A soft shackle, 5/8", rated 44,500 lb., with loop and abrasion sleeve, 23", storage bag included.

A soft shackle does the job of a steel bow shackle at a fraction of the weight — and without the steel. That second part is the point. If a connection fails under load, a steel shackle becomes a projectile; a soft shackle falls to the ground. Recovery gear should fail harmlessly, and this is the clearest example of it.

They are also easier to use: no threads to seize, no pin to lose in the mud, and they will pass through a recovery point a steel shackle will not fit.

The abrasion sleeve is what makes it last — it takes the wear where the shackle passes over a hard edge or through a recovery point.

Keep them out of direct sun in storage and inspect before use — replace any shackle with cut fibres, glazing or a damaged sleeve rather than trusting it one more time.