Seems the benefit of the weight is not worth it since most of us have everything but the kitchen sink already loaded. Sure, there is a safety issue but there are a dozen other things that can hurt you when you turn on the key. I have had a winch for six years and never have had to use it. I have got myself in some tough spots but not had to winch out. Perhaps if I used it a lot it would be different, but to spool off perfectly good cable and toss it to save a few pounds is not worth it for me. I carry a blanket to toss over the cable and hope I never have to use it.

 

Well, after getting very into Jeepin' in 2003, I just installed my first winch - Warn 9.5ti. I almost always take my two young sons with me when I wheel, so safety is a huge concern. Before I took the plung on a winch and cable, I did a lot of research, including have several indepth conversations with very experienced designers and testers at Warn. What I learned convinced me to stick with the steel cable that came with my Warn.

In a nutshell, this is what I learned:

- the margin of error is much greater with cable. Meaning, regardless of how carefully you set up your pull, if the jeep slides and changes the path of the line, it could drag that line over rocks, branches, earth, etc. And if that happens WHILE YOU'RE HANGING ON A HILL BY THE LINE, YOU DO NOT WANT IT TO BREAK AT THAT MOMENT! So if you wheel where there's rocks, trees, and/or brush like I do in the Northeast, steel cable gives a lot of safety cushion.

- line breaks: in 25 years of testing, one Warn guru told me he's only seen one line snap. And that was IN THE LAB! They were TRYING to snap a line. It took conserably more effort than expected to do so, and when it let go, it didn't have the Indiana Jones whip effect nearly as bad as people describe. Nothing that a blanket, heavy jacket or even a log on the line can't contain.

- Also, my best friend just retired after 24 years in the air force as a higher level supervisor in various areas of jet maintenance. He told me they use much thinner lines than winch lines, and they've never seen one let go. (They replace them every 5 years regardless just to be on the safe side, and also because they're used every day, not 5 times per year.)

- Weight: My Warn 9.5ti WITH 125' of steel 5/16" cable weighs 77lbs. I didn't remove the cable to weigh that alone, but we can't be talking about more than 15-20lbs difference, and probably closer to 10-15. Hell, the roller fairlead weighs 14lbs, so if I was really concerned I'd run a hawse instead.

- Lifespan: synthetic lines have a shorter lifespan than steel. Of course, exposure to the elements affects both, but sun and other factors do limit synthetic life more than steel.

So with all of this said, what my research led me to do was feel much better about running a steel cable. I've learned about how to handle it, care for it, and use it. I may run synthetic some day, depending on the conditions. But I'm convinced that it's not the hands down winner when safety is your #1 priority when you take into consideration the possiblity of things going wrong while I'm in the Jeep with my kids hanging on by a thread... i want that thread to be steel and not rope.

 

Nice. It's what make YOU feel comfortable based on the information YOU gather. I'd probably consider the same if I had kids too. Either way, you did your homework and made your decision. Furthermore, if my synthetic ever breaks, I'll know who to call.

 

Synthetic line.....I will never use cable it is far too dangerous..

 

I voted synthetic but currently have steel on my winch. I could not justify throwing out a brand new SS cable and replacing it with synthetic. When its time to replace the steel cable, I am replacing it with synthetic line.