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Imagine yourself hauling up a rough trail on your ATV. Things are going great! You are dirty and exhilarated. It could not get any better. Then all of a sudden, you get stuck! Luckily, one of your fellow adventurers has an ATV winch and gets ready to pull you out. Soon, you are out of the mess and back on the trail.

As you can see from that brief example, an ATV winch can save the day. But getting a good winch is not as simple as running out to get one. There are some specific things that you should look for when you are considering what winch to get. Also, there are some basic safety techniques you should use once you need to use that winch.

Consider the size and weight of your ATV when considering which winch to buy. You will want to load your ATV with everything you would typically have out on the trail to get an accurate weight. This weight is going to help determine which ATV winch is right for your vehicle. Also consider your price range, the pound capacity, the length of the cable, and the cable diameter. How you plan to use your ATV will help you determine what poundage or cable diameter you need. Are you planning on keeping you ATV on relatively flat ground or are you planning on doing some off roading? If you are going to use your ATV on primarily flat ground, then you won't need as powerful a winch as you would need to pull you out of the mud and rocks on a trail.

Once you need to use the ATV winch, keep some basic safety in mind. Be cautious handling the metal cable. Small slivers can easily cut your hands. It is a good idea to carry leather work gloves with you in the event that you will need to use the winch. Also keep any baggy clothing away from the winch mechanism to prevent major injuries. Never use the winch as a hoist. It is not designed to operate as a hoist, and you risk injuring yourself or damaging your ATV. When the cable has been tightened, or is being used, never step over the cable. Actually, you should keep clear of the cable all together in case it snaps. One last thing, make sure that your winch is not going to drain your battery. Your day will still be ruined if you get out of the mud only to find out that your ATV will not start. You can use a stronger battery in your ATV, use a double-battery winch system, or give the ATV a little gas while you are using the winch.

When you are using the ATV winch, keep as straight a line as possible and make sure the pulling ATV has its brakes on and wheels blocked. Remember that using the winch is all about physics. Be sure to find an anchor point that is going to hold.

Before you know it you will be back out there having the time of your life. You will also be thankful that you had your ATV winch to save the day!