Keeping the number of a good off-road recovery service with you is one of the best ways to stay safe as you try to have some fun. But even if you have that number, you should keep at least some recovery gear with you because that gear will help both you and the recovery service get you out of a predicament more efficiently. Four pieces, in particular, can make the difference between stuck and despondent and stuck but fully aware of what you need to do.

Two Pieces: Flashlight and Mirror

It doesn't matter if you're off-roading at night or in the brightest sunlight; a stuck tire is going to be in the shade cast by the body of your car. Thus, it won't be that easy to see everything blocking the tire. For example, you could look and see the tire stuck in loose sand, but unbeknownst to you, there could be an extra rock on the other side of the tire that could damage the tire if you tried to back out using some traction.

A flashlight and handheld mirror are two of the essential pieces that you need. The flashlight illuminates, and the mirror lets you see areas you might not be able to see with only your eyes from where you are sitting. And once you know what's there, you will have an easier time telling the recovery service exactly what is blocking your vehicle from getting out.

One Piece (or More): Traction Pads

Sometimes the off-road problem doesn't have anything odd or hidden to it, and you just need a little more traction to get moving again. Try a traction pad or two; those will save you the wait time involved in calling an off-road recovery service. Of course, if you still can't get your vehicle unstuck, just call the service instead of exhausting yourself while trying to make the traction pads work.

The Final Piece: Shovel

Keep a shovel with you so you can remove soil, sand, and rocks that aren't wedged too tightly in the ground. If you can free up more space around your tire, it might be easier to get the vehicle out. But, as with the traction pads, if you can't move all of the material that's trapped your vehicle, let the off-road recovery service do the major work. That's what they're there for.

Off-road services know how easy it is to get stuck and offer skilled rescue that gets you moving again quite quickly. If you don't have room to carry a full complement of recovery gear, carry the basics and contact an off-road recovery company if needed.