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Synthetic Fiber vs Steel Wire Winch Rope

It's Fun Until It Breaks: Synthetic or Steel Winch Rope

Talking about rope material may not be the sexiest topic when it comes to hauling or lifting heavy loads, but your decision on which type of winch rope to buy can be the difference between a fun weekend trip and a trip to the emergency room. When it comes to winch ropes, you have two materials to choose from: synthetic fiber and steel wire. In this article, we will breakdown the benefits and drawbacks of each material and help guide you to making the right purchase for your needs.

The Breakdown of Synthetic Winch Rope:

A synthetic winch rope consists of braided synthetic fibers that interlock to create a flexible and light rope. Great for the recreational user or weekend warrior, a synthetic winch rope is easy to handle as well as to store.
Synthetic Rope Winching a UTV

Pros and Cons of Synthetic Winch Rope

Pros:
  • The Lighter Option
  • Safer If It Breaks
  • Won't Rust in Wet Conditions
Cons:
  • Higher Price Tag
  • Shorter Lifespan
  • Limited Winch Compatibility

Benefits of Synthetic Winch Rope:

  • The Lighter Option

    The synthetic fibers are significantly lighter than steel wire cables. A light winch rope pulls smoothly from the winch, is easier to maneuver, and is more flexible when tying off. If carrying or storing weight is a concern, perhaps a synthetic winch rope is best for you.
  • Safer If It Breaks

    When a synthetic rope breaks, you won’t have to worry about sharp cables of steel flying at you or your family. A synthetic rope will typically break and fall to the ground rather than snap and go flying, making it a safer option than steel for winch ropes.
  • Won't Rust in Wet Conditions

    Unlike steel wire, the synthetic fibers in these winch ropes will not rust if frequently exposed to wet conditions. If you typically use your winch rope for watercrafts or live in a humid area, a synthetic winch rope may be the way to go.

Drawbacks of Synthetic Winch Rope:

  • A Higher Price Tag

    All of that safety, strength, and ease of use comes at a steep cost though. A standard synthetic winch rope could easily put you back $100 to over $300, whereas a high-quality wire winch rope may only cost you around $30 to $100. If cost is an issue, a wire winch rope could be your best option.
  • Shorter Lifespan Than Steel

    Because a synthetic winch rope is made up of fibers, those fibers are likely to fray over time due to friction, heat, and abrasive debris like sand or rocks. If you use your winch in areas where there is a large amount of rough and abrasive material, you may want to go with wire over synthetic.
  • Slightly Limited Winch Compatibility

    Not every winch is compatible with synthetic winch ropes because of the heat generated by the brake drum. Synthetic fibers do not distribute that heat as well as steel does. Too much heat can damage and break the synthetic fibers, which in the best scenario wastes a chunk of money. This issue is specific to drums that use internal brake action, which generate a significant amount of heat. If your drum uses internal brake action, choose a synthetic rope that has a heat-resistant coating.

What We Like Using Synthetic Winch Rope For:

  • Watercraft Hauling and Recovery: Synthetic winch rope works great for watercraft hauling and recovery. Because of its buoyancy, your rope won't sink to the bottom of a lake or river like a steel cable would. Additionally, the synthetic fibers won't wear from being exposed to water and algae consistently. Take note that when a synthetic rope has been in water, it will be significantly heavier because of soaking in water. If you use your synthetic rope in cold, wet environments, we recommend you store your rope after it is dried or in an area that remains above freezing as a frozen rope cannot be used until it is thawed.
  • Jeeping: Who doesn't love mudding, sand duning, and off-road rock crawling? We know you will get into situations where you'll need to winch your Jeep out of a tricky spot. Synthetic winch rope works great for quickly tying off from your Jeep's electric winch due to synthetic rope's lightweight flexibility and superior maneuverability. Especially important if you will be tying to natural features such as trees, synthetic fibers are less likely than steel wire to cut into and damage the natural environment.
  • ATVing: The uses for synthetic winch rope while you're ATVing is limited only by your imagination, and synthetic rope is light enough to carry on your ATV without throwing off the weight distribution. One use for synthetic rope is to help your ATV when ascending or descending steep slopes by anchoring to a tree or boulder, using your ATV electric winch and winch rope to pull you up or lower you down. Also, we've all been there when the phrase "do it, dude!" ended with an upside-down ATV. Synthetic rope is easy to take out, tie up, and pull your ATV right-side-up again. Synthetic winch rope is also great for clearing ATV trails of brush and fallen trees. Pro tip: haul the cleared brush and limbs to your campsite for fire fodder.
  • Hunting: No one wants to carry a steel cable to their deer stand at 4 o'clock in the morning. Synthetic rope can be thrown in your backpack or wound on your ATV's/UTV's winch, ready whenever you need to clean your game and haul it on to your truck bed. Clean-up of mud and animal fluids is easy with synthetic rope as it's able to sit and soak in water. Another use for your synthetic rope when out hunting is to tie the rope up to a tree and drape a camo tarp over the rope for a quick, mobile hunting blind.

