Common Mistakes Offroad: Lack Of Winch Rope Blanket / Damper
A critical safety aspect of winching and using a snatch strap is the use of a damper or blanket over the rope. This becomes even more essential when using a wire winch rope, however it is recommended on all winch ropes and straps.
The use of a good winch damper or blanket ensures that if a wire rope breaks or a fixing point or shackle is to come loose or break apart, there is a greatly reduced risk of severe damage or injury. Without a winch blanket to deaden the force of a flying cable or rope attached to a shackle could be deadly.
The best thing to use is a proper winch blanket or if one is not available, a floor mat or wet towel will suffice. The ideal weight of a blanket should be around 1kg.
Below is a video showing what can happen if a cable snaps.
