Winch hook VS Factor 55 prolink/flatlink type product

Question for those who use their winch for not only their own recovery but helping others out.

What’s the pros and con’s of switching over to a factor 55 product?

I use to have just a normal hook on my 88 toyota but I haven’t been in the recovery game in 9+ years.

My thought is just a smittybilt XRC 9500 wireless with synthetic rope but I dont know about the hook or the link.

 

The hook gives you more options but can potentially be less safe than the Factor 55 closed system stuff. I prefer the versatility of the hook.

 

I like the hook, it seems more easily versatile. I try to stay well below load limits of the winch and with the factor of safety included, I am very comfortable using a quality hook attachment.

 

The hook is a little faster to use but you don’t have to worry about the factor 55 coming undone. I have the factor 55 and like it.

 

I was looking at the Factor 55 Thimble to use with a tree saver strap. But I found the Smittybilt Thimble. Same thing but a much better price. What I like is it never comes unhooked.

 

When it comes to safety I’m not totally worried about price. I will do my research but I wanted to know more about fit and function in this post. Thanks though for letting me know about the smittybilt product!

 

I had the original Warn hook.

Went to Factor 55 Pro

Then Warn ultimate..

Much prefer the simplicity of a hook

 

Similar path, only I had the SmittyBilt winch shackle for one trip. I came out of a restaurant to find two guys “checking it out”...if I was 2 min later I would have been shackle-less. Back to the less enticing and easier to use hook.

 

I have NEVER seen a hook come undone, especially when it is being used properly and maintained. It just seems to me that a lot of companies are hyping up how “unsafe” certain products (that have been used for decades) in order to sell their $150 alternative.

Google “winch hook failure” and you get the factor 55 website, not a series of stories of hook failures.

Had your hook ever failed you? If not, just still with the hook, they’re perfectly fine.

 

Buy quality US or European made steel hosting and rigging products. Smitybilt is awesome for many things but I wouldn't trust them for rigging anymore than some random consumer grade Amazon, EBay or DIY homebrew product.

 

Knowing the dudes from Factor 55 personally, I'm so impressed with how much R&D goes into the engineering and material selection on their products. For instance, in the Prolink the rope thimble pin is 6Al-4V titanium.
Knowing Smittybuilt's track record I would not trust that the same engineering or material selection is happening... especially at that price.

 

As far as the original question. The Factor 55 thimbles offer increased safety/strength as they properly load a shackle, provide a more secure connection that can't come apart without unscrewing the pin, they help minimize getting your hand pinched inside the fairlead, and they don't scratch your fairlead or bumper when stowed like a regular hook does.

That's not saying you HAVE to have a winch thimble. There are plenty of great winch hooks out there (Warn Epic is nice) just know that there are more things to check in the system when using/stowing a hook.

For instance, it's possible to sideload a shackle (bad) with a hook if you aren't paying attention and it's not possible with most of the Factor 55s. Well besides the Expert versions, but that's what the Expert stands for

 

I'm 110% behind the strength and quality of the Factor55 thimble I tried. Where I decided. "Not for me" was using it..... A hook is less parts in hand that a flashlight, the thimble, d-ring, pin, and a pair of gloves that have zero feel. Oddly enough, every time I've used a winch was in bad footing or mud or a hill....Ease of operation in awkward situations favored a hook for me. Faster. Simpler. More than adequate.