The Breakdown of Wire Winch Rope:

Instead of synthetic fibers, a wire winch rope consists of long, heavy gauge steel cables that are twisted together to create a single rope. While more and more people are choosing synthetic fiber winch ropes over wire, wire winch ropes still have several advantages over synthetic options in vehicle recovery, construction, and landscaping.
Synthetic Rope Winching a UTV

Pros and Cons of Wire Winch Rope

Pros:
  • Holds Up Well Over Time
  • Resistant to Heat and Friction
  • A Lower Price Tag
Cons:
  • Not Newbie-Friendly
  • Steel Rusts

Benefits of Wire Winch Rope:

  • Holds Up Well Over Time

    If you are a good steward of your gear and equipment, especially during storage, a wire winch rope can last you longer than a synthetic rope. Steel can hold up better to abrasive debris, sharp objects, and high temperatures than synthetic fibers. If you plan on being very rough with your winch rope, steel can handle it.
  • Resistant to Heat and Friction

    Steel is able to distribute the heat generated by tension and friction well, unlike synthetic fibers. This means that a wire winch rope is less likely to be damaged by heat, so if you plan on frequently using the cable in a single day, in hot conditions, or with a winch with high friction, wire rope could be your best choice in winch rope.
  • A Lower Price Tag

    Steel is cheap. As we mentioned above, a wire winch rope can be as inexpensive as $30 and sometimes exceeds $100, so if you are more price conscious, go with a wire winch rope over synthetic.

Drawbacks of Wire Winch Rope:

  • Not Newbie-Friendly

    Because wire rope is made of steel, it can be a bit unwieldy to work with. Wire winch rope is significantly heavier than synthetic rope. Plus, wire rope is more difficult to wind for storage and is prone to kinking and deformation over time.
  • Steel Rusts

    When exposed to moisture, steel will rust, and once your wire winch rope is rusted, it is time to buy a new one. Rust weakens the steel so that when pulling or lifting a heavy load, the rope is more likely to break and cause serious damage. While most wire ropes are galvanized, which protects the steel from rusting, galvanization is not a guarantee. Over time, the zinc coating will wear, exposing the steel to rust, especially if the rope is used frequently in wet environments. If you're going to be storing your winch rope in a boat house, humid garage, or a leaky basement, choose a synthetic winch rope instead.

What We Like Using Steel Wire Winch Rope For:

  • Frequent or Heavy-Duty Vehicle Recovery: Because wire winch rope is made of steel cables, you will experience a long life out of your winch rope, even with frequent, heavy-duty use on your electric recovery winch. That is why wire winch rope is ideal for vehicle recovery. If you work in the vehicle towing profession, you'll be using your electric winch and winch rope daily. Rest assured that steel can distribute the heat caused by tension, friction, and continual, day-to-day use.
  • Construction Worksites: Working at a construction site means working with heavy materials and equipment every day. Perhaps you have to load and unload a Bobcat from a trailer, hoist timbers two stories high, or place mechanical appliances in tight locations. No one wants to start the workday with a flipped Bobcat or a smashed furnace. Winch rope and a hand winch or hoist winch makes these tasks a breeze and safer. While synthetic rope is safer if it breaks, wire rope is more reliable than synthetic rope over time with recurring, rugged use, lessening the chance of breakage due to overuse.
  • Landscaping and Conservation: If you work in landscaping or land conservation, day-in and day-out, you'll need to move large, heavy, abrasive material. Lifting, hauling, and placing these materials is made easier with a winch, but you'll need a winch rope that can handle constant tension and abrasion. With high tension on an abrasive surface like tree bark when removing a tree stump, synthetic fibers will become frayed, but steel will not fray as easily. Also, steel can handle the heat of high tension on the cable better than synthetic can.

Should I Buy Synthetic or Steel Wire Winch Rope?

Synthetic Winch Rope
Wire Winch Rope

Synthetic Fiber Winch Rope

We recommend you purchase a synthetic winch rope if you are a recreational, wet condition, or occasional user of your winch and winch rope. You will get the same amount of strength as steel wire with the added benefits of the rope being light weight, causing less harm if it breaks, and having great ease of use.

Steel Wire Winch Rope

On the other side, if you are using your winch multiple times a week, need something that can hold up to the roughest conditions, or are a bit light in the wallet, wire rope is your best bet. While you'll have to make a trade off on usability and safety, you'll be purchasing a winch rope that can handle almost any situation.
Related ArticlesRelated ProductsWritten By: Dani S.
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Starli B.

12/21/2022

How wonderful that a wire winch rope lasts longer than synthetic if it's taken care of. I am starting a construction business this year and preparing my equipment. I will find a good custom winch truck building company to help with this first of all.



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