
Many off-road enthusiasts prefer this winch-and-snatch-block recovery technique. The snatch block will reduce the pulling force that the winch requires, and the tree serving as the anchor will bear the vehicle’s entire load. This technique involves the winch cable extending from the winch on your vehicle through a snatch block and back to the solid recovery point on the vehicle. In this way, you can almost double the winch pulling force in a self-recovery situation when using a tree as an anchor. You achieve this by passing the winch cable around the snatch block’s pulley and back to the vehicle. Using a Snatch Block to Increase Winch Pulling ForceĪ snatch block provides a mechanical advantage to enhance the winch pulling force. Let’s explore a few common techniques of using a snatch block.

Snatch blocks can also relieve winches of some stress and heat buildup. It’s worth noting that snatch blocks derive their name because they literally snatch some of the force that is usually entirely handled by the winch.


Before using a snatch block, make sure it can handle the weight you want it to pull. It is worth noting that snatch blocks have a maximum weight capacity.
