Long-Term Review: Warn VR10000S Winch

There are many different winches on the market these days, at all kinds of load ratings, with different features, at a broad range of prices offered by several brands. Wading through all of it is a little confusing and overwhelming. I’m not going to be able to decode all of that, but can at least share a little bit about how I decided to go with the Warn VR10000S and what my experience has been over the past 3+ years with it.

The Decision to Get a Winch

I think I reached the “I should get a winch” point in a similar timeframe as most folks. I’d been offroading with the 4Runner with a suspension lift, oversize tires, and rock sliders, which was an already capable combination, but I wanted the security/convenience of being able to self-recover if I happened to be traveling alone, as well as feel more confident on tougher terrain that I’d be able to get myself back out.

Why the Warn VR10000S?

I didn’t expect to use the winch all that much, and I wasn’t looking to spend a ton of money (I had also just spent $1,400 on the Shrockworks front bumper in which the winch would be mounted). In my research I’d come to know that for the 4Runner, which weighs ~6,000lbs loaded, I’d need a winch rated at least 1.5x that weight. I was also hoping to minimize incremental weight hanging over the front of the truck, and which narrowed my options to winches with synthetic line.

These are the three that I looked at most seriously:

• Warn VR10000S ($850 now, was closer to $650 3 years ago)
• SuperWinch Tiger Shark 9500 (~$500)
• Smittybilt XRC-9.5 ($450)

These three winches were pretty similarly equipped and all met my needs on paper. I ultimately went with the Warn, primarily based on Warn’s reputation for reliability and warranty support. We can only speculate if an alternative would have served me better.

My Experience with the Warn VR10000S

Overall I have had a good experience with the Warn – it mounted right up in my Shrockworks bumper and has stayed there for the past ~3 years.

I haven’t kept count, but I believe that I have used the Warn 30+ times in recovery situations since I’ve installed it, in a range of situations and temperatures. It definitely earned it’s keep in the first Vermont Overland Trophy, where it saw action multiple times per day. The Warn still reliably gets me out of situations on a less frequent basis these days.

A snowy recovery in GWNF – Winter 2015

A snowy recovery in GWNF – Winter 2015

A snowy recovery in GWNF – Winter 2015

Pulling a French couple’s rental vehicle off the side of a mountain in the San Juans outside of Ouray, CO

Preparing to pull the 4Runner up a muddy hill in the first Vermont Overland Trophy

A snowy recovery in GWNF – Winter 2015

Pulling cable at Red Cloud Off Road Park in 2014

Pulling cable at Red Cloud Off Road Park in 2014

Winching out of the ruts at Red Cloud Off Road Park in 2015

There are obvious pros to this winch, and a few cons, all of which are either factors of the price point, or just realities of using a winch with synthetic line.

Pros

• Reliable – every single tine I’ve needed to winch, it works without hesitation after plugging in the winch controller.  This is the most important thing, period.
• Powerful – the winch has had no issues on heavy pulls (for example, pulling the 4Runner uphill and out of the suction of nasty mud), where the effective weight of the pull is likely more than the actual weight of the 4Runner). A drawback is that the pull speed is slow, but that’s something I can definitely live with.

Cons

• Sticky Clutch Handle – probably to be expected on a winch exposed to the elements, but the clutch lever (that moves the winch between “in-gear” and “free spool”) takes some wrestling to move if I haven’t used the winch in a while.  Fortunately I have enough room to get leverage, and it has never been so stubborn as to need me to take Channel-Locks to it:)
• Synthetic Line Guard – Warn’s Spydura synthetic line comes with a ~10ft protective sheath on the end of the line.  In my installation, this sheath was getting hung up when I spooled the last 10ft of line onto the drum.  I ended up cutting it off 2 years ago and haven’t looked back.
• Still comes with a Hook – Why any winch still comes with a hook (vs. thimble) is beyond me (I assume it is a licensing/patent thing).  I swapped the winch hook for a Factor 55 thimble, which serves 2 functions (1) provides a safer, more secure shackle mount for rigging recoveries and (2) allows me to spool all of the winch line inside the bumper (vs. having 2 feet hang out to attach the winch hook to a tow point.

Overall, I continue to be very happy with my choice and plan to stick with the Warn VR10000S indefinitely, as it continues to meet my needs. If you are looking for a winch that meets most recovery needs and doesn’t blow up your budget, I’d recommend considering one based on my personal experience.