Looking for a come along recommendation if anyone has had prior use with success. I do a bunch of back country roads for kayak fishing, mtn biking, and xc skiing and don't expect to get stuck but would like to be prepared just in case. Figured a come along would be a valuable tool w/chains just in case. Not sure I'd get enough use out of a winch.

Usually can get them at Tractor Supply. No offense meant but have you tried one to recover a vehicle? I had one years ago and tried to unstick my Jeep with it. It did move it some but the wire rope isn't long and by the time I got it re-rigged I sank back to where I was.

Even a Hi-Lift might be better than a come-along as a last ditch recovery effort.

There's lots of cheap winches out there and while it doesn't seem our hitches our super strong, a cheap easy setup would be one of the better Chinese winches on a receiver mount.

- Jeff

Get a Hilift jack, or the smittybuilt one. Serves well as a winch in a pinch hahaha as well as a great jack for getting your truck unstuck. I have one and love it, had it less than a month and it has already gotten me out of a bad hole in a river bottom. Just read around online, don't be afraid of the bad rap these farm jacks get. If you are careful and pay attention to what you are doing with planning and preparation a farm jack will be the most useful and versatile tool you can carry. Sadly most come-a-longs do not have the power to actually pull a vehicle out. Just about any one you find will have a stamped frame and will crumple or buckle under load and do real damage or leave you stranded. If you do go for one, get one with a cast frame by either Lug-all or Power puller. And you will still want a Hi-lift after you see all they can do.....

I just picked up a 4 ton Haulmaster from HF for $30.

...and a snatchblock for $25.00.

I would only reccomend a nonwinch recovery with a Hi Lift.....ive never seen a come along used, especially an imported one. Look up the right way on youtube.

If you're going that route get a good one with a length that doesn't make you re-set up every 5-6 feet. Yes, they are quite a bit more expensive than the cheapo 2 ton units that you can find anywhere.

American Power Pull 15002 Cable Puller, 3-Ton: Pulley Hoists: Amazon.com: Home Improvement

If you're going to use a comealong, make sure its one that uses a chain instead of a wire rope, they last forever, the wire style ones don't work right after a couple uses in my experience.

Thanks for the info. I'll look into some cheap winches and or the HI-lift. I've never personally used a come along myself and hope to not have too in the future. I'm not planning on doing serious off roading that will push the limits but when out in the woods you never know until its too late.

This is what you want. Not the Chinese knock off linked to above.

https://www.wyeth-scott.com/models.asp

Get the one with the synthetic rope. It is the real deal.
Model:3-35-A-SLT

I have one, and really like it. You will need more recovery gear to go along with it. Some straps, an Extension, tree saver, D-Shackles, extra snatch block, shovel. Then some practice before you actually need it. Recovery is serious business and you really need to be careful and have a good plan and working knowledge of your equipment. I'm usually too concerned with wheeling and don't test my equipment enough. Then I'm rusty when I need it. You just motivated me to go do a mock recovery before I go out again LOL Actually, I usually never wheel alone, so the tow strap is the go to device.

BTW, winching with a hi-lift is a total PITA. Horrible solution IMHO. Would only use it as a last resort.

It did move it some but the wire rope isn't long and by the time I got it re-rigged I sank back to where I was.

I have a light duty come along that I use around the house/shop (doubt it could do anything for a stuck vehicle) and a very heavy duty one that I got from my dad (it's probably older than me and weighs almost as much). I've used the heavy duty one to free one of my Z71's once. It did the job, took forever though, and I was so friggin' tired from cranking and re-rigging that I literally passed out when I got home (I actually got stuck a number of times trying to get through a remote area). At the time I had no choice but to use it as it was just me and my wife. No cel phone service for miles and just above zero temps. If you plan on needing to use one, take some extra water and food (my mistake, I go prepared now).

Shortly after that trip, I finally installed a winch in that truck.

For the size and weight of a comealong strong enough to winch a properly stuck vehicle, just get a Hilift and learn how to winch with it. It's only a little bigger and heavier than a comealong, and a thousand times more versatile.

The hilift is big, and heavy, and can be a PITA to use, and I don't go anywhere without mine.

I disagree, a hi-lift is not a PITA to use, it is near impossible to use in a real world winching situation and requires a crap load of bulky chain to move anything more than a few feet. A good come along like the power puller can move you up to 30' without re-rigging. It will last for a lifetime... I find it extremely useful and versatile for all kinds of stuff. It can do things a mounted winch just can't do in tight situations. I still carry a hi-lift, but don't use it for winching. I have tried a few times and finally said never again.

It's not impossible at all. I've done it, it works, you don't need chain.

Obviously it's not easy, and any truck that risks needing to winch on a regular basis needs to invest in a proper winch. But the OP isn't going to be winching on a regular basis. He wants to carry something just in case, and the Hilift's versatility across multiple situations beats out a hand winch every day of the week.