Best Badland Winch (Harbor Freight Tools Buyers Guide 2022)

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As a frequent off-roader, you must have found yourself in sticky situations a couple of times. You probably got stuck on a dandy hill, muddy terrain, deep snow, or a rocky climb. Getting yourself in such situations, especially if you are alone, can be difficult. But with a winch installed, you don’t have to worry.

A winch is an important rig for off-road. However, to guarantee to save the day, you have to pick the right one for your needs. Below is a quick guide on buying a Badland winch, as well as what we think are some of the best Badland winches and what purpose they work best for.

But before we get into that:

Who is Badland?

Badland winches are manufactured in China, mostly by Ningbo Lianda Winch Co. and Ningbo Antai Winches Technology Co. They are branded and sold as Badland Winches by Harbor Freight Tools.

Harbor Freight Tools is an American privately held tool and equipment retailer founded by Allan Smidt. Allan passed on the company to his son Eric Smidt, who is currently the CEO and chairman of the company. Badland has its headquarters in Calabasas, California, and has more than 20,000 people employed across more than 1200 stores.

Harbor Freight runs a chain of retail stores, an e-commerce business, and a mail-order service.

How Badland Winches Compare to Competition

Like their name, Badland winches are designed for the badlands. Though they are new relatively new on the market, they are holding their own fairly well. So far, Badlands has succeeded in creating a name for itself and standing out from the crowd.

With that said, below is how Badland winches compare to their competition.

Versatility

Badland winches are made for heavy-duty use. They are made from strong torque, which enables them to winch heavy vehicles effortlessly. They come in different weight capacities, so there is a winch ideal for everyone.

Easy installation

Badland winches are simple to install. The installation process is well explained in the manual. Mount the fairlead, fix the controller box, mount the winch, pass the cable through your fairlead, and wire it to the battery.

Installing a Badland winch is a simple DIY that you don’t need a professional for.

Affordability

In comparison to competing products, Badland winches have a lower price point. This is great for those who need heavy-duty professional winches to help their clients or themselves out of a tough situation. Badlands are affordable and won’t burn a hole through your savings.

Factors to consider when choosing a Badland winch

Winch Capacity

Before you spend money on a winch, consider the line pulling rating – the combination of the drum line’s tensile strength and the winch’s mechanical capacity.

How do you determine how much pull is sufficient? Well, you can determine this by multiplying the gross vehicle weight by 1.5.

So if your car weighs 4000 lbs, then you should get a winch that has a 6,000 lbs pull capacity. The extra pounds cover the weight of items you carry in your car.

Wire Quality

The wire that the Badland winch sports determine how strong and durable the winch is. Generally, there are two types of winch ropes to consider; steel cable and synthetic rope.

Steel cable lasts long and is easy to maintain. Steel is resistant to abrasion and is perfect for winching through rocks and mud sand. On the flip side, steel cables corrode, fray, and might break. Because of the fraying, you need to wear hand gloves all through.

Synthetic rope is flexible, stronger, lighter, and easier to work with than steel rope. It’s great for recovery and uses on trails. On the flip side, it’s susceptible to chemicals, heat, and UV exposure. In many cases, they are pricier than steel cables.

Budget

Another important thing to know before buying a Badland winch is to determine your budget. Since Badland has a variety of winch capacities to choose from, you are bound to get one that fits your budget.

Build

How a Badland winch is built determines the overall performance. Get a Badland winch that is reliable, powerful, and efficient. The winch you pick should be constructed from quality materials that can withstand harsh weather elements.

While you can always change the winch rope to match your preference, you can’t replace the winch’s construction.

IP Rating

Off-road adventure often involves interaction with water and mud. So it makes sense to get a waterproof winch. All winches come with IP (Ingress Protection) rating, which determines how well they are protected from mud, dust, water, and other elements.

The IP rating is given as a set of numbers. The first number represents dust resistance. Six means the winch is completely dustproof. The second number represents waterproof abilities. A number 7 means the winch can be a meter underwater for half an hour. On the other hand, an 8 rating means you can operate the winch 3-feet underwater.

Depending on the terrain of the off-road regions you frequent, pick a winch that is best protected from the conditions you’ll face.

Efficiency

Winches require a lot of power to run. This power exceeds what regular alternators can offer. As such, they run from vehicle batteries. Given the juice they need, they can max out your vehicle’s battery. Pick an efficient Badland winch so that you don’t have to purchase a deep cycle battery too.

Cooling System

If your Badland winch lacks a good cooling system, it’ll throttle when winching heavy loads affecting performance. Look at the type of cooling system the winch features and if it’s good enough, purchase it.

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s look at the best Badland winches you can get.

