Winch Hook vs Closed Loop Winching System

The Hook: Commonly comes with all winches. This is the list of why you should change it to an end that produces a Closed Loop Winching System:

Hooks are designed to slip through chain link. Typically winches are equipped with 3/8 clevis slip hooks – meaning they are designed specifically to work with chains that have 3/8 thick chain links. Unless you are using chain in your recovery (which we don’t!) – this is the wrong piece of hardware to use.
Most safe working load limits on a 3/8 clevis slip hook are 4000-7000 pounds. The average 8000 winch exceeds the working load limit of these hooks regularly.
The inside of the hook has a ridge to prevent chain link from slipping, but is not ideal for synthetic strap fibers. This ridge can cause high stress on fibers and potentially cut.
The hook opening is usually too small to safely attach two ends of a recovery strap, so most use a screw pin shackle to hold the strap anyways.
It is common to store a hook by attaching to a bumper, tow hooks, etc. which positions the winch line at a severe angle. The creasing point creates a permanently weak point in the line.
Anytime you use a hook, there is a chance that whatever you put in it can escape.

Source: www.factor55.com/hook-or-screw-pin-shackle-which-is-better/

CLICK HERE for Amazon Search for these style Winch Hook

Closed Loop Winching System: CLOSED SYSTEM WINCHING™ is a winching technique using rigging comprised entirely of closed link hardware. Once a shackle screw pin is installed, the common screw pin shackle becomes a continuous closed link that securely contains the winch load until the pin is unscrewed and removed.

Which style you choose is a personal preference:

ProLink (Round, like on Frankie / Top in graphic above): The front of the ProLink provides the precision shackle mounting hole and massive 1.2″ thick mounting tab. The ProLink is compatible with both Hawse and Roller fairleads and snugs neatly against both versions.
FlatLink: The FlatLink shackle is a folding shackle mount. With less than 1.75 inches of thickness, the Flatlink will work with all roller fairlead license plate mounting brackets.
UltraHook (Second image in graphic above): Shackle Mount hole machined into the body of the hook, safety latch retraction pocket resulting in a clear throat opening, integrated secondary safety latch locking feature-latch locking pin stored in the body of the UltraHook which can be removed and inserted in to the hook tip, locking the latch into place.