The Harbor Freight Badland Winch Review for 2025
When you go on an outdoor adventure, you want all the gear and tools you need on hand in case something were to happen. One thing you can get and install is a winch that will allow you to pull thousands of pounds of machinery from the ditch. If you’ve never bought a winch before, you may not know which reputable brands are available or how to pick them out.
We’re reviewing for top Badland winches made by Harbor Freight that are available right now. Let’s dive into it!
Our Top List
# | Preview | Product | Our Rating | Link |
1 | Badland ZXR 12000 lbs. IP 66 Weather Resistant Winch | |||
2 | Badland 3500 lbs. ATV/Utility Electric Winch | |||
3 | Badland 9000 lbs. Electric Winch with Automatic Brake | |||
4 | Badland 1500 lbs. Capacity 120 Volt AC Electric Winch |
1. Badland ZXR 12000 lbs. IP 66 Weather Resistant Winch
Harbor Freight really outdid itself with this winch. It is a serious-wound motor with impressive horsepower, and it is designed to allow for smooth, quick cable pulling to make your task as easy as it can possibly be. It’ll also stay cool through hours of work in more harsh conditions, and it offers a three-stage planetary gear system to give the whole winch fast line speed. In turn, this allows you to lift or recover heavyweights quickly and easily without any huge hassle.
You’ll get a 265:1 gear ratio with this product, and it offers the maximum possible safety while operating it because it has an automatic load-holding brake built right into the design. This safety feature makes it the perfect thing for more rugged and harsh working conditions while ensuring you get a stable performance and a high level of durability. You get a free spooling feature that lets you take the line out quickly, and this makes your hauling or recovery process much less tiring and quicker overall; and this helps you maximize your comfort levels while lowering your project time.
It has a roller fairhead with nylon bushings in the design that gives you a much smoother process when you take the line out without tangling it, and this works to increase your winch’s efficiency. The aircraft-grade steel cable has a cable tensioner that helps it avoid getting tangled as you work, and it comes specially constructed to use on off-road vehicles. You’ll get a 66 IP rating, and it resists strong jets of water, and it protects you from overloading because it comes with a line circuit breaker.
There is a 90-day warranty on this product from the date of purchase, and you can only use the original purchaser if you have a product defect due to the tool’s workmanship or material. If you inflict damage on the winch due to abuse, accident, misuse, repair, negligence, or alteration, you’ll void the warranty. It’s easy to use, quick to install, and it’ll boost your capabilities.
Key Features:
- Brake Type: Automatic Load Holding
- IP Rating: 66
- Line Pull Capacity: 12,000 pounds
- Motor Type: Series Wound
- Warranty: 90 days
Pros
- Stays cooler with longer projects
- Aircraft-grade wire included
- Supports up to 12,000 pounds
- Automatic load-holding brake
- Easy to set up
Cons
- None that we could find. Only a wireless remote could be added as a cherry on top of this otherwise outstanding winch.
2. Badland 3500 lbs. ATV/Utility Electric Winch
Offering an impressive level of power to help in loading a boat, recovering ATVs, or traversing rough terrain, this ATV winch is a safe and reliable addition to your setup. You get a remote switch that makes it very quick and easy to use when you’re in a group or by yourself, and it has a three-stage planetary gear system. This system gives you aircraft-grade wire rope, fast line speed, and a permanent magnet motor that helps you draw less current when you use it.
The automatic load-holding brake increases the safety factor of this product, and you get free spooling for fast line-out each time you use it to shorten your recovery time. There is a roller fairlead with nylon bushing that is very durable and able to withstand heavy use, and it offers eight-foot handlebar control as a 12-foot handheld remote control when you buy it. You get an IP rating of 67 that allows you to recover items that are immersed up to three feet of water, and it comes outfitted with a 90-day warranty against workmanship and material defects from the date of purchase.
Key Features:
- Brake Type: Automatic Load Holding
- IP Rating: 67
- Line Pull Capacity: 3,500 pounds
- Motor Type: Permanent magnet
- Warranty: 90 days
Pros
- Fast line out
- Remote with 12-foot lead
- Maximum safety
- Decently portable
- Three-stage planetary gear system
Cons
- Not resistant to water
3. Badland 9000 lbs. Electric Winch with Automatic Brake
Whether you need to get an air source for pneumatic applications or you need an emergency source for your vehicle with 40-inch tires or lower, this product can fit the bill nicely. You’ll get a complete system that gives you a 2.5-gallon air tank, hoses, gauges, valves, pressure regulator, or two 444C air compressors when you order, and this gives you everything you need to have a working air compressor system. It runs on 12-volts and offers a 100 PSI duty cycle with 200 PSI max pressure, a permanent magnetic motor, and 40 amps to quickly and easily inflate your tires.
