The Pros and Cons to Synthetic and Wire 4X4 Winch Rope

When 4 x 4ing, you will need a winch to get you out of the touch situations. However, without the proper winch rope, you will still be stuck in the mud until someone comes to rescues you. Make sure you not only choose your winch wisely, but also your winch rope correctly. To help you with this somewhat tricky decision, we have outlined the pros and cons to the two most popular winch rope choices- wire rope and synthetic rope.

4x4 Winch Wire Rope Pros

• First and foremost, wire rope is the cheaper option which is always a plus
• Wire rope is the more traditional choice and made up of durable carbon steel wire so you it is built to last.
• Wire rope is more resistant than the synthetic alternative
• It is heat resistant.

4x4 Winch Wire Rope Cons

• If not properly re-spooled, wire rope can easily be crushed
• Furthermore, wire rope is quite heavy which makes it harder to work with and can cause a lot of physical strain.
• In addition, the individual strands of wire rope are prone to breakage which can affect the overall pull
• And finally, wire rope can cause some serious effects if something breaks loose and the rope whips around. When using wire rope, stay clear of the line of fire and keep your distance.

4x4 Winch Synthetic Rope Pros

• Synthetic rope is a more unconventional alternative that is new to the world of winching.
• Furthermore, synthetic rope is much lighter than wire rope and easier to handle and manipulate.
• If something does break, synthetic rope usually just drops dead instead of whipping around and harming those in the way.
• Synthetic rope has been hailed as stronger than wire rope based on a per diameter basis

4x4 Winch Synthetic Rope Cons

• Synthetic rope is more susceptible to chafing than wire rope
• As mentioned above, synthetic rope is a lot more expensive (however, many experts believe the initial price is most certainly worth it)
• And, finally, synthetic rope is unable to stand heat in the same way the wire rope can which can cause some serious problems when winching.