"Ironman" brand recovery kit?

Hi all,

I'm quite new to off-roading, unless you consider taking my grandmother's Oldsmobile sedan on a rocky Jeep trail years ago that was bad enough to tear a Suburban's running boards. What can I say? It was a great little hidden shooting range.

Anyway, I figure the first thing to do is get proper gear for recovery before hooking up with a beginner-friendly group.

My first gear priorities are:
Snatch strap, shackles, and recovery hitch. Conveniently, there is an Aussie-made Ironman kit now available in the US. It's available on eBay, or through the Camel 4x4 store.
http://store.camel4x4.com/product/RECOVERY_KIT_OVERVIEW.html

Any thoughts on the $95 kit with respect to the snatch strap and recovery hitch? I'm willing to spend more if the quality is suspect, but like the idea of an all-in-one kit that leaves money in the bank for a Hi Lift & other goodies. The Ironman strap price seems comparable with the budget-priced snatch strap on Expedition Exchange. I're read that the pricey ARB straps are the way to go, but I've also read stories of them failing during sub-maximal test loads.


Thanks in advance!

 

To be honest I do not have experince with that kit, but I can tell you that recovery gear is NOT something you want to skimp on. I would stick with GOOD quality proven stuff...ARB, Viking, etc.

I suggest getting some good Van Beest shackles, and a GOOD quality snatch strap (Yes ARB is one of the best).

$60 bucks for an ARB snatch strap (http://www.sierraexpeditions.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=451 ...though I would spend $20 more and get the 24,000lb strap, your truck might be light, but you never know what other trucks you will need to pull out, or how deep your truck will be burried)
$20 bucks a peice for 3/4" Van Beest (one of the best shackles out there.. http://www.masterpull.com/item.cfm?itemid=47145)

so for $5 more, you get 2 shackles and the snatch strap..all GOOD PROVEN quality gear....then slowely expand your gear collection as you get money.

 

Thanks for the reply & patience with newbie questions that weren't answered with the search function; good advice. I've wasted more than $20 on Diet Mountain Dew in the last week, so it doesn't make sense to scrimp $20 on my truck.

That leaves the receiver hitch for creating a rear recovery point. Does one need a solid cast shackle block like the Warn, or are the hollow-walled drawbars on 4wheelparts or Wheelers OK for attaching a shackle? Bad to just throw a shackle on a standard dropped drawbar with the ball removed, maybe flipped upside-down for improved ground clearance?

 

Outstanding info, guys. Thanks again. I'll start accumulating this stuff. 4wheelparts has a deal that I'm going to jump on - a 60" Hi-Lift X-treme for $93 shipped! They closed our local store recently, and so far I haven't had much luck locating that model in the area.