As a serious off-roader, having a Badland winch is a must because it might cost you a lot if you don't have a winch since you don't know what lies ahead. Furthermore, a winch is handy and beneficial for vehicle owners who enjoy traveling to remote and mountainous areas as it will help rescue stuck vehicles from dire situations. You won't get help from anyone in these situations because you are far from your locality. With a Badland winch, you can overcome these situations without any help from anyone.
Badland winches are among the renowned manufacturers, and since they have several choices available, you might not know which one to buy. This article contains detailed reviews and a buying guide that will turn to pick the right winch into a breeze and help you choose the best Badland winch for your vehicle.
Who is Badland?
Badland is the title of a brand used by the manufacturer of the American tool Harbor Freight Tools founded by Allan Smidt, who passed it on to his son Eric Smidt, the current chairman and CEO of the company. It has headquarters in Calabasas, California, with over 17000 employees spread out in the 800 stores in 47 states across the US.
Badland operates as a chain of retail stores, an e-commerce business and a mail order service. Although the tools are produced in a manufacturing plant in Calabasas, California, the Badland winches are manufactured in China. According to this Badland winch review, you will understand Badland is the name of quality. Dive in.
Rank | Product Image | Product Name | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|
1. |
|  | |
2. |
| | |
3. |
| | |
4. |
| | |
5. |
| |
1. BADLAND APEX Synthetic 12,000 Lb. Wireless Winch
BADLAND APEX wireless winch is one of the best winches on the market, and it will help you navigate through all terrains with confidence. It features a lightweight but dependable 80 ft 3/8 inch UHMW synthetic rope, complete with a steel hook. In addition, the winch includes a wireless remote that allows confident winching if you need to when navigating adventurous paths.
Image Credit: Badland
Badland synthetic wireless winch has an automatic load-holding brake that prevents the motor from overheating, and the motor has durable steel gears that help pull heavy vehicles easily. In addition, the truck winch has IP68 and IP69K waterproof ratings if you can comfortably navigate through water or dust and gracefully withstand 1450 PSI water streams.
Pros
Cons
2. Badland ZXR 12000 lb. IP 66 Electric Winch
Badland ZXR 12000 lb. IP 66 Weather Resistant Off-Road Vehicle Electric Winch with Automatic...
- Ip66 Weather Rsistant rating.
- Series-wound motor stays cooler during long pulls
- Aircraft grade wire rope
- Three-stage planetary gear system for fast line speed
- Automatic load-holding brake for maximum safety- Free spooling...
Badland ZXR 12000 lb. carries a decent capacity for your pulling purposes, and using this high-capacity winch, you can recover your heavy-weight vehicles comfortably thanks to the sturdy wire. It is built for off-road purposes and uses aircraft-level wires, making it super durable, but it's not ideal for pulling anything over 10000 lb for the best results.
Image Credit: youtube.com
This badland winch supports wireless remote, but you have to purchase it separately. When towing anything using this winch, you must ensure the cables remain straight for a hassle-free operation. It includes a safety feature that stops your winching immediately while pulling if any safety issue arises.
Pros
Cons
3. 9000 lb. Electric Winch with Automatic Brake
9000 lb. Electric Winch with Automatic Brake, Three-stage Planetary Gear System and Remote Switch...
- Three-stage planetary gear system for fast line speed and sure...
- Series-wound motor stays cooler during long winch pulls
- Freespooling for fast line-out
- Automatic load-holding brake for maximum safety
- Remote switch with 12 ft. lead
9000 lb. Electric Winch is a quality Badland winch with a great pulling capacity for your pulling purposes and is compatible with pulling medium-weight vehicles. According to the safety recommendation, you should keep the vehicle's weight within 6000 lbs to get the best results. If you prefer cable, this is for you as it comes with a 65 ft. aircraft-grade cable to support off-road activities.
Image Credit: ruggeddriving.com
It comes with a wireless remote to make your life comfortable and easy, but even the wired one would still work without any issues. In addition, the cable works quite well, and there is no bunching in a single spot during the pulling process, but it would work better if it were longer. The wink is perfect for towing and lifting vehicles like SUVs and trucks, and it won't back off when pulling.
Pros
Cons
4. Badland Winches 61383 ATV/Utility Electric Winch
Sale
Badland Winches 61383 ATV/Utility Electric Winch with Automatic Load-Holding Brake from TNM, 3500 lb
- Permanent magnet motor draws less current, ideal for ATV use
- Single-stage planetary gear system for fast line speed
- Automatic load-holding brake for maximum safety
- Freespooling for fast line-out, 8 ft. Handlebar control and 12...
Badland 61383 ATV winches come in handy when dealing with small loads, thanks to the 3500lbs capacity for pulling purposes. You can recover your lightweight vehicles with this pulling capacity, especially the ATV/UTV. It is slightly different from other ATV winches as it's designed with a single-stage planetary gear system, unlike the other winches, which use the three-stage planetary gear train. This gear train is sufficient to recover your ATV, but you must check for information after waterproof protection.
