Winches were created initially to help pull or tow bulky or heavy vehicles that have gone off road. As technology has developed, winches have become much more flexible, allowing owners to use them in a range of ways to get a real benefit.
Now winches are used with vehicle recovery, boats, all-terrain vehicles, snowplows, industrially, and even with farming.
There's a wide variety of winches out there, but Traveller is one of the most well-known brands with a range of quality products offering exceptional value.
This review will take you through what makes Traveller winches so popular, and will help you choose the best product to meet your needs.
Traveller has made a name for themselves, and if you look in the forums online, you’ll struggle to find anyone with a negative word to say about the brand. There are a few key factors that have set them apart from the crowd:
Traveller models feature an automatic brake function, which keeps the load secure when the handle is released.
Heavy Duty Rubberized Remote Switch
A remote switch makes the winch easy to operate and suitable for those with even minimal experience using them.
Durable Steel Material
The durable steel used by Traveller winches is not only heavy-duty and long-lasting, it's also corrosion-resistant, offering protection from the elements-- a necessity for a piece of equipment being used outdoors.
High Capacity
You need your winch to be reliable even under heavy strain. Traveller winches can handle heavy loads and have a robust quality you can rely on.
Traveller Winches Compared
Preview | Model | Rated Line Pull | Gear Train | Check Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Traveller 12000LB | 12,000 lbs | Planetary Gear System | |
 | Traveller 9000LB | 9000 lbs | Planetary Gear System | |
 | Traveller 2500LB | 2500 lbs | Planetary Gear System | |
 | Traveller 4500LB | 4500 lbs | Planetary Gear System | |
 | Traveller 3500LB | 3500 lbs | Planetary Gear System |
Comparison with Other Brands
If you're researching different winch brands, there are several other well-known names you'll come across. If you're considering Traveller vs. Smittybilt or Traveller vs. Warn, then you need to think about the features and how you're going to use it.
Traveller is slightly more costly than Smittybilt, who generally offer the best price for winches. Traveller winches are also generally larger than other brands making them less suitable than brands like Warn, who provide great solutions for smaller vehicles. Superwinch offers a lot in terms of innovation and has a fast line speed compared to Traveller and other brands.
While individual features may be better with other brands, Traveller excels by offering a complete package. They have a range of models providing higher capacity and durability, using stainless steel for greater longevity. They have new features and are extremely easy to use. All of these means they are rated extremely highly by users and beat most brands in customer satisfaction levels. Traveller winches offer solutions for most needs and are competitively priced, making them the go-to choice for many people.
5 Best Traveller Winches Reviewed
1. Traveller 12000LB
Product Specifications
Rated Line Pull | 12,000 lbs |
Motor | 12V motor with 3.0HP output |
Fairlead | Roller |
Rope or Cable | Cable, 83.7ft |
Gear Train | Planetary Gear System |
Mounting Bolt Pattern | 4 bolt mounting system |
Warranty | Yes, 1 year |
The Traveller 12000LB winch is capable of handling extreme loads and offers a lot of power. At the same time, Traveller has included all the user-friendly features that are seen in their products to make this the best of both worlds.
This electric winch is adaptable and fits to Jeeps, trucks, snowplows, or pick up trucks. It has a long cable for towing over long distances, automatic braking action for secure lifting and has a heavy-duty remote switch. The whole model is made out of solid steel, which offers durability and protection, while only weighing 86 pounds.
User reviews of this Traveller winch are overall very popular. People seem to appreciate how quickly and effectively it works, and how much simpler it can make towing. It’s regarded as one of the best models available out there.
This Traveller winch is best suited for those who do a lot of heavy-duty off-road towing. It's also great for farmers that appreciate a lot of control and power. You'll need to make sure your bumper is on securely, or the impressive strength might damage your vehicle. It's competitively priced and offers a great deal of long term value, definitely a reliable product you should consider.
