recovery gear

[v-lux]

If its an Axe you're after.....

These are the puppies....

http://www.gransfors.com/htm_eng/index.html

[jed the spread]

If its an Axe you're after.....

These are the puppies....

http://www.gransfors.com/htm_eng/index.html

Why do you keep saying puppies? Where have you been and what have you been doing?

jed

[v-lux]

idiot

(i like puppies)

[lloydy]

I've gone for the cheaper eBay ones, 50mm thick (waffle boards)
Will probably get an axe from B&Q for now, for firewood ect.
On the subject of puppies, I've always thought it related to a ladies soft bits?

[axeman]

axe should last a life time thats the warranty it comes with

http://www.estwingtools.co.uk/e14a-e14a" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... -453g.html

this is a saw i can recommend

http://www.mowerwarehouse.co.uk/acatalo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... INSAW.html

Neil, does Estwing's warranty cover theft by any chance (if so, I'm off to get one. as I rather like the idea of flying hammers)

I have lost a hammer may will try is with the shop and see how far i get

neil

[ELVIS]

My Mrs was chopping wood and not concentrating due to bringing a couple of baby dogs out of the house for the first time, unfortunately she slipped and i have it on camera.

Have got a cracking picture of my Mrs with her puppies out and a gapeing axe wound!!

[lloydy]

Axe wound Hehe

[lhd]

My Mrs was chopping wood and not concentrating due to bringing a couple of baby dogs out of the house for the first time, unfortunately she slipped and i have it on camera.

Have got a cracking picture of my Mrs with her puppies out and a gapeing axe wound!!

Oooh you are naughty, but I like it.....

[ericos_bob]

For some people finding another person with a 4x4 that is able to escape their commitments when it suits you is like trying to find a well stacked missus without the extra baggage. Venturing out alone may be the only realistic option if you want to enjoy camping/offroading more frequently than that once in a few years adventure with your buddies. Getting bogged is never the objective but it's also damn good fun to push the limits of your syncro. Having the right recovery equipment at hand saves you from being disappointment off the beaten track. Nothing worse than having to turn back on an adventure because you were unsure of whether or not you could have made it across that dried out sandy river bed or whatever obstacle it may be.

I carry a 40 meter roll of dyneema synthetic winch rope ( 9 tonne break strain) I bought on ebay. This stuff is great when suitable anchor points are out of reach and is only a fraction of the weight of steel cable. A mechanical winch, ply/waffle boards, A good jack and some quality D-shackles. This equipment and a bit of know how has never left me stranded and I've been in some real "Oh "pooh"" situations with the syncro. Too be honest I'd be more worried about the syncro breaking down whilst out in the sticks than getting bogged.
Equipment like shovels, gloves etc i feel are a luxury and not a necessity for offroad recovery especially if you want to keep your syncro loaded on the lighter side. Get your hands into the dirt if you need to dig and degrease those butter fingers. With enough practice you may even develop a firm handshake

[HarryMann]

Equipment like shovels, gloves etc i feel are a luxury and not a necessity for offroad recovery especially if you want to keep your syncro loaded on the lighter side.

Don't agree with that at all...

1) You've probably got a two-ton plus (4,500 lb) vehicle and a 5 lb shovel and 7 lb mattock is insignificant and either a very valuable tool (certainly over here they are) reminds me when I used to hear from fellow hang-glider pilots worrying about a few ounces extra, or an extra bolt (when overweight & after they'd pigged out on chip butties all morning, duh!)

2) Regardless of weight, a shovel can shift soil that a hand can't, about 20 times faster too... so even if it weighed 20 or 30 lb, I'd still carry one

3) We've seen winches and triple vehicle tow-outs fail, until the ground was dug/angled (with shovels) and maybe waffle boards used. Once a vehicle is 'suctioned' you need everything you have to help

4) Gloves can be good when in nasty undergrowth, working with winches and wire ropes and keeping hands clean can save lost of time (quite light too ) Grippy gloves or HD Tornadoes excellent, leather mits can be useful too.

However, definitely agree that your HDPE Plasma or dyneema cable is worth it's weight in gold.. 40 metres, a good length, sounds very useful. Something yet to acquire.. maybe next year

[v-lux]

Shovel will get you out of 90% of situations in my experience. Might take a while, but almost always works

[jed the spread]

I replaced the wire in my winch with double the length in Plasma rope this year, start saving if you want a good length of it, its well expensive.

jed

[silverbullet]

For a quality locking folding saw, get a Bahco/Sandvik Lapplander (goes very well with the nice-but-dear Gransfors-Bruks hand axe)
Buy the correct size for what you want to do: a small hatchet is fine for splitting smaller firewood but don't go too small as they will kick back if over-worked! Something with about a 18-24" shaft makes for a good all-rounder, so not too light but be sensible. You don't need a felling axe...

[lloydy]

i've just got a retractable fiskars saw and a homebase axe. Just need a folding shovel now, not particularly for digging myself out, more for burying erm, well..... you know

[silverbullet]

Get a steel garden trowel for that! Unless you've got a horse...