Trac-Grabbers is a system that allows you to get your vehicle free from mud, sand and snow. After testing them this week, I am sold on how well they work. Two years ago, I buried my truck out on a farm in western Nebraska. I had three kids in the car with me and we were hunting for mule deer in November. The road was in a depression and snow had drifted over it. I felt the truck begin to bog down in the snow and I buried it. I didn’t have a shovel with me so I dug the truck out as best as I could with a Gerber knife. Ultimately, I had to rely on the assistance of the good-natured rancher whose property I was hunting to pull us out. The next morning, I buried the truck again on another part of the farm. This time I was able to dig my way out on my own with good gloves and my trusty Gerber.
This year, I planned to head out to the same area to hunt. Wanting to be prepared, I did a little research and reached out to the guys at Trac-Grabber and asked them to send out a set for review. I got the chance to test them this week in a real world situation after burying my truck in a mud hole. Now truthfully I wanted to get stuck just to see if I could get myself free using the Trac-Grabbers. I didn’t realize that the location I chose to bury my truck was a whole lot deeper than I had realized. I really did bury the truck and it was seriously stuck with water up well over three-quarters of the way up my left tires.
I took out the camera, filmed a bit about the Trac-Grabbers, put them on the tires and climbed back in the truck. I put the truck in four-wheel drive and proceeded forward, turning the tires straight on. I gained about two feet forward and shifted into reverse and the truck just dug in. The tires blew right back, throwing mud out of the way. The Trac-Grabbers did their job – they dug in, kicked mud out, and lifted the truck out of the hole I was in.
I am almost giddy about my late season hunts because I know I will get the chance to test these out in some serious snow. It’s comforting to know that between my small vehicle snow shovel and the Trac-Grabbers I have the tools necessary to handle these kinds of situations. At the end of the day, I know I will get to where I need to be in order to put deer in the freezer.
Talking with Jim Perry, Managing Partner of Trac-Grabber, LLC today he said, “You can see why we are so happy to release this new product which will hopefully be a part of nearly every hunter’s gear. Getting stuck can really ruin a great hunt! Created by hunters, Trac-Grabbers have a huge advantage over any other ‘get-unstuck’ product because they can be used by a single person and they stay with the vehicle and continue to engage providing the additional traction needed to get back to stable terrain and ultimately to get home.” I couldn’t agree more. One person can easily and quickly put these grabbers on the tires, get free, and get home.
I stopped at the pressure-wand car wash on the way home to clean the truck. I cleaned off the Trac-Grabbers as well and placed them securely behind the seats in my truck for future use. The price of these is comparable to a full set of chains for your vehicle and they are about ten times easier to put on when needed. Chains provide a different use, but if you bury your vehicle chains are impossible to put on. Once stuck, you really need Trac-Grabbers to get out on your own. Trac-Grabbers come in various sizes for small cars, ATV’s, trucks and large oversized vehicles. Four-wheel drive vehicles require two sets to cover all four tires. The confidence the Trac-Grabbers provide is worth the price.
Run out and get a set or two before the weather closes in. I know I will keep these as an essential part of my gear in every vehicle I own.
