5 Of The Highest Rated Truck Winches In 2023, Ranked

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While many people will buy trucks and SUVs as a status symbol or because it's a personal preference, plenty of owners still choose them for their utility. If you've got a vehicle that can handle it, there's no reason not to add a truck winch — especially if you do a lot of off-roading and may need to pull a stuck vehicle or self-recover.

A good rule of thumb is to make sure your winch has a pull capacity of at least one and a half times the weight of your vehicle. You can also get a winch with a much larger capacity, but you'll want to make sure your winch isn't too big for your truck because you could risk damaging your bumper or even your frame. Besides pull capacity, you'll also need to decide whether you want a winch with a steel cable or a synthetic one. There are pros and cons to both, but if it's a good-quality winch, the material of its cable won't really matter. If you're wondering which winches are good quality, reviews from owners who've actually installed and used them are a good metric to go by. Here are five of the highest-rated truck winches in 2023, ranked.

The Rough Country 12,000-pound Pro Series of winches are easy to install and run on a powerful motor capable of six horsepower. Its gear ratio is 265:1, and it uses a three-stage planetary gear train with a sliding rear clutch and auto-in drum braking, which makes it efficient while still compact. The winch weighs ‎63.9 pounds and is 23.25 x 13.5 x 12.5 inches. The synthetic model has a ⅜-inch rope that measures 85 feet long and includes a clevis hook and hawse fairlead. It's rated IP67, meaning the water and dustproof winch can withstand off-road travel and doesn't need to be covered or protected.

Unfortunately, the Rough Country 12,000 LB Pro Series doesn't come with a wireless remote, even though it used to — it does include a wired one, however. Rough Country's 12,000 LB Pro Winch (Synthetic) has product code PRO12000S and a list price of $499.95. You can find it for a few bucks cheaper on Amazon, though if you want it bundled with a mount, it'll cost $639.90.

Smittybilt makes a series of winches that come with both steel or synthetic cables, as well as with either a 9,500 or 12,000 pound pull capacity — so you can choose the right winch for you. The 12K winch with synthetic cable (product code 98612) has a MSRP of $759.99, but you can currently find it on Amazon for $647.92. That model has a seven horsepower motor, making it one of the most powerful winches on the market. It also has a 95-foot cable, giving you plenty of room to work with.

One drawback is that the remote isn't wireless, which isn't too hard to overlook considering the other advantages the XRC GEN3 12K Comp Series has. Some of those features include an innovative new load indicator warning system, high-viz clutch lever, controller flashlight, dual magnet mounts, body armor that is customizable and detachable, an aluminum hawse fairlead, a three-stage planetary gear system, and a silicon steel plate rotor. The Smittybilt XRC GEN3 12K Comp winch also has an IP67 waterproof rating, and is a great winch to use at night or in low-lighting conditions thanks to onboard lighting features, including a daytime running light.