What Do You Keep In Your Rivian for Recovery?

[defcon888]

My list isn't for tow straps or hitches etc, my list is for "in case you are stuck for a day or 2...or the apocalypse". This is only if we are going someplace we aren't familiar with. We don't do off-road, but these are supplies for the "what ifs". It is better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

1. Water (we have a 24-pack in the gear tunnel)
2. Blankets
3. Snack/food (high calorie usually)
4. Flashlights (I know we all have one on the door, but this is besides that)
5. Handcrank Radio
6. Jackets, Gloves, knit hats
7. Something to start a fire (for signal, protection, and warmth)
8. On the iPhone 14 and newer, you can make a satellite call/message. It might take a few minutes to get a message back, but you can give the location where you are.
9. Phone Battery brick
10. Protection device (use your imagination....we use a bang bang device).
11. Situational awareness (what is around you?)
12. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR LOCATION (unless it is absolutely 100% necessary).

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[mogulmaster]

Thought about this recently after seeing various pics of folks stuck in dirt, mud, snow, sand etc.. Also planning on doing a ski trip or too and wanted to be ready with my R1S.
For the snow, have 21" wheel with Pirellis, but swapped for Ram 2363s with Michelin X-Ice tires.

So far, here is what I have:
- Collapsible shovel
- 20' Tow Strap & Shackle Hitch Receiver Combo
- 1/2" Synthetic Soft Shackles

Having this gear, not just for me, but also fellow drivers who get themselves in a bad spot and can't get out.

Brand wise, I went with Rhino USA, although seriously considered GearAmerica.

Other thoughts?

I have the same list of items in my gear tunnel. Plus an old yoga mat to kneel on if one has to get low!

 

[HaveBlue]

If you are going to the snow then snow cables are more valuable than anything else in the kit.

I'm not sure why some people are carrying tree savers and other winching items but no winch. I'd be interested in thoughts on this.

A recovery strap works just as good as a recovery rope. Both can stretch but that doesn't mean all ropes and straps are recovery ones that stretch. A recovery rope has more endurance and will last for more pulls, however my 2x20 strap is 20 years old and still going. A strap is easier to store since it rolls up flat. It's also much cheaper. Pass on any recovery strap that has metal on it.


A 2" strap is marginal for the Rivian but should be fine in most scenarios. It will stretch a lot under the weight of the rivian which is what you want to get something unstuck but will break on the hardest of pulls. You may never reach the limit and are more likely to break one by putting it around a sharp edge and tearing it in an instant. Usually it's a moderate pull or the most common is tow assisting someone who is broke.

Length is the most important aspect I think. Biggest thing I've learned from my 20' strap is it's not nearly long enough. 20' away usually means you are in the same messy spot as the guy you are helping. You can make it shorter for tight spots, but it's tough to make it longer.

I bought a 30' one from HF for the Rivian. Also bought their 8 ton bottle jack, not so much for the capacity as the longer reach. Both a soft and hard 3/4 shackle are handy. A steel one can survive sharp mounting points and won't go flying if secure. The HF four way folding lug wrench is handy and also fits other vehicles. A tool kit including torx and conventional fastener bits is good. I may buy another lithium jump box considering the rivian can't jump other vehicles and seems to have 12v issues; ah the irony. Don't forget to buy a plug kit. Don't rely on slime. Just watch some YT on plugging a tire. Plugs are amazing.

 

[usulio]

Regarding snowy conditions and ski trips:

In the past I have found a shovel by far the most useful, followed occasionally by kitty litter for traction. Granted, these were lesser vehicles. Also a good snow scraper, of course. Not sure I will bother bringing the kitty litter in the Rivian.

On any long drive I make sure warm clothes, food, and water are in the car.

I got autosocks since Rivian says no chains on the 20" ATs, but the Pirellis have been good in the snow so far, so probably will never use them unless for a traction law.

(added) I did get some recovery gear for offroading (3 soft shackles, 20' kinetic rope, 20' recovery strap, hitch receiver), but no experience using it yet and very unlikely to need it during a standard ski trip.

 

[HaveBlue]

Absolutely. All the HP, 4wd and locking difs are worthless without traction. Ice is humbling. I should probably get a folding spade for the Rivian as well. The one in the gx has gotten plenty of use.

 

[kylealden]

Which diameter F55 recovery rope do you have?

I have the 7/8" - Extreme Duty Kinetic Energy Rope 7/8″x 30′ (factor55.com)

 

[jeeden]

Back in my college days I used to carry my "Macgyver bag" that had stuff for recovery, small repairs, etc" Anymore I don't carry any of that on a daily basis. I do carry in the spare tire well

Daily

• A pretty flushed out first aid kit (in addition to the Rivian one)
• A 50ft 14-30 charger cord and adapters
• the mobile charger
• When the spare tire shows up I'll try to keep all of this in there with a pair of gloves

Going offroad, or more likely skiing, or if we have a big snow storm

• I have a bag with a rhino 7/8 kinetic rope I got for Christmas with two soft shackles and a receiver hard shackle
• some leather costco gloves
• An ancient, but in good shape tractor supply tow strap.