Best Badland Winches (Summary)

Preview	Product	Rating
	BADLAND APEX Synthetic 12,000 Lb. Wireless Winch		Check Price
	Badland ZXR 12000 lb. IP 66 Weather Resistant Off-Road Vehicle Electric Winch with Automatic...		Check Price
	9000 lb. Electric Winch with Automatic Brake, Three-stage Planetary Gear System and Remote Switch...		Check Price
	ZXR 9000 Lb. Truck/SUV Winch		Check Price
	HFT BADLAND Badland Winch ZXR 5000 Lb. UTV/Powersport 12v Winch with Wire Rope		Check Price
	Badland Winches 61383 ATV/Utility Electric Winch with Automatic Load-Holding Brake from TNM, 3500 lb		Check Price
	BADLAND 2500 Lbs. ATV/Utility Electric Winch with Wireless Remote Control		Check Price
	1500 lb. Capacity 120 Volt AC Electric Winch by USATNM		Check Price

Last update on 2022-12-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

1. BADLAND APEX 12,000 lb. Winch with Synthetic Rope & Wireless Remote – Built for Extreme Conditions

This is one of the best winches on the market made to help you navigate through tough terrains with confidence. It comes with a lightweight and dependable 80 ft. 3/8 inch UHMW synthetic rope complete with a steel hook. It comes with a wireless remote so you can confidently navigate adventurous and unchartered paths.

Related reading: Badland Wireless Winch Remote Control Review

During our Badland winch review process, we noticed this winch has durable steel gears and a powerful wound motor that helps pull heavy vehicles fast and easily. And in case you find yourself navigating through water, you’ll be pleased to note that it has high waterproof ratings, including IP68 and IP69K. So the winch isn’t only waterproof and dustproof but is also designed to withstand 1450 PSI water streams gracefully.

BADLAND APEX 12,000 lb. Specs.

Full review: Badlands Apex 12000 Winch Review

2. BADLAND ZXR 12,000 lb. Winch with Wire Rope – Plenty of Power to Assist in Vehicle Recovery

If you are a regular off-roader and need a powerful winch to get you unstuck from sticky situations, then the Badland ZXR 12000 lb is the truck/SUV winch for you.

The Badland ZXR 12000 lb winch comes with a powerful 6 HP motor, and a series wound motor that remains cool during prolonged use to handle heavy loads. As a result, it’s safe. Speaking of safety, the Badland ZXR also has an automatic load-holding brake.

The winch has 6ft. battery cables that allow you to install the winch at different positions according to your liking. To ensure that the speed works great, it has a three-stage planetary gear system that free spools the line fast. The result is a speedy performance when you require it.

Even better, it has a weather-resistant IP 66 rating which ensures it can withstand tough off-road terrain. The winch wire used is an aircraft-grade galvanized 65 ft. rope. This length should be great for you to set up different winching setups.

There’s a cable tensioner to keep it from getting tangled, and you can use a remote control to control the winch comfortably.

BADLAND ZXR 12,000 lb. Specs.

Full review: BADLAND ZXR 12000 Lb. Winch

3. BADLAND 9000 lb. Electric Winch with Automatic Load-holding Brake – Mid-heavy Duty

This is yet another off-road winch by Badland that comes with great features. But unlike Badland ZXR, this winch comes with a 9000 lb. pull capacity that makes it ideal for medium off-road recoveries.

Performance and safety are always a priority when designing and constructing Badland winches. It’s because of this that this winch comes with an automatic load-holding brake. The break ensures the winch gives you the best performance when pushed to the limit. Moreover, it features a three-stage planetary gear system that provides a speedy line pull as the free spooling ensures that the line out is fast.

The Badlands included a series-wound motor that cools over time to keep the performance steady after prolonged use. As such, you get more time on long pulls.

For safety purposes, the winch comes with a handheld remote control that you can use up to 12 ft. away. The remote control will ensure you are at a safe distance while winching, and you don’t need help.

BADLAND 9000 lb. Specs.

Full review: BADLAND 9000 Lb. Winch

4. BADLAND ZXR 9000 lb. Winch with Wire Rope – Mid-range Winch for the off-roading Novice & Experts

If you are looking for a winch that’s compact, sturdy, energy-efficient, and safe, then the Badland ZXR 9000 lbs is it for you. With the 9000 lbs towing capacity, it can pull a midsized truck and full SUVs and trucks.

Besides the 9000 lbs capacity, the winch features a series wound electric motor that delivers a high starting torque and remains cooler for longer. And with 5.4 HP and the 3-stage planetary gear system, the pull is fast and smooth.

Unlike most winches, the Badland ZXR comes with an aircraft-grade steel cable that’s 65 ft. long. It spools on a four-roller fairlead; hence it doesn’t get twists or kinks. As for waterproof ability, it has an IP66 waterproof rating. While this doesn’t make it waterproof, it’s sufficiently dust and water-resistant.
If you need a winch that can temporarily submerge and work fine, get one with an IP67 and above.

