This page collects this site’s ATV winch reviews in one place — the short, scored verdict on each winch we have researched in depth, with the full evidence one click away in the guides that rank them. How to use it: find your size first (the calculator below; our sizing rule is GVW × 1.5, taught in the ATV winch buying guide), then read the review for the winches in that class. Every review here is research-based — maker specifications verified against model numbers, owner reports paraphrased from named sources; we do not test winches and nothing on this page claims we did. Brand-level judgements (warranty, spec honesty, range) live in our ATV winch brands ranking.
The short list: VRX 45-S (9.1) leads the class; Black Ops 4500 (8.5) for kit ecosystems; the two Champion kits (8.1 / 7.9) own the budget end at two sizes.
Size your ATV first:
Winch size calculator
Enter your ATV’s loaded weight (machine + rider + fuel + gear). We multiply it by 1.5 to give the minimum rated line pull.
ATV winches we have reviewed
Our Score 9.1/10
WARN VRX 45-S
The all-rounder of the ATV class: 4,500 lb, 198:1, IP68, synthetic — the factory-equivalent platform (Can-Am’s accessory winches are rebadged VRX units) and the anchor of our ATV guide.
Our Score 8.5/10
SuperATV Black Ops 4500
The kit-ecosystem review: 166:1, synthetic, machine-specific plate kits across the ATV/UTV range; no published IP number and a 1-year warranty keep it off the top step.
Our Score 8.1/10
Champion 4500 Wireless Kit (14560)
The budget-kit review: a complete wireless 4,500 lb kit (steel 38 ft line) with a published 2-year warranty — the value door into the class, steel line and all.
Our Score 7.9/10
Champion 3500 Synthetic Kit
The smaller Champion kit reviewed on its own terms: 3,500 lb with synthetic line — the honest size for mid ATVs that the 4,500 class overshoots.
WARN VRX 45-S — review summary
The all-rounder of the ATV class: 4,500 lb, 198:1, IP68, synthetic — the factory-equivalent platform (Can-Am’s accessory winches are rebadged VRX units) and the anchor of our ATV guide. Full ranking context: our ATV winch guide.
SuperATV Black Ops 4500 — review summary
The kit-ecosystem review: 166:1, synthetic, machine-specific plate kits across the ATV/UTV range; no published IP number and a 1-year warranty keep it off the top step. Full ranking context: our 4500 class guide.
Champion 4500 Wireless Kit (14560) — review summary
The budget-kit review: a complete wireless 4,500 lb kit (steel 38 ft line) with a published 2-year warranty — the value door into the class, steel line and all. Full ranking context: our budget ATV guide.
Champion 3500 Synthetic Kit — review summary
The smaller Champion kit reviewed on its own terms: 3,500 lb with synthetic line — the honest size for mid ATVs that the 4,500 class overshoots. Full ranking context: our budget ATV guide.
How our ATV reviews work
Each score is editorial judgement on a published rubric — warranty and support 25%, spec honesty 25%, owner record 30%, range/fitment 20% (the brand rubric from our brands ranking, applied per model). A winch loses marks for unpublished figures, self-contradicting listings and warranty silence — which is why several famous budget names never appear here at all: their documentation failed the standard before their hardware was ever weighed. The deep comparisons, calculators and per-machine fitment live in the guides: all-round ATV, plowing, Honda Rancher/Foreman, Can-Am Outlander, 2500 lb class.
ATV winch review FAQ
Do you test the winches you review?
No. Our reviews are research-based: verified maker specifications and owner reports from named sources, scored on a published rubric. Any site claiming hands-on tests it cannot show should be read the way we ask you to read us — by the evidence printed.
Why only four reviews on this page?
Because only these ATV winches currently carry the full research file (verified specs + owner record) this site requires. The page grows as guides are researched — the brands ranking explains the exclusions.
Which review should a plow owner read?
The VRX 45-S and Black Ops reviews here for the hardware, then the plowing guide for the strap fix that saves the line at the fairlead.
Sources
- WARN: warn.com; SuperATV: superatv.com; Champion: championpowerequipment.com — plus the research files behind each linked guide.