What should I look for in a good pair of jumper cables, what is important? Are there any brands that you recommend?

 

Larger wire gauge. I like a longer set. IMO they should be long enough to reach across two vehicles side by side.

 

I made my own because I couldn't find any decent ones.
600amp clamps, 20' of #2 welding cable (I wanted.then to reach another car when I'm behind them, which I've had to do on a trail)
#2 gives a slightly higher than optimal volt drop, but it's trade-off.

 

I'm a fan of the Warn quick connect set ups you can set your truck up to have them on the front, back or both for ease of access. Little pricey but can make your own set.

 

Really the most important thing to look for is size of wire. The bigger the wire the more Amps will transfer. Don't go overboard on length. Quick connect style are cool but after a while the connection can get worn and you'll get a loose fit leading to a poor connection and poor conduction. Our Wreckers had these and they did get loose. you just had to be aware of it and "wiggle it, Just a little bit"

 

Just make sure you read the wire "size", lower number is bigger/better. Do not be fooled by a set with thick insulation that look like they are big, but the actual size of the wire inside the insulation is not.

I usually go for the "premium" cables as they are the larger conductor and are only a few bucks more if you are looking at a brand with 3 or 4 different sets with different "value" levels to choose from. Heavier clamps to go with the heavier wire, also. I also look to see if the wire is soldered rather than just crimped. If all else is good, I will get the crimped set and add solder to the crimped area to in theory increase the continuity of the connection and improve the current flow. The down size of some thicker wire, depending on the wire, is that they can be harder to handle (bend/flex) when cold.

 

Continuity

 

Thank you all for the insight.. very helpful.

 

I don't use jumper cables anywhere near enough for me to justify the time and expense of some crazy HD pair. So the gauge wire isn't the absolute best for voltage loss? If you're using jumper cables its beacuse someone has a dead battery. It really isn't a life or death situation, it may just take a little longer to charge.

I look at it this way. At home I use my impact gun and air compressor to change a tire. When I'm on the trail I trade the quickness and convenience of the impact and opt for the breaker bar and socket. Sure it takes a little longer, but how much time and money and crap do you really want, or need, to pack.

 

Yeah, it's a trade off. For me heavier gauge is worth it because I don't want to sit around waiting for the battery to get a charge, I want to just connect them, crank and go. And if it's mine that's dead I don't want the additional strain on my starter caused by low voltage.