If you spend a lot of time off-road you are bound to find yourself in a spot where you are going to need a winch. Whether you have slid off the trail, are turtled on a rock or stuck in a mud bog. Getting yourself out of one of those situations can be tough or near impossible without a winch. It is an essential piece of gear when it comes to self-recovery and choosing the right one is paramount.
Choosing The Right Winch For Your Jeep
There are many factors you should consider when picking out a winch. Namely, Reliability, Durability, Functionality, Cost, and Warranty. A good winch should excel in all of these categories. Here is a look at which winches fit the bill.
Top 10 Winches For The Jeep Wrangler
- The best Winch right now is the Warn Zeon 12-S Platinum. $2,636.99
This is a premium winch with a 12,000-pound pulling capacity. It is equipped with 80 feet Spydura Pro synthetic rope and backed be the very best name in the Winch World. It has a full metal housing designed to keep all your winch safe in case of impacts and the metal acts as a heat sink drawing heat away from the motor allowing for faster operating times and increased longevity. It comes with a remote that can be used corded or wirelessly. This winch is not a cheap winch and if you are on a tight budget you may want to consider one of the other Winches on the list. However, this Winch is the best your money can buy, so if you are looking for premium functionality, incredible durability backed by the best brand in winching this is it.
2. Smittybilt 98612 XRC 12k Gen3: $699.99
If you are looking for a winch with premium-level features but a mid-level price look no further than the XRC 12k. It comes in with a built-in load indicator warning that will let you know if you are putting the winch under too much pressure. It comes with an industry-leading 7.0 HP motor and compared to the previous generation it is 12% faster. It is spooled with a synthetic line and has a 12k load capacity.
3. Superwinch SX12SR 12,000 lb Winch: $739.99
Superwinch has been in the game for nearly 50 years. But over the past 10 years, they have really been making a push into the Jeep market. The new SX series winches are their top-of-the-line winch, and they are exceptional. Very highly rated! It comes with a corded and wireless controller, a synthetic line, and an incredible 231:1 gear ratio. Best of all it’s backed by a 7-year warranty, so you know you are covered.
4. X-Bull Synthetic Rope Winch 13,000 lb Winch: $359.90
If you are looking for the BEST bang for your buck look no further than the X-Bull Synthetic winch. It is tied for the best load capacity on the list with a workhorse motor that can handle up to 13,000lb load capacity. It has a synthetic line and comes with a wireless remote. With over 80ft of line and a three-stage gear system, it is fast and strong. The key downside is that it only has a one-year warranty. While their reputation is good it is not as solid as some of the other winches on the list. It is an excellent option for anyone looking for a ton of power and a winch they plan to only use a few times a year.
5. Stegodon 13,000 lb Winch: $356.99
The Stegodon 13,000 lb has a massive load capacity and matches the output of the X-Bull. It also comes with a synthetic line and has over 208 positive reviews on Amazon. It comes with 2 wireless handheld remotes and 1 wired one. We are a big fan of these wireless remotes as it gives you the flexibility of running a winch without the hassle of the remote. It also allows you or someone else the ability to safely operate the winch away from the line or fair lead. It has a powerful 6.4hp 3 stage planetary motor and state-of-the-art 500amp solenoid. It is pretty clear this and the X-Bull are insanely similar, outside of a few design tweaks these seem to be the same winch. So choose which ones has the best price at the time.
6. WARN 103253 VR EVO 10,000 lb Winch: $710.83
If you are not ready to pull the trigger on the ZEON series then the VR EVO might be exactly what you are looking for. It’s a 10,000 lb winch that is very capable of handling the load of a Jeep. It comes with WARNS’s incredible limited lifetime mechanical warranty and 7-year electrical warranty. It comes with a synthetic line and a functional two-in-one remote. Its price point hits right in the middle between the entry-level winches and premium lineups. If you are looking for a winch with durable one-piece cast aluminum plates that is strong and durable but won’t break the bank. This is it!
7. Rough Country 12,000 lb Pro Series Electric Winch: $549.95
The Rough Country winch is an excellent choice for any Jeep owner especially if you are looking for a few extra feet of rope. Many of the winches mentioned above have 80ft synthetic ropes. But the rough country comes with an 85ft rope. With a 12,000 lb load pulling capacity a 1 year electrical and a 2-year mechanical warranty you have some peace of mind. It has a 265:1 gear ratio and also comes with a 3 stage planetary gearing system making it efficient and fast. Another key benefit of this winch is it is a more compact package than the others. It does have a little less housing which would be a protection issue but if you are working with a tight space this is an excellent option.
8. WARN TI Series Heavyweight 16,500 lb Winch: $1,992.99
For most setups, a 9,500to 13,000 lb winch is all you will need. However if you have a very heavy Jeep think, steel full plate skids, roof rack, aftermarket front, and rear bumpers, rooftop tent, V8 swamp or you spend a lot of time in the deep snow or mud you may want to add in some extra power. Mud and snow tend to create a vacuum around your rig that can take a lot of pulling force to remove. So if you meet one of those requirements we highly recommend the TI series from WARN. These things are extremely tough and with 90ft of steel line, you can get a big heavy rig out of some really tough situations.
9. Badlands Apex Synthetic Wireless Winch 12,000 lb: $733.00
The Badlands Apex winch is a product from one of the biggest brands in tools. Harbor Freight. It comes with an 80ft synthetic line and 12,000 lbs of pulling power. It also has a unique forged steel hook with nylon easy pull rope, so you can easily pull the line out when you need it. One thing we really like about it is how they have tested it under high PSI water situations so you can trust this thing in the elements. Worried about quality? Why half the tools in your garage are from Harbor Freight and this thing has over 490 five-star reviews on their website. A lot of people like this winch and you will too.
10. Smitybilt X20 Comp 12,000 lb Winch: $640.54
Last but not least is the X20 Comp from Smitybilt. It is a quality mid-level winch with a synthetic line. Backed by a lifetime mechanical warranty and a 5-year electrical warranty Smitybilt will keep you from getting stranded. It can be run with a remote or on the winch. The primary downside is it is not a wireless remote which be a little bit of a hassle routing the cord in a safe place to operate.
Be Prepared
A very important part of Jeeping is being prepared. Quality recovery gear should be at the top of your list and a winch should be in your top 5 first items to get. If you know you will be running a winch a lot we recommend going with one of the premium winches on the list. If you want to have one but know it will only be used a few times a year we suggest getting one of the mid-range winches and use your leftover cash for other recovery items. Have a winch you love that is not on this list? Share it with us in the comments.
