hands down a winch is worth every penny. I was in the same boat with everyone saying you dont need one. I always planned on just having good recovery points. But then one day I NEEDED one. Glad it was shortly after I bought one.

They are great for many things. Helping other people get unstuck as well as yourself, pulling down trees (for yard work purposes), getting cars and such onto trailers. All sorts of things.

My buddy behind me in the picture couldnt pull me out with a tow strap. Then his rear end started to lift and drag his jeep when he tried to winch me out with his. Then I used mine and got me out. Pictured is me buried past my bumper. I am on 33's and 6.5" lift.

 

I have also have a XCR8 and never had to use it for myself. Only used it for other wheelers and it is ever slow. I mean real slow. Would much rather just use a strap but some times you can't. When I bought it I thought it was a must have. It is much lower on my list of must haves now. In fact I don't even run it any more. I made mine detachable with a hitch set up. I would say buy a winch bumper just in case you want one down the road. I would buy a lockers, gears, I could go on but a winch is rather low on my list now after owning one.

 

I'm always the person that gets stuck horrible and you can't just jerk out. I NEED a winch. That's why I have a warn.

 

I've got a Warn 9k on mine. I haven't used it on myself, yet. There is always that "yet". I put it on my XJ because I use the XJ for hunting, camping, and wheeling. I usually have other vehicles when wheeling, but a lot of times when hunting or camping I am alone. It sure comes in handy recovering animals as well. Last hunting trip I hade to move a 70' tree that had fallen in a blizzard the night before blocking the trail. Anyone that had camped back in the area had no way to get out. Couldn't have done it without a winch.

 

I've got a Warn M8000 and though I'm usually not the one getting stuck, but I've helped pull vehicles onto a trailer and unstuck two people from the ditch after they ran off the road during the winter. It hasn't needed to be used for my own sake yet, but it's like an insurance policy.

 

I always do recovery points, bumpers, and then the winch, before I do anything else when I'm setting up a wheeling rig, specially with something like the Cherokee because it does so good on the trails stock. I wheel often ( three or more times a week ) so sometimes I wheel alone, yea I know should always wheel with a partner, but sometimes I wheel alone or I don't get to go. I've used my winches many times over the years and truly believe a winch and a tree strap are the most important accessories for any trail vehicle.

 

worth every dime. i go out by myself often and it makes it so you can go places you wouldnt w out the winch! im much more conservactive alone but now that i have a winch game on lol. no matter how many tow straps and chains you have you still cannot pull yourself out alone.