2. Traveller 9000LB
Product Specifications
Rated Line Pull | 9,000 lbs |
Motor | 12V motor with 2.8HP output |
Fairlead | Roller |
Rope or Cable | Rope, 95ft |
Gear Train | Planetary Gear System |
Mounting Bolt Pattern | 4 bolt mounting system |
Warranty | Yes, 1 year |
The Traveller 9000lb model might not have as much pull, but it still gives much more power than your average winch, making it well suited for farm or other industrial work. It has a 95-foot towing cable making it versatile and features a powerful motor that allows you to tow quickly.
This Traveller winch also features an automatic braking system and has a heavy-duty rubberized remote switch for easy use. A roller fairlead has been built in to help protect the wiring and limit any damage when being used at different angles.
Traveller has designed this model to be durable with stainless steel material used throughout and a powder finish to protect from the elements. It's larger than other Traveller models and should be used with Jeeps, trucks, or tractors ideally. However, it only weighs 83 pounds so you can easily fit it yourself.
This winch gets extremely positive feedback for its power, control, and simplicity. It's best suited for those who go off-road regularly or work in rough terrain daily. It's a lot more affordable than other brands but still has the features of high-end products. This makes it a good value, reliable product that meets the needs of the user effectively.
3. Traveller 2500LB
Product Specifications
Rated Line Pull | 2,500 lbs |
Motor | 12V motor with 1.1HP output |
Fairlead | Roller |
Rope or Cable | Cable, 46ft |
Gear Train | Planetary Gear System |
Mounting Bolt Pattern | 4 bolt mounting system, with universal flatbed mounting plate |
Warranty | Yes, 1 year |
The Traveller 2500lb model is much smaller, lighter, and has a lower capacity than the other winches on our list. The motor is far less powerful, and this is designed to be fitted to boats, snowplows or other smaller vehicles that are towing other lighter loads. The compact nature of the winch makes it really versatile and easy to install and mount quickly.
The Traveller 2500lb features automatic braking action and a free spooling clutch. This helps stop the cable from getting stuck or caught when wheeling back in, making it much more efficient. It comes with a flatbed mounting plate that attaches to handlebars, and there is a remote control switch to keep it as simple as possible for the user.
This winch is designed for smaller loads but can still handle plenty. Customer satisfaction levels are very high, and users appreciate that it can be fitted with ease to a variety of different vehicles. It's one of the most cost-effective models on the market and will cost you under $90, making it accessible for those with even a limited budget. It's innovative, long-lasting, and made to put you in control; this Traveller winch is a strong option.
4. Traveller 4500LB
Product Specifications
Rated Line Pull | 4,500 lbs |
Motor | 12V motor with 1.3HP output |
Fairlead | Roller |
Rope or Cable | Cable, 47.6ft |
Gear Train | Planetary Gear System |
Mounting Bolt Pattern | 4 bolt mounting system, with universal flatbed mounting plate |
Warranty | Yes, 1 year |
The Traveller 4500lb is designed to be used with all-terrain vehicles, boats, or snow plows. It has a medium capacity of 4500lbs, which is still capable of handling plenty but won't do well towing a heavy truck or Jeep. It's got a fairly small motor but strong aircraft cable, which is durable even under strain.
It features a spooling clutch that keeps the rope straight and maximizes the pulling power. The winch is lightweight and easy to mount or dismount so that it can be moved between vehicles with relative ease. It also takes minimal power, so it won't be a drain on your battery.
At under $250, this winch is competitively priced for the power offered, and it's a lot more cost-effective than those produced by Warn. While the product is easy enough to install, there have been some criticisms made of the instructions, so you might have to use your intuition. That being said, it's popular with users, and it's perfect for those who need a medium amount of capacity, don't want to spend a lot of money, and appreciate the quality Traveller puts into their products.
