Carbon Offroad High-Vis Tree Trunk Protector Strap

There's no universal legal requirement across Australia, but it is considered non-negotiable by most 4WD clubs, and mandatory in most national parks and conservation areas. Winching directly off a tree with bare rope or wire cable damages the bark and can kill the tree. It's standard responsible practice, and in many protected areas you'll be refused entry or fined if caught winching without one.

Wrap the strap around the trunk as low as practical — the lower the better, as it reduces the leverage angle on the anchor. Bring both looped ends together at the front and connect them with a soft shackle or rated bow shackle. Then connect your winch rope or kinetic rope to the shackle. Keep the strap as flat and wide on the trunk as possible to spread the load.

Yes. Five metres provides enough length to wrap around all but very large tree trunks. In practice, you'll rarely use the full length on a single wrap — the remainder simply loops back toward the shackle connection point. The 85mm wide profile also helps spread the load across the bark rather than concentrating it on a narrow line.

A soft shackle rated above the strap's 14,000kg breaking strain is the clean choice — it's lighter, safer in a failure, and easier to handle. Rated steel bow shackles are also appropriate provided they're rated to the required load. Avoid using shackles rated below the strap's breaking strain.

When you're recovering in low light, heavy rain, or thick bush, it's easy to lose track of your rigging. A bright strap is easier to spot against a tree trunk or in undergrowth, which makes it simpler to check that the strap is correctly positioned before the pull starts. In a recovery scenario where things can go sideways quickly, that visibility matters.