Warn Vs Badlands: The 5 Key Differences 

It’s surely not a bad decision if you pick your winch from Warn or Badlands. Because both of these brands are in the leading stage for their reliable manufacturing trait.

Warn is seemingly the best one considering its well-built construction, solid materials, multi-functionality, robust design, and many more. 

Having said that though, the Badland is the perfect one for its high-quality performance. Therefore, to find out the precise differences between Warn vs. Badlands, you’ve to go through the details of these two brands. So, Stay Tuned! 

Brief Overview Of Warn

The Warn winch is manufactured in Clackamas, Oregon, USA. It is one of the world-recognized brands for self-recovery vehicle winches. 

Winches of this brand have been ranked high for quality, performance, and customer service. The Warn brand manufactures its winches considering the maximum load capacity. 

So, are WARN winches worth the money? Of course, they are. The Warn winches value your money in terms of its excellent performance, warranty policy, and high capacity. 

Brief Overview Of Badlands

When you want to get a winch from a reputed brand like Warn, Badlands can be another good option. The Badlands Harbor Freight’s winches are made in Calabasas, California, USA. 

These winches are relatively cheaper which is the best option for those who want to have a quality winch on a low budget. It has got a design with air-grade cables and quality materials for long-lasting traits. So, are Badlands winches any good? Yes, the winches of the Badland brand are well-constructed and are capable of offering maximum performance. 

Warn Vs Badlands

In spite of plenty of similarities, there are some obvious differences between these two brands, for example, the Warn winches are relatively highly capable to deal with heavy loading while the Badlands are the good ones for lighter jobs. So, let’s get the details to figure out the best one for you.  

Differences between Warn Vs Badlands

BrandHighest CapacityCable LengthWarrantyMaterials
Warn30000 lbs150 FeetMechanical Component Winch- Lifetime
Electrical Component Winch- 1-Year
Aluminum/ Black cast iron
Badland12000 lbs65 FeetLifetimeAluminum/ Stainless Steel

Construction Materials

The winches of Warn brand are made of two different types of materials, for instance, polished aluminum and black cast iron. If you want your winch to meet both the synthetic and steel rope, choose a winch made of black cast iron material. Aluminum is also a great material for high durability.

Badland winch comes with an aluminum or stainless steel body construction. As a result, they will be corrosion-resistant. However, the winches from Warn brand are highly recommended in terms of robustness.  

Winch Capacity

Choosing the Warn brands for maximum capacity can be the right choice. Because the capacity of winches of this brand varies from 750 lbs to 30000 lbs. Badland winches, on the other hand, range from 1500 lbs to 12000 lbs. 

Cable Size

Considering the cable length, the Warn winches are the best ones since they are designed in longer lengths. The length of Warn winch cable is available through 150 ft in length and 0.3125 inches in diameter. On the contrary, the Badlands come up with a winch cable of 65 ft in length and ⅜ inches in diameter.  

Waterproof Trait

The Warn manufactures most of its models of winches waterproof. For example, ZEON, VRX, AXON, VR EVO, etc are all IP68 waterproof. The Warn winches can submerge with no water intrusion worry. 

Likewise the Warn brand, Badland will also offer some of their models IP68 and IP69K waterproof. In that case, we recommend you check whether the model you want to buy is waterproof no matter whether it’s Warn or Badlands winch.

Warranty

In the case of the Warn brand as always, it delivers highly durable winches. Still, this world-leading company warrants its winches in two different categories, for example, the winches made of mechanical components get a lifetime warranty. And, the winches that are made of electrical components get a 1-year warranty.  

Many of the models of Badlands, on the other hand, come with a lifetime warranty in terms of tear and wear against defects of any kind on workmanship or materials. During the warranty period, if any problem arises, you can get full support.

Since both the Warn and the Badlands offer a lifetime warranty, you can choose any of them.

Which One Should You Buy 

A winch with high capacity which can perform the best for heavy loads indicates the Warn winches first compared to the Winches of Badlands. Besides, the Warn winches deliver more holding control and power. They perform smoothly and trouble-free. So, for heavy-duty tasks, the Warn winches will be your right fit than those of Badland.

FAQs

Is the synthetic rope usable for Warn winch?

Yes, you can use synthetic rope for your Warn winch. But, make sure the winch is steel cable compatible. 

How long can I use my Warn winch?

Well, it depends on how frequently you use the winch. And also the way you maintain the winch speaks for its lifespan. But, good maintenance can allow you to use your Warn winch even more than 20 years without any damage. 

Where was the VR EVO made?

The VR EVO winch was manufactured in the USA.  

How can I turn the remote on for my Badlands winch?

Well, it’s very simple. Turn the remote on and hold two of its buttons using your two fingers for 20 seconds at a time. And you’ll see the light of the remote flash 20 times. Then again, you’ll need to hold them for 3 seconds. The light will turn off once and then turn on again to work. Now you can use the remote to control the functionality of your Badland winch.  

Final Thoughts 

Overall, the Warn winches are the top choice for advanced features over the Badlands winches.  You can use the Warn winches for big as well as small purposes.  But, the Badlands winches are only recognized for small duty tasks. In that case, nothing to be confused about to choose the right one between Warn vs Badlands based on your requirements. 

Ricardo Vaughn
Ricardo Vaughn

Vaughn is a seasoned off-roading expert and professional winch specialist. When he's not out on the trails, he shares his knowledge and experiences through his writing as a blog author in the off-roading and outdoor lifestyle space.

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