10 essentials for Off-roading in the snow
When it comes to driving off-road in deep snow having the right gear can make the difference between a good time and an emergency situation. Here is our top ten list of items that we never leave behind when we go snow wheeling.
Warm clothing and blankets
Extra food, water, and fuel
Rated vehicle recovery points
Tire deflator
Air compressor
Shovel
Recovery strap and shackles
Traction boards
Chainsaw of handsaw
Winch
1. Warm clothing and blankets
Before diving into off-road specific gear we need to talk about staying warm. No matter how capable your vehicle is or how much experience you have with snow recoveries there is always a chance that you will get stuck for an extended period of time. Before leaving the comfort of home make sure that you have appropriate clothing, blankets and sleeping bags to keep yourself warm in your vehicle if the heater can no longer run.
2. Extra food, water and fuel
News stories about drivers getting trapped in the snow for days are pretty common in the winter. This unfortunate scenario can happen to anyone, even for drivers of very capable vehicles. If you do get stuck you’ll want to have enough calories to keep your stomach satisfied until help can arrive and water to stay hydrated. Be sure to store your emergency drinking water in the cab since anything in the truck bed or on a roof rack is liable to freeze on you. Lastly it is always a good idea to fill up your tank before heading into the snowy backcountry. Gas mileage (and thus range) goes down significantly when driving through deep snow, and you may need the extra fuel to run your vehicle’s heater if you do get stuck for an extended period of time.
3. Rated Vehicle Recovery Points
We can’t emphasize enough how important it is to have rated vehicle recovery points before you go driving through deep snow. Play in the white stuff long enough and eventually you will get stuck and need a buddy to pull you out with a strap or a winch. The part of your vehicle that the strap or winch line attaches to is called a recovery point and it needs to support the full force of a recovery.
Most trucks and SUVs that are built for off-road use will have rated recovery points in the front. These usually take the form of metal hooks or loops in the lower portion of the front bumper or below it. Unfortunately many crossovers and lighter duty SUVs that are marketed for off-road use do not have front recovery points. Aftermarket recovery points are available for some of these models, but if you choose to go that route make sure that the product is from a reputable manufacturer, and that it bolts into the frame of your vehicle. Driving in the snow without front recovery points requires additional caution since it may be harder to get your vehicle out. Manufacturers don’t provide rear recovery points as often, but fortunately any vehicle with a tow hitch can affordably add a rear recovery point with a D-Ring hitch.
4. Tire deflator
Lowering the pressure in your tires will help to improve both traction and flotation in the snow. There are a number of relatively low cost options out there for tire deflators. The screw on/pre-set style deflator caps are a great option if you want to save some time and plan on dropping to the same predetermined pressure on every trip. We prefer to use the one from ARB since it allows us to select a specific PSI based on the constantly changing conditions that we are driving in.
You can learn more about the benefits of airing down your tires in our post on how to drive off-road in deep snow.
5. Air compressor
What goes down must eventually go back up. When you get back to the blacktop you will want to inflate your tires to the pressure listed on the sticker inside the driver’s door. When selecting a compressor make sure that it is capable of airing up your tire size, since smaller units struggle with bigger tires. Pay close attention to the duty cycle data on your compressor’s specs since some are designed to be used continuously while others require short periods of downtime. We use a Viair 88P for the Tundra’s 33” tires and a Viair 85P for the 4Runner’s 31” tires. If you have larger tires you may want to upgrade to the Viair 400p.
6. Shovel
The shovel is your best friend in the snow. If you spend enough miles in it you will eventually get stuck, and digging is the most tried and true method to get you out. There are a ton of specialized shovels marketed to the overlanding/off-roading crowd at an exceptional markup, but we have found that a typical garden shovel works just fine. If you have the space to carry one with a full-sized handle do it. Flathead shovels are great for moving a lot of snow fast, while a traditional pointed digging shovel will perform better if there is an icy crust on the snow. When heading into really deep snow we take two so that both of us can go to work on a recovery at the same time.