Blizzard

• All of the above with a bag of kitty litter or other grit.
• Snow shovel or two, I have some collapsable ones, but in a blizzard, it doesn't need to stow anyway

Nice to have

• Boards would be nice, but you start to pay a lot for stuff that is going to sit unused in the garage 99% of the time.
• Autosocks would be good, but again, pricey considering our total snow amounts drop every year where I live

Mainly this is for helping friends out although even on SUVs with hitches, it is more difficult to find attachment points these days though, even on SUVs. I have the shackle for the Rivian receiver, but I'm worried about attaching to someone else's receiver without a shackle without cutting my soft shackles or bending a receiver pin, etc. I guess on most cars you can find the holes in the lower control arm and put a soft shackle around that

Of course, none of this is for survival conditions. If I was in Canada driving through the middle of nowhere in sub 10 degree wind chills I would have food, water, a garmin inreach, blankets, etc with me. The days of planning for all types of situations are behind me though... too exhausting to keep up with

 

[Nine_One_Six_R1S]

Rhino folding shovel, GearAmerica 4"x30' kinetic strap/shackels/hitch receiver shackel, 4 ton jack, recovery board, NOCO Boost Plus, tool kit, medical kit.

what do you use the NOCO for?

 

[Zoidz]

what do you use the NOCO for?

I have a farm tractor, John Deere Gator, Zero Turn mower at home and a boat at the lake, plus my wife's X3, my Avalanche and motorcycle. I keep it for the unexpected low battery issues which seem to happen several times a year. Combine those uses plus being prepared if I have a 12V issue on the Rivian, or just need to jump someone else's car. And then there is the USB power source capability which can come in handy for charging a phone in a power outage. And finally the McGuyver yet to be determined uses during the Zombie Apocalypse.

 

[Mark_AZR1T]

This is a solid thread. I have all the standards (boards, kinetic, tow strap, gloves, 4-way lug star, various charger adapters), plus I have a tire repair kit, impact gun with sockets, sand board for bottle jack support, tire repair kit, and my XL bottle jack to make a roadside repair easier.

 

[Nine_One_Six_R1S]

This is a solid thread. I have all the standards (boards, kinetic, tow strap, gloves, 4-way lug star, various charger adapters), plus I have a tire repair kit, impact gun with sockets, sand board for bottle jack support, tire repair kit, and my XL bottle jack to make a roadside repair easier.

Similar to my setup except the sand board/bottle jack support. Which one are you using? Are these only helpful on sand? maybe snow?

 

[usulio]

Related thread: share your winter gear list and survival kit

I forgot windshield washer fluid. Out here when it's the right combo of snow and dirt on the road, you have to spray every 5 minutes or driving gets dangerous quick.

Also forgot to mention rubber floor mats and rubber cargo liner. Aka "maxtrax lite"

 

[Tim-in-CA]

 

[foxerson]

Thanks for the nudge to take stock of the gear that I somewhat randomly transferred to the R1T from my prior truck.

Tire Change/Repair

1. 4 ton bottle jack
2. 1.8 ton scissor jack
3. jack puck
4. telescoping lug wrench
5. Ram 2363 wheel with spare AT tire
6. 2x6 blocks for a jack base
7. 4-way inflation hose
8. tire repair plug kit

Tools

1. crescent wrench and pliers (standard, channel lock, and needle nose)
2. 3/8" socket set and screwdriver bits
3. small (29Wh) jump starter
4. thinking about adding an extension cord for use with power tools.

Safety

1. first aid kit
2. water
3. beach towel
4. padded moving blanket
5. leather work gloves
6. disposable nitrile gloves

Recovery Gear

1. folding shovel
2. old+cheap+undersized tow rope which inspired a budget-conscious upgrade from Harbor Freight:
   1. 3"x30' 10k lb. snatch strap
   2. soft shackle
   3. hitch mounted d-ring shackle
3. thinking about adding a set of Bunker mini traction boards with jack base

 

[Rexbo]

Why doesn't anyone put tire deflators in their kits? Especially with the onboard compressor this is just about the EASIEST way to improve grip in nearly any circumstance, and I use these every offroad trip. Far easier than fussing with tire gauges (I still check though), and I've found them to be pretty reliable to as low as 12psi (for my dirtbike). The adjustability is really nice and I've found my KO2s happy spot at 20psi and dialed in the deflators to hit it every time.

SET OF FOUR COYOTE Vortex V2ADJUSTABLE AUTOMATIC TIRE DEFLATORS – RANGE 8 to 65 PSI XCEDV2-4 Special Pre-Production Sale Price. - Coyote Enterprises (coyoteents.com)

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