TESTING!
What kind of winch review would this be if we didn't actually go out and try it on the longest, steepest hill we could find?	If you had any doubts about how far 80 feet is, here you go. It's really pretty far. We pulled the line out all the way.
Our first step was to find a big enough tree and hook up the tree strap. We prefer bigger trees but this one was actually enough to do the trick. Please always use one of these straps!	You can see in this photo how steep the hill is better. Inside the Jeep was my nephew, Blako, who was instructed to leave the Jeep in neutral and just keep the rpm's up around 2000.
Having never been off-road or behind the wheel of a Jeep like this, Blako was excited. I spotted him over the rut from behind the Jeep and at the same time tested the wireless remote's ability to work from behind. It passed, even with the antenna under the hood!	The wireless remote worked quite well. I used it from all angles around the Jeep. Ramsey's literature claims the remote will function up to 50 feet but it was working just fine from 80 feet away at the top of the hill. Again, this was with the antenna buried under the hood and out of site.
The Jeep got up the hill easily using the straight winch line. Next, we wanted to try out Ramsey's new snatch block. If you've never used a snatch block, listen up!	By running your line up to the tree, around the snatchblock pulley and back down to the Jeep, you can effectively double your pulling power. Remember that next time you have to pull a Z-71!
Winching using the snatch block brought Blako up the hill a lot easier than the straight line. Of course, with 80 feet of line, we had to get him halfway up the hill first before we could double back.	When using a snatch block, it is very important that you attach your hook back to something sturdy. In our case, our Bulletproof Bumper's D-rings are rated for 11,000 pounds.

And the Verdict Is...
So what's the verdict? If you haven't already figured it out, we love the new Ramsey Bad Boy 9500. Our Platinum 9000 has been through some of the toughest exercises through the last two years and it never once failed. The Bad Boy comes from the same lineage and has many improvements over the Platinum, so what's not to like? OK, well, maybe the colors might clash with your paint job, but nobody's perfect!

The Bad Boy did great on our test hill. With the Jeep in neutral, it was left entirely up to the winch to do all the work. In addition, our Optima battery was running off of a stock alternator. Doing an 80-foot pull with a 4000+ pound Jeep in neutral is no easy task for any winch to take on. Typically, when you do a pull like this, you keep the rig in gear for two reasons. 1) If you can get a little grip with your tires, you can help the winch do its job. 2) If the winch line were to break, you'd be in gear and have a chance to keep the rig from free-falling down the hill. So, again, being in neutral really gave the winch that extra bit of work to do.

The wireless remote was nearly flawless. Having the antenna under the hood should have decreased its reception of the signal. However, even buried where it was, it picked up from behind the Jeep and a full 80 feet away. We do recommend that you mount the antenna on your bumper or somewhere outside for best results. This is what we plan to do on trails, but around town having the antenna outside the rig is just asking for trouble from thieves and vandals.

If you're looking for something with lots of grunt, fast line speed, some groovy accessories, and maybe something just a little out of the ordinary, consider the Ramsey Bad Boy winch. But do it soon! Remember, Ramsey is making a limited number of Bad Boys.

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