Rex Francis
Anchor Right
27 Dunstan Rd
Avonsleigh, Vic. 3782
18.02.00
Dear Rex,
From the moment I saw the Portable Rescue Tree (PRT) ground anchor I was impressed. Not because I thought it would work, but because of the compact form that it packed down to Other ground anchors on the market, (some that work, others that don’t) don’t break down in size nearly as much as the PRT. I found it to be compact, very easy to move around (and lug up a sand dune) and it didn’t add to the overall weight in the vehicle by very much at all.
But more importantly I found it to work. Not just adequately but surprisingly well and easily.
The first trial was in hard packed clay. With the vehicle on a 30-degree rutted hill and wheels spinning front and rear it was time to run out the winch cable. With nowhere to secure the winch cable to, it was time to pull out the PRT.
I ran the full length of the winch cable out, leaving half a dozen wraps on the drum, whilst at the same carrying the PRT to the top of the hill. Fifteen seconds to setup the PRT and attach the winch cable, and we were ready for business.
With a little pressure on the fluke nut and my co-driver manning the winch control, the PRT started to move forward. It moved 30 centimeters before diving downwards. After another 1-1.5 meters of forward and downward movement the PRT came to a stop and the vehicle began to move forward.
Halfway up the bank the PRT hadn’t moved, so to test the true holding power of the PRT I had the driver apply the brakes. With all four wheels locked up the car continued to be dragged up the hill whilst the PRT didn’t move. Once over the hill it was a simple case of driving directly above the PRT and it came straight out of the ground with no drama’s at all.
I can safely say that the PRT in that particular situation worked flawlessly.
The next test was in loose soft sand. Once again the PRT worked beautifully. No other ground anchor I’ve used or tested before worked as effectively in sand as it did in hard ground. The PRT in this situation moved forward around 3-4 meters and went down into the sand to the point where the very tip of the handle was all that was visible.
I would have no problem in recommending the Portable Rescue Tree to any one who may require a winching point when there is not one available. I found it to be lightweight, compact and easily portable, but most importantly I found it to actually work.
Rex, you’re on a real winner here I wish you well with this product and any future endeavors.
Rick Loft
