WARN Releases ZEON Winch
Style With Substance
Editor/Photo: Eric Bewley
CLACKAMAS, OR – We recently were invited to the unveiling of WARN’s newest offering. The Zeon winch series is described as the next generation of winches. The press material uses words like modern rugged design, upgraded internal components, increased performance and durability; all of which are true. However, we were even more struck by the passion and commitment of the company to improve and upgrade a product that already performs head and shoulders above the competition. At the onset of the press conference a literal handful of parts were triumphantly raised into the air and it was proclaimed that this new winch has been redesigned to the extent that only these few parts are shared with previous winch families. This made an impression and underscored how new and different this winch is from WARN’s previous offerings.
The rundown: The New aluminum drum design has a really cool feature which is a new rope anchor point system. No longer will you we worried about ripping your cable out of the winch on the last few turns. This new, simple, and effective drum design is just plain… trick. Next, the new three-stage planetary gear train. A side-by-side comparison really reveals the improvements, in materials, process and design. Then, improved sealing to keep the water out. The new Zeon winch is the only mid-frame winch to carry the IP68 specification. One may ask, what is that? We didn’t know so we looked it up. Apparently is stands for Ingress Protection Rating which has a big ol’ definition behind it but the key part is that the number 6 means total dust ingress protection and the 8 in IP68 means protection from water ingress at 1 meter depth. This is more than adequate for most potential users due to the fact that if the winch was 1 meter below the water, there’s probably more other more pressing concerns for the operator. What this rating really speaks to is WARN’s commitment to making a quality product. A plus… the new control pack is mounted to the top similar to the integrated series of winch but it can be removed and remotely mounted. Even more stuff: A new, designed for WARN, electric motor is being employed as well as a better internal mechanical braking system.
The improvements just keep coming. The laundry list is long and complete.
The feel: So, all the guts are improved… There’s something about the Zeon that reminds us of the venerable 8274. A winch that has stood the test of time and has a cult following all it’s own. It was the best available in it’s day. As the iconic but perhaps accidental styling of the 8274 made it’s mark, the deliberate styling of the Zeon winch is the new marker placed atop the mountain.
In fact, this new Zeon winch may be so good that it is ‘leap frogging’ their current premium line. Coupled that with their aggressive pricing and we feel this makes an extremely compelling product. If your winch platform can accommodate it’s larger footprint and symmetrical mounting, you should consider adding this premium winch with the affordable price to your adventure vehicle today.
MSRP Pricing:
ZEON 8 – $999.00
come with wire rope and a roller fairlead
ZEON 10 – $1099.00
come with wire rope and a roller fairlead
ZEON 12 – $1199.00
come with wire rope and a roller fairlead
ZEON 8-S $1249.00
WARN Spydura® Synthetic rope and a polished aluminum hawse fairlead
ZEON 10-S $1349.00
WARN Spydura® Synthetic rope and a polished aluminum hawse fairlead
I want a Warn Zeon winch (and winch-fitable bumper) for my Suzuki made in India. But they are not available here, and cost too much in duties and freight when imported ! Sob !