Image Credit: teamalbaracing.com
This winch claims to protect immersions up to 1 meter in water, which is not seen in other winches, making this special. In addition, this winch has a 50ft long steel cable even though a synthetic rope is preferable for UTV/ATV, but for the price, this winch will give you maximum quality.
Pros
Cons
5. 2500 lb. Electric ATV/Utility Winch
This is a perfect solution for anyone looking for ATV winches, and it includes plenty of features that will be handy when you get stuck in the wilderness. With a 2500 lbs weight capacity, it includes an aircraft-grade rope, and the winch will guarantee you safety and performance as it will not wear or tear. In addition, 2500 lb Electric ATV winches have a permanent magnet motor that draws less current from the battery than other electric winches of the same size.
Image Credit: winchreview.com
To ensure it has a fast line using free spooling and it features a single-stage planetary gear system. These Badlands winch also has an automatic load-holding brake and a wireless remote that can be used up to 20 ft from the ATV or the car. In addition, it is easy to get quality compatible replacement parts for your Badland winches.
Pros
Cons
Factors to Consider Before Purchasing the Best Badland Winch
Suppose you are interested in purchasing a Badland winch but are confused by all the features and advantages of the different Badland winches. In that case, you should consider some factors:
1. Budget
The first thing you might be interested in is the price, and like most popular brands, the Badland winches have a reasonable price range, although they are made of high-quality material. You will need to choose Badlands' winch that meets your budget as the prices vary, and at each price point, there are different features.
2. Build & Construction
Since a winch is used for pulling your vehicle, its construction is very important, and so you need to ensure the winch you choose will have a quality build and good construction. The construction material guarantees strength, prevents corrosion, and also reduces weight.
The build is important since it determines the performance and will ensure you can deal with any environmental elements. So, when investing in a winch brand, why not pick the best for your money and worthwhile?
3. Energy Requirements
When purchasing a winch, this is another factor to consider as winches take power from your vehicle's battery. Therefore, ensure you check whether your battery can take the load or not, but since you will use your Badland winch for a short time, it won't matter in most cases. However, you should still check the energy requirements to be safe.
4. Weight-bearing Capacity
Another crucial aspect to consider is the weight capacity. The capacity of the Badland winches will matter since it will depend on your vehicle's weight if you use winches to pull your vehicle while stuck. However, the exact weight-bearing capacity is usually less than the manufacturer states.
To know whether the winch you want to choose is fit for your vehicle, you will need to know the weight of your car and then follow an easy mechanism. Once you know your vehicle's weight, you should get a Badland winch with a capacity that is 1.5 times greater than your vehicle's weight. So, purchasing a winch that carries more weight than you would need is preferred to ensure the winch will effectively bear the weight.
5. Cable vs. Synthetic Rope
Winches come with either a cable or synthetic ropes, and each has its advantages where the cable will be more long-lasting and durable. Also, the cable doesn't dissipate heat easily, and it's less expensive and prone to kink or rust.
On the other hand, synthetic ropes are easy to handle, rustproof and lighter, but they should be regularly cleaned; otherwise, water can freeze or retain them. In addition, it can be internally cut by sand, and it's degradable by high heat or UV rays, so make your decision carefully.
6. Weather Resistance
Since most Badland winches will be used on off-road trails, it's important to consider how weather-resistant they are. Like other winches, they will be exposed to the weather like mud, rock chirps, dust and water, so it's always a good decision to buy a weather resistance winch.
Winches will have IP ratings that will clarify the protection from debris, dust, water and mud, and when you perform a search online, you will know the details of the IP rating.
Frequently Asked Questions on Badland Winch Review
1. Are Harbor Freight Badland winches waterproof?
All the waterproof features of the Harbor freight depend on the models, and the waterproof feature is not available in all Badland winches. Harbor freight badland winches are designed for different uses, and some of them have IP ratings while others don't. In the same way, some Badland winches can get wet while some cannot but always check the IP ratings to determine which winch is waterproof or dustproof.
However, most Badlands' winches are waterproof, especially when the winch is of a higher capacity. Also, the winch might be splash-proof or waterproof, but the remotes are not waterproof, so you will need to ensure the remote is safe even if the winch has a good IP rating.
2. Will you Get a Replacement Remote?
Harbor Freight doesn't sell their remotes separately for the winches, so if your remote is faulty, you would have to count your losses, which would be bad luck. However, if you contact your seller, you may get a good response that may work out.
3. What Size of Winch Do I Need?
If you want the best size of Badland winches, you will need to do some calculations, but they should not scare you off. The calculation will be:
Winch weight = Loaded vehicles weight x 1.5
If you have a vehicle over 6000lbs of weight, you will need a winch with a minimum of 9000lbs capacity. However, you can also calculate your vehicle weight this way:
Loaded vehicles weight = weight of vehicle + baggage weight
Image Credit: pickwinch.com