got stuck with my vehicle from time to time. From sand to snow, from mud holes to touching down with the vehicle floor. Which recovery aids have proved particularly useful at my personal experience? Which of them belong in your luggage?


Or even better, what will the so-called recovery kit look like in a new vehicle based on my travel experiences? Our recovery aid kit from 2021 - also sorted according to their importance.

A foldable spade.How can I get unstuck in 4WD offroad conditions from snow or mud? Which products are really useful? 4x4 selfrecovery in offroad conditions with lightweight tools! What Self-Recovery-Kit do you really need for travelling or an Worldtrip?Folding spade
With the folding spade you can dig out a piece of turf - and then remove the traces of the campfire, also remove his tracks "if you ever have to go behind the bushes", or dig yourself out of awkward positions.
Link: Product suggestion

tire pressure relief valves. How can I get unstuck in 4WD offroad conditions from snow or mud? Which products are really useful? 4x4 selfrecovery in offroad conditions with lightweight tools! What Self-Recovery-Kit do you really need for travelling or an Worldtrip?
Tire pressure relief valves
The right air pressure often brings you the decisive meters further. This can be done very comfortably with tire pressure relief valves. Once correctly set, the correct air pressure is just a matter of unscrewing and waiting - child's play and quick. 

12v Air compressor. How can I get unstuck in 4WD offroad conditions from snow or mud? Which products are really useful? 4x4 selfrecovery in offroad conditions with lightweight tools! What Self-Recovery-Kit do you really need for travelling or an Worldtrip?
Air Compressor
Filling up air for the tire pressure is usually possible at the next gas station. Therefore it should be a small/light compressor. A 12v compressor also helps with the next helper (see below) ! Here it is important to pay attention to normal battery terminals, such as the Viair 87p - small, light, strong! 

Airjack
Airjack as an alternative to a hilift... How can I get unstuck in 4WD offroad conditions from snow or mud? Which products are really useful? 4x4 selfrecovery in offroad conditions with lightweight tools! What Self-Recovery-Kit do you really need for travelling or an Worldtrip?
The Airjack with compressor connection can lift the vehicle on any terrain and allows you to fill the holes and drive out relaxed. Works on sand, mud, sharp rock edges when touched down - two protective pads are included. This is a brilliant all-purpose weapon - and covers almost everything. The only thing you can't do with it is steep sections.

BogOut (Twin)
A clever approach to using engine power for self-recovery, a veritable lightweight replacement for a winch for us travelers. Can be used forward and backward. This allows 4m
Bogout as an alternative to a winch... How can I get unstuck in 4WD offroad conditions from snow or mud? Which products are really useful? 4x4 selfrecovery in offroad conditions with lightweight tools! What Self-Recovery-Kit do you really need for travelling or an Worldtrip?
distance per use, ie depending on how long you want forward-backward comes work on you. Any of my scenarios on my travels - this would have covered perfectly. A winch extension also belongs in the luggage. You can also find a fair review.

Accessories Kit
A decent recovery kit. How can I get unstuck in 4WD offroad conditions from snow or mud? Which products are really useful? 4x4 selfrecovery in offroad conditions with lightweight tools! What Self-Recovery-Kit do you really need for travelling or an Worldtrip?
Especially since the bogout solution is not very long, a möglichkeit of extension ie a winch extension and a boom strap is recommended. Here it is financially worthwhile to cannibalize one of these recovery kits, is usually cheaper than the individual cover.
Link: Product suggestion

Maxtrax / Tred sand plates
Maxtrax Waffleboards. How can I get unstuck in 4WD offroad conditions from snow or mud? Which products are really useful? 4x4 selfrecovery in offroad conditions with lightweight tools! What Self-Recovery-Kit do you really need for travelling or an Worldtrip?
Whenever there is no anchor point available, sand plates can be helpful to gain the necessary momentum in the mud/sand/snow to get out of the critical passage. Therefore they belong for me also still in the luggage. Today I would also reach for the copy, taking into account the frequency of use. Who wants to play on trips also in the terrain as an end in itself, should consult recovery aid comparison.

Conclusion

I am actually always on the road alone, that is - with only one vehicle. Of course I have to be able to help myself, otherwise not every vehicle in the group needs perfect equipment. Also the travel region makes a difference, the more remote the more important it is to be able to help yourself.

But: If you have everything with you that could be useful, you are hopelessly overloaded and will dig yourself into loamy passages even faster. Therefore, you should carefully consider which toolset you want to use.

I got "almost" stuck so often that my decision to travel with 33" MT tires probably proved to be the best "avoidance tactic". Those who travel this way will have to use the recovery aids correspondingly less often.

Since my vehicle has three locks installed and also a winch - I have often resorted to the latter - and not always to the otherwise available recovery aids.

Above 7 pieces of equipment will accompany me in any case on my next journey. The Silk Road was planned for the 2021 - but Corona/Covid had moved us to our travel plans for the first time augzuschieben. We are curious what can now be implemented in the future, after the Trans Africa, Iceland, South America and other tours - the hunger for travel is in any case still there!

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