7. Recovery strap & Shackles
When a vehicle really gets stuck sometimes the best way to get it out is a little help from another rig. These come in two forms: static tow straps, and dynamic recovery ropes/straps. Dynamic (also referred to as kinetic) ropes are the ideal choice for extracting a vehicle that is stuck in the snow. They utilize a stretchy materials that allows the pulling vehicle to get a moving (thus dynamic) start on the pull. There is some risk involved in this style of recovery since the forces being applied are higher. Make sure to keep everyone clear during a pull and only utilize load rated recovery points shackles.
While dynamic recovery ropes are more effective in the snow they are very expensive and not quite as versatile as a static tow strap. Having one of each is ideal, but if you are like us and don’t want to budget for both go with the static option. To use a static tow strap the pulling vehicle must first slowly drive away until the strap is taught before starting the pull. You should never get a running start with one of these as it will place substantial stress on both vehicles and potentially snap the strap. Static tow straps can also be used to tow a crippled vehicle back to pavement or remove trees/rocks that are blocking a road (not something you want to do with a dynamic rope). Look for a strap that is rated to twice your vehicle’s fully loaded weight and never by one with metal hooks on the end.
8. Traction Boards
People ask all the time if these things really work, and the answer is unequivocally yes, they do but they aren’t a silver bullet. When our progress stops in the snow this is the first tool that we turn to. Placing these under tires that are struggling to gain traction is usually the fastest way to get moving again. Traction boards are best for mildly stuck situations where your wheels just need a little help getting grip. If your vehicle’s frame is high centered they may not get the job done on their own, but can still make recoveries easier when combined with rope pulls or winching.
We have experience with budget traction boards and name brand MaxTrax. The off-brands provide a nice option for people who don’t plan on seeking out low traction environments (like snow) but want to have traction boards handy when they do get stuck. If you enjoy playing in mud, sand and snow routinely then it is worth it to splurge on real MaxTrax because they do perform better. We keep a pair of MaxTrax mounted to the Tundra at all times and through our old budget models in the bed for snow runs so that we have a board for each tire.
Click here for more information on Maxtrax Vs Budget traction boards.
9. Chainsaw or handsaw
Snow isn’t the only thing that can stop your forward progress. Winter storms have a tendency to knock down trees, or cause branches to hang low into roadways. We typically carry a chainsaw with an 18” bar for this reason, but a decent folding hand saw can do the trick too.
10. Winch and winch accessories
We placed a winch last on this list because while it can be a recovery game changer it is not required equipment. As long as you travel with friends or stick to busier roads it’s usually possible to get by with a shovel, traction boards and a tow strap. A winch becomes more necessary as you start to venture out into soft ground (snow, sand and mud) scenarios on your own. In those situations having one (and knowing how to use it) can really save your bacon.
There are two schools of thought for winch shopping. One states that you absolutely need to go with a top of the line, made in America, product like the Warn Zeon series for such a critical task. The other advocates for more budget friendly winches like the Badlands Series from Harbor Freight that can cost effectively be replaced if there is an issue. In reality people have had great experiences with both options, so the route that you choose really depends on your budget and use case. Since we don’t expect to use our winch very often, but really need it when we do need it, we ultimately opted for a middle ground with the Warn Evo line.
Other considerations when winch shopping include load rating and winch line type. For load rating you should take your rig’s gross vehicle weight rating and multiply it by at least 1.5x. For our Tundra the calculation came out to 7,200 lbs X 1.5 = 10,800 lbs. That put us slightly above the range of a 10,000 lb winch so we went with a 12,000 lb model. If you routinely travel with friends who drive bigger vehicles than your own consider going up a size from what you need, the price difference is not very dramatic. As for winch line type the choices are steel and synthetic. Both have pros and cons that you will want to look into before making a decision.
Finally before you go out and buy a winch make sure to get some training on how to properly use it, and purchase all of the necessary safety accessories. Just like chainsaws winches can be extremely dangerous when not handled properly.