Full review: Badland 9000 Winch Review

5. Badland ZXR 5000 – Best for ATVs/UTVs

If you are looking for a heavy-duty winch for your ATV or UTV, then the Badland ZXR 5000 is perfect. A glance at the specifications and packaging reveals that Badland took time to design this piece. Here’s a quick breakdown of the specifications and what they mean for an avid off-roader.

First and foremost, the Badland ZXR is a compact winch but super powerful. It sports a 12V 1.5H permanent magnet motor that can pull 5,000 lbs. The engineers opted for this motor instead of a series-wound motor because of its compact but deliver high torque and high speeds.

However, we should point out that the Badland ZXR 5000 line pull capacity varies depending on the winch layer you’re on. It delivers the full 5,000 lbs pull on the first layer and gradually reduces to 4080 lbs, 3450 lbs, and 2985 lbs as you winch through the layers. But before you freak out, this happens with all winches, so there is no need for alarm.

Badland ZXR 5000 comes with a rocker switch that you can install on your UTV dashboard and a 12-foot wired remote. While a wireless remote may be better, 12 feet is good enough to keep you at a safe winching distance.

Speaking of safety, this winch has an automatic load-holding brake to prevent things from getting out of control and an inline circuit breaker that prevents overloading.

For easier winching, the ZXR 5000 features a cam free-spool clutch that makes it easier to disengage the winch drum and pull as much rope as you need for winching.

Other features include:

• Aircraft grade steel cable – there’s a 50 ft wire rope with a 7,000 lb. pulling capacity. This adds a layer of safety to your winching endeavors. It’s worth noting that steel cables can take more abrasive use than synthetic rope but also need careful handling to avoid cuts and bruises from sharp burrs as it wears.
• Waterproof – the winch has an IP67 waterproof rating that protects it from dust and water. However, the remote control is protected from high-pressure jets of water.

Full review: BADLAND 5000 Lb. Winch

6. BADLAND 3500 lb. Winch – ATV & Utility Electric Winch

If you have an ATV, then this Badland 61383 winch is ideal for you. Its 3500 lbs. weight capacity might be nothing compared to the winches we’ve reviewed above, but it holds its own for the vehicles Badlands designed it for, including compact trailers, boat trailers, and zero-turn mowers.

This Badlands winch comes with a permanent magnet motor that draws lesser current from the battery. Since it’s not a big winch, it has a single-stage planetary gear system that allows it to draw the line fast. Moreover, it comes with an automatic load-holding brake system which makes it safe to use.

Users love the winch for its outstanding performance. It’s fast, has a sturdy build, and is reliable. Unfortunately, the remote isn’t wireless.

BADLAND 3500 lb. Specs.

7. BADLAND 2500 lb. Electric Winch with Wireless Remote Control – ATV & Utility Winch

This is another great winch for those looking for ATV winches. It comes with many helpful features that will come in handy when you get stuck in the wilderness.

With a 2500 lbs weight capacity and an aircraft-grade rope, the winch guarantees performance and safety as it will not tear or wear out. It comes with a permanent magnet motor that draws lesser current from the battery compared to other electric winches of its size.

To ensure the line is fast, it has a single-stage planetary gear system included. Moreover, it has a fast line speed using free-spooling. As if that’s not enough, this ATV winch also comes with an automatic load-holding brake and a wireless remote that you can use up to 20 ft. from the car or ATV. It is also pretty easy to get compatible quality replacement parts for your Badland 2500.

BADLAND 2500 lb. Specs.

8. BADLAND 1500 lb. Capacity 120V AC Electric Winch – Perfect for Shop or Garage Use

If you need a lightweight ATV utility electric winch that’ll pull your load horizontally, then this is the perfect winch for you. It’s a 120V AC electric winch that works perfectly for light vehicles.

It comes with a tethered remote control which works perfectly. Moreover, it has a 2-stage planetary gearing that gives it the versatility to complete different projects.

Moreover, it comes with thermal overload protection, which cools it down when it’s winching. With this feature, you don’t have to worry about the winch overheating and malfunctioning.

However, the price is a little high considering its capabilities and use.

BADLAND 1500 lb. Specs.

FAQ

Conclusion

Harbor Freight Badland winches are perfect for off-roaders who need quality products at an affordable price point. In this guide, we’ve done our best to give you an idea of the best off-road winches they offer and detail their pros and cons. We also have a How to Install a Badland Winch guide.

Be sure to choose the best Badland winch that’s well equipped to meet your winching needs. At the top of the list of considerations should be the weight capacity. If you need to tow an SUV or truck, a high-weight capacity winch like the BADLAND APEX Synthetic 12,000 Lb. Wireless Winch, Badland 9000lb. Electric Winch with Automatic Load-Holding Brake and the Badland ZXR Weather Resistant Off-Road Vehicle Electric Winch is perfect.

Joe R

Founder and Editor | + posts

Hi, my name is Joe, and I’m the Founder and Editor behind Rugged Driving.
I made this site to share what I have learned as an off-road enthusiast. I hope my personal experience will help you enjoy this exciting activity even more!

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