I nearly always recommend a winch before a locker. With open diffs you can better learn do drive off-road, and the winch will get you unstuck when you goof up.

 

With just my CDL locked I have taken my Rover through stuff that at first glance I thought I would be turning around and going home because there was no way I would make it through. Good tires that will grab any traction that is available is critical. Most of the obstacles I went through yesterday I wouldn't have made it through with my ATs.

 

there's still the fact that the diff is a huge huge weak point a. because of the few weak spider gears which Ive seen turn the inside of the carrier into metal shavings and b. the stock carriers have two huge openings cut out of them for ease of installation at the factory. i agree lockers are no substitute for proper technec but once you get into some more serious off roading its just a matter of time before your open diff's go "snap crackle pop" especially if you run a more aggressive tire on a high milage truck

 

Well, it really depends on how you drive, and what you drive on. Never broken a rover diff in 35 years, but I don't go crazy with oversize tires, 32" is about max, and most of my off-roading on the east coast, but I've also used Rovers as off-road work trucks hauling really heavy loads over rough terrain. Have broken axles though.