synthetic is the best choose for jobs like running a snow blade on a atv. When you run steel
Cable over the same spot it will cut into the material synthetic slides better. That being said I have spent like 5k on the last few winches on my sxs and used 1 of the winches. So unless you plan on using it a lot steel will be fine. If you snap the synthetic you can just tie it back up which is nice, steel is a bit of messing around if you break it. If you get a steel cable sliver in your hand you will know it.