Consider where you will use the winch more than how often (middle of nowhere with leathal climate vs frequently used trail), your alternatives (buddy with another truck and snatch rope vs alone), and how much you can spend now vs waiting a while using another option until you can get the quality/size winch you decide you need.
Any type of recovery equipement is better than none. Knowing how to use multiple types of recovery techniques properly is better than being unfamiliar with even the best winch/equipment. Read books, watch videos on extraction and then go practice when you aren't really in trouble.
All the crap on my truck with the exception of the tires and shocks are the direct result of finding myself in trouble and wishing I had something different. Lonesome trail in Death Valley in August, hadn't seen another vehicle in 16 hours driving down a 20 mile washboard road. Just about drove off a 3 foot dry creek bank in the dark= HID lights for greater distance and contrast. Just about drove off a 600 foot cliff when all I could see was hood and sky= smarter driving and taking my time to always walk the trail ahead. The list goes on and on.
Oh and most pertinent, stranded on a saddle again in Death Valley. Slid down hill to get into saddle, trail over peak ahead terminated in 900 foot drop, both sides = 300 feet down and that hill I came down to get there in the first place was steep, rocky and rutted from others that had gotten stranded there before. Ranger later told me they go in and get someone there a couple times a year with a helicopter, the National park service bills the vehicle owner. I was lucky ond got out on my own. It wasn't easy and I crushed a rear spring eye to the frame when I hit one of those rocks at speed. This resulted in 1/4" custom skid plates and a big fricking winch. Not everyone needs to spend the money on a winch, but I did.
A side note; the more prepared I am, the more my girlfriend is willing to go with me. Thats worth whatever it costs to me. Like I said at the beginning, consider your specific situation and get what you think you need, anything is better than nothing.