5. Traveller 3500LB
Product Specifications
Rated Line Pull | 3,500 lbs |
Motor | 12V motor with 1.3HP output |
Fairlead | Roller |
Rope or Cable | Cable, 42ft |
Gear Train | Planetary Gear System |
Mounting Bolt Pattern | 4 bolt mounting system, with universal flatbed mounting plate |
Warranty | Yes, 1 year |
The last Traveller winch on our list has 3500lb capacity and is perfect for those who want something ready-to-go and straightforward with minimal fuss. It has an easy mounting system and includes a quick mounting plate to get you going as fast as possible. There's a remote activation system for simplicity, and it has a reasonably long length of galvanized aircraft cable, which is durable and practical.
This Traveller winch is made from steel and has a powdered finish. It’s made to last but one of the lightest models on the market at only 26lbs. It’s also compact at only 16 inches by 16 inches. The roller fairlead is designed to protect your wire from pulling in different angles and add to the longevity of the unit.
There is a lot of positive feedback about this Traveller winch online in the forums; however, one criticism of the winch is that the cable can take a long time to retract. For what's offered, it's reasonably inexpensive at under $150, giving the owner a good amount of value compared to other brands. It’s suitable for use with boats, ATVs, snowplows, and other smaller vehicles, and will comfortably handle mid-weight towing.
Pros & Cons of the Traveller Brand
Pros
Cons
Installation & Wiring Diagrams
To install a Traveller winch, you'll need to make sure you have:
There are two main parts to installing a winch. First, you need to attach the winch to your vehicle, and secondly, you need to connect the wiring to your vehicle battery to power it. Connecting your winch to your vehicle is relatively simple and will involve bolting it on. There are generally 4 bolts that need to be attached directly, or you can use a mounting plate. Make sure the winch is located centrally so the wires can reach the battery.
Connecting the wires from your Traveller winch to your engine is also fairly simple. You should have a positive and negative wire which attaches from your control box to your engine. You should connect your positive to your positive on the car battery and your negative to your negative.
Make sure you don't connect it fully until everything is set up, and you're ready to test. Once you've attached the winch and connected the wires, you're ready to test it and make sure it all works using the switch. A full guide to winch installation can be found here:
The wiring for Traveller winches can vary slightly depending on the capacity; however, they tend to be reasonably similar. The diagram below shows standard wiring set up for Traveller winches, but more details can be found in specific instruction manuals. These can be found here.
image source: northerntool.com
Traveller Winch Parts & Accessories
There are several accessories and spare parts for the Traveller winch that can make life easier and can be useful to have in case anything needs replacing at short notice:
People Also Ask (FAQs)
What winch rating do I need?
The heavier the vehicle you need to tow, the more powerful you need the winch to be. You should consider a winch with a rating that allows it to carry 1.5 times the weight of your vehicle at a minimum.
Steel cable vs. synthetic ropes - which is better?
Steel cable has been the traditional choice with winches as it is robust, durable, and heavy-duty. Synthetic rope came into use in the early 1990s as it can be used without gloves, doesn't rust, and can be less dangerous. Generally, both will do the job, but for heavier loads, you should opt for steel cable.
How do I determine which size Traveller winch I need?
The size and capacity of your Traveller winch should be determined by the weight it needs to pull/tow. The capacity should be 1.5 to 2 times the weight of your load.
Do Traveller winches need maintenance and repairs?
Just like any other piece of equipment, a winch needs regular maintenance and repair to function effectively. You should follow the instructions in the manual and look to get it checked by a professional at least once every year.
Conclusion
Traveller winches are well known as reliable and powerful - the two qualities you want from a winch. They've developed this reputation by meeting user needs and offering a combination of qualities that other brands haven't been able to match.
The 5 products reviewed above are some of the best available on the market. While they all have slightly different specifications, they are all well suited for those who appreciate the higher capacity and want a winch they will use regularly. Traveller offers reliable products at competitive prices, and as soon as you own one, you'll very quickly see why everyone is impressed by them.