I want to buy a sled! But which one? - Snowmobile Forum: Your #1 Snowmobile Forum

MacAttack · 02-07-2013, 11:04 AM

Hello members,

I live in Toronto, Ontario. I have been snowmobiling for the past 5 years in the Parry Sound region. To give you an idea of the terrain...it is fairly flat, a few steeps hills here and there, lots of open lakes, winding tight trails, and marshes. Conditions vary quite a bit from year to year so I have been through thick powder with deep slush underneath to glare ice with only a dusting of snow on top. I have used a variety of borrowed sleds....a 92 Venture (480), Arctic Cat ZR (540), Ski-Doo Grand Touring 700, and a ZR 900 Arctic Cat so I have experience with a variety of machine types and power.

So now I'm in a position to buy one myself and would love your input. I'm looking for a sled that will handle tight, ungroomed trails (I found the 900 tough to handle in there) yet will still cruise across lakes at a good clip. In terms of power, 600 to 800 would be ideal. I'm looking for a used machine for a starter sled.

So I hand it over to you all for suggestions on year, make, and model that is reliable and can ideally handle the conditions I mentioned above.

Thanks everyone!

**RJ Gleason** · 02-07-2013, 11:10 AM

Which did you like the ride/handling best on?
A ZR of any size will suit you best.

MacAttack · 02-07-2013, 11:17 AM

Thanks RJ.

Actually I found the Venture to handle the best in tight trails. It's small and agile. But it really lacks the power when going through thicker slush and for wide open fun across the lakes with friends on bigger sleds. The 900 is super-fun on the lakes, but I found it a little too wide and bulky when trying to negotiate those tight trails. So something in the middle would be ideal, but don't know which models/year/makes to avoid. I've heard some sled makers have models/years that should be avoided. I understand you might have to sacrifice speed for agility, and vice versa, so I'm looking for something that fits in the middle. Does Cat make a machine similar to the Ski-Doo Renegages...a combination of trail and performance? Thanks again!

edge800ves · 02-07-2013, 11:21 AM

I like the new design on the switchback tracks. Its canted up at the back so you have a shorter track on the trails and a long track in the powder. Im a Polaris guy though. Their very well designed for on and off trail riding though....check them out.

MacAttack · 02-07-2013, 11:39 AM

Thanks Edge!

Are you referring to the Polaris Rush sleds? A good friend of mine bought the 800 and said he'll never go back. He was an Arctic Cat guy until he bought the Polaris.

**BC_Dan** · 02-07-2013, 12:04 PM

The Rush is a different chassis than the Switchback. The Rush is a trail sled, does great in the twisties, won't climb or do powder as well. The Switchback is a crossover sled, it's got a longer track and deeper lugs than most trail sleds, but not quite as long/deep as the mountain sleds. It won't corner with the Rush (or any trail sled.)

When buying used, you are pretty much at the mercy of what's available in the market. If you can ride a few to see which ones fit your riding style, that would be very beneficial to your decision.

Good luck, welcome to the forum!

edge800ves · 02-07-2013, 12:11 PM

Last year the Switchback has had tilted up rails on the 144" sleds so that the back part of the rails is not in a lot of contact with the snow on the trails. Im not sure if their still doing it this year but this gives the sled the turning capability of a shorter track, but still keeps the longer track flotation in the powder.

**RJ Gleason** · 02-07-2013, 12:12 PM

A Crossfire would fit the bill nicely too.

MacAttack · 02-07-2013, 12:17 PM

Thanks very much guys! This definitely gives me a great starting point. Ideally, I'll get to play on a few of these sleds to get a feel for each of their strengths and weaknesses. So glad I found this forum!

Rczr600rider · 02-07-2013, 12:50 PM

I love my ZR 800!

edge800ves · 02-07-2013, 02:13 PM

Just one more thing to add, since our riding conditions are almost identical. I run a 121 inch track and have no problems whatsoever in the powder. I use a 1.5 inch paddle track. They work good if your not trying to climb a mountain and its just lake or ditch powder. And the short track is great in the twisties. Not so good as a longer track if you plan on stopping in said powder though lol.

MacAttack · 02-07-2013, 02:27 PM

Edge: Noted! Thanks very much!

One other thing....the guy with the Polaris Rush is an aggressive rider with years of experience. He told me that only the centre line on the track should be studded...avoid the edges...because on tighter turns (especially ice) the outer studs grab and can flip the sled. Is this a legitimate concern for a less aggressive rider or more important for guys that like to squeeze it even on the tighter turns?

DanM675 · 02-07-2013, 02:36 PM

A Ski-Doo MXZ or Renegade would be purfact, probably the MXZ would be a tad bit better.

MacAttack · 02-07-2013, 02:41 PM

Cheers Dan!

I'm going to be taking a very close look at the Renegade, Crossfire and Switchback models based on everyone's comments, but I haven't ruled out the MXZ or ZR by a long shot.

DanM675 · 02-07-2013, 02:58 PM

Yeah MXZs are some of the best sleds out there.

edge800ves · 02-07-2013, 03:40 PM

http://www.snowmobileforum.com/contr...idnt-tell.html <<good info on studs

The all center belt stud patterns will give you a looser feel in the corners, making it easier to steer. You can normally keep a higher speed through the turns because sled will push less. Typically, an inside/outside pattern will require longer carbide length on the skis to compensate for the added cornering traction. Because the sled requires more effort to turn, (studs covering wider/larger surface area) cornering normally becomes slower, though you may feel more control over the sled. Braking and accelerating are improved with inside/outside patterns, which is another reason they lend themselves more heavily to racing or performance trail applications. The reliability of an "up the middle" pattern normally outweighs any accelerating/braking performance difference on the average trail sled. Stud patterns have been an arguing point in the snowmobiling world, and are usually explained terribly.

360 xrt · 02-07-2013, 08:05 PM

for bang for the buck sleds,i would choose the polaris indy 600 ($7100 new),or if wanting a little more,i just got back from riding with a guy with a 2012 polaris rush 800 switchback.what a sled,it did EVERYTHING right and nothing wrong.

MacAttack · 02-08-2013, 07:17 AM

Edge: Thanks for that explanation! Makes perfect sense.

360: Yes, the 2012 Rush is a beauty. Love its aggressive profile too! Thanks for the feedback.

360 xrt · 02-08-2013, 07:32 AM

have you come up with a budget on how much you want to spend ? even used rushs' come no cheaper than $7,600.

DanM675 · 02-09-2013, 06:21 PM

If your buying new, then the MXZ would defiantly be the best, the technology is AWESOME!!! check it out at www.skidoo.com the videos will tell you a lot.