Spent about $200 on a new winch line for my old Polaris and it saved my trip

I was up in the UP last winter, about 20 miles from the nearest plowed road, and my machine went right into a deep drift. The old steel cable on my winch was all frayed and I knew it was a risk. I bit the bullet before the trip and got a synthetic rope, which cost me around $200. That thing pulled me out smooth as butter, no kinks, and it's so much lighter to handle when your hands are freezing. The old cable would have probably snapped or been a huge pain to re-spool in that cold. I almost didn't buy it because the price seemed high for 'just rope,' but man, it was worth every penny. Has anyone else switched to synthetic and noticed a big difference in how it performs when it's really cold out?

3 comments

3 Comments

jamietaylor1mo ago

Glad it worked for you, but I've had the opposite experience. My synthetic line got chewed up real fast on sharp rocks and tree bark, where my old steel cable would have been fine. In my experience, that lighter weight comes with a trade-off in toughness. The cold performance is great, but I worry about it getting damaged in rough terrain. I switched back to a good quality cable because I need that abrasion resistance more than I need easy handling in the cold.

wren_hunt131mo ago

Oh wow, that's a really good point about the abrasion! I totally get why you'd switch back. For me, the safety part is huge. A snapped steel cable is like a whip and can do some real damage, but if my synthetic line fails, it just drops. That peace of mind is worth the extra care around sharp stuff for my kind of riding. I just check it over more often and keep it clean.

cameron_webb5d ago

Yeah, that safety thing is exactly it. I saw a steel cable snap once and it put a huge gash in a truck's quarter panel. The idea of that flying around near me or my horse just isn't worth it. I treat my synthetic line like any other piece of gear that needs a look over. A quick check for fuzzies when I clean my tack, keep it out of the dirt when I can. It's a bit more work, but you're right, it just drops if it goes. Lets me ride without that little worry in the back of my mind.