Once you choose a winch for your truck, make sure you know how to use it. If you are by yourself, start by finding a sturdy anchor. The best choice is a tree with a tree-saver
strap. You can also bury a spare tire and use that or opt for a winch anchor. If you are with someone else, their truck can be used as the anchor.
Whether you are using a steel or synthetic line, never stand between the vehicle and its recovery anchor point during a recovery operation. I like to maintain the assumption that the winch line could fail at any time and behave accordingly. Even with a synthetic line that is less likely to slingshot when it breaks, other failures can still occur such as the winch hook or a shackle failing or slipping off under tension.
Possibly even more important is to speak up when you see others acting unsafely around winch recoveries. Especially when you have passengers in your group who may be experiencing offroading for their first time, they may be simply unaware of the potential dangers of winching. Politely remind them to maintain a generous distance from the winch line and if they can stand behind another vehicle or trail obstacle, that is even better. If you still don’t believe me, go watch some winch accident videos and I promise you will gain a tremendous amount of respect for a winch line that is under 12,000lbs of tension!
As long as proper safety precautions are taken, a winch can be one of the most useful additions you can make to an offroad vehicle. A winch can be the difference between getting home safely and being stuck in the backcountry with no cell service or others around to help. It also feels great to use your winch to help others who are stuck. They’ll be so grateful for your help and the next time you run into them, they will probably have made the decision to install a winch too!