You want this tool in your arsenal before you get caught with flat tires, and it has universal fitment on it to allow you to use it on all types of tires and get a tight seal around all of them. The system is weatherproof, and this allows you to quickly and easily use it in rain, heat, humidity, snow, sleet, mud, dust, and more without it breaking down or clogging.
Key Features:
- Inflation Time: Two to three minutes
- Extension Cord: 20-foot cord
- Maximum Tire Size: 40 inches
Pros
- Universal fit valve
- Runs on 12 volts
- 200 PSI max pressure
- Inflates tires up to 40 inches
- Weatherproof system
Cons
- No wireless remote
- Remote cable could be a bit longer
4. Badland 1500 lbs. Capacity 120 Volt AC Electric Winch
Anyone who has a garage where they work on cars or a shop can benefit from this smaller 120-volt winch. You can easily pull loads up to 1,500-pounds, and this makes it an ideal tool to have to pull any disabled vehicles onto a frame straightener or lift. There is a tethered remote control on this product that gives you better freedom of movement while letting you look at your load from different angles while you work on it. There is also thermal overload protection to keep this winch running cool for both short and long-term projects.
When you purchase this product, you’ll get a 35-foot long heavy-duty steel cable that is made out of aircraft-grade aluminum, and it comes outfitted with a drop-forged sling hook for maximum durability. There is dual-stage planetary gearing on this winch, and it can pull up to 1,500-pounds horizontally. It comes with a 90-day warranty from the date of purchase, and the automatic load-holding safety feature allows you to work without worrying about an accident.
Key Features:
- Brake Type: Automatic Load Holding
- IP Rating: N/A
- Line Pull Capacity: 1,500 pounds
- Motor Type: Electric
- Warranty: 90 days
Pros
- Series wound motor
- Automatic load-holding brake
- Pulls up to 1,500 pounds
- 90 day warranty
- Great for garages or shops
Cons
- Can’t lift vertically
Verdict & Review
Our top pick for the best Badland winch is the Badland ZXR IP 66 because it has the most impressive horsepower to help you tackle bigger projects, and it’ll stay cool and run smoothly for hours at a time without any damage. It works well in harsh conditions without failing, and this is a very versatile winch that can tackle large and small projects. Finally, we chose it because you get a smooth line in and line out that won’t tangle, and there is a 90-day warranty from the date of purchase to protect you from machine failure or defects.
Buying Guide
When it comes to buying a winch, there are several things you want to keep in mind when you start shopping. Doing so will ensure that you can get the best product to match your needs, and this will help you get the most use out of your new winch.
Budget
Once you decide which size winch you need for the majority of your projects is to set your budget because prices for these winches can vary from a few hundred dollars to well over a thousand dollars. Some manufacturers have more than a few sizes to match your budget and needs, and the price difference will vary on the construction, features, and where the winch gets made. Aluminum fairleads, synthetic cable, and winch thimbles can all impact the price, and you want to get a more simple winch if your budget is a concern.
Waterproofing
If you routinely go through mud and water, you want to get a winch with a waterproofing layer, and the IP rating will rate and classify the protection degree the winch has against mud, water, dust, and other debris. The first IP number in the rating system refers to solid particle size, and a six is the highest rating you can get to make it dust-tight. The second number is water resistance, and a seven indicates that you can submerge the winch for up to 30 minutes without any damage. A rating of eight allows you to submerge the winch into nine feet of water with continuous operation.
Gearing
Gearing allows your winch to pull, but the higher the gearing ratio is, the slower the line will go. However, this means that it can also pull heavier objects. So, if you want to pull heavier objects with your winch, be prepared to wait longer to finish pulling. However, this is a decent tradeoff for being able to pull heavier trucks or items out of tough spots.
Rope or Cable
Your winch will come with either synthetic or steel cable attached to it, and steel cable is usually much stronger, and it’ll last longer than synthetic cable. However, this can also easily drive up the price upfront, but it can work out in the long run because you won’t have to replace your cable as much. Synthetic rope is much more flexible and generally easier to work with than steel cable, but it’s more prone to chemical or UV damage. Pick the cable that works best for your needs and fits in your budget.
Motor Style
You can choose from a series wound or permanent magnet motor on your winch, and they work by:
- Series Wound – This motor will use field coils to create a magnetic field, and this makes them very expensive and powerful. They work best in cold weather or for heavy-duty projects.
- Permanent Magnet – This motor works best for light or medium-duty projects, and they’re the less expensive option. You have to take the load and winching time into consideration when you use this motor because they can overheat quicker. They can also lose power when the temperature drops.
Remote
A remote control lets you operate your winch from a safe distance from the setup. You can get a cordless or corded remote, and you want a winch system to have one included when you buy it. This is a safety feature that many people don’t necessarily consider when they shop.