Bubba Rope had a full display of all their products at the 2019 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. One that caught our eye was the newly redesigned slider type Gator Jaw. Instead of the looping the knot through the twisted end of the shackle, they added an epoxy rubber slider making it easier to use and stronger at the same time. You might ask is there a reason to make it stronger than the current design, not to mention easier. During one event on a Baja beach having used another brand soft shackle it broke on an easy recovery. That is what intrigued me about the new design with full explanation from Jim Flowers, President of Bubba Rope. They state “The 3/8-inch NexGen PRO synthetic shackle weighs only 6.5 ounces yet has a 47,000lb breaking strength, an increase of 46% over the original Gator-Jaw synthetic shackle. Additionally, all Gator-Jaw synthetic shackles contain no metal so they will not rust and are lightweight enough to float.” I definitely know what my next shackle will be and with the off road season underway I hope to put them to use.
Bubba Rope came to be from the original company who made slings for the military and knew the needs of the commercial industry. They have been the most recognized and awarded company for stretch recovery ropes. Their product line has increased to include synthetic winch lines, tree straps, flat web straps and Mega ropes able to tow up to 50,000 vehicles.