No sled made after 2012 has ever had enough on-board storage. That’s fine, because the aftermarket offerings are pretty dang nice. We loved having the Skinz NXT LVL Freeride QR Tunnel Pack attached to Project Ron Burgundy. It keeps small things in place with a zippered inner pouch, and has room galore for extra gear and food. And it’s waterproof.
Skinz NXT LVL Freeride QR Tunnel Pack. $269.95 www.nxtlvlshop.com
Dan Adams had been hyping us on the new Skinz NXT LVL low seat, so it was a natural fit to add it to Project Ron Burgundy. The low profile and slim width make it less of a chair and more of a bump stop, but that’s exactly what you want in a dedicated backcountry weapon. You should spend the vast majority of your ride standing, leaving any seat mostly just in the way. The design of this seat is optimal for the mountain riding style this sled demands. We love it.
Skinz NXT LVL Axys low seat. $499.95. www.nxtlvlshop.com
We’ve tested various tracks in every condition imaginable recently. The Camso Conquer 280 faces similar obstacles we see with other products in 2018—how do you improve in every column across the board? That’s tough, so the better option is to choose one or two columns that rank high on consumer demand and improve on that. The Camso Conquer 280 track is about the lightest track you’ll find for a mountain sled. And, once broken in, it can give you the lift and propulsion in deep snow that you have been missing. But it does take some time to break the track in, so if you run it, be patient. We tested the Conquer 280 in a 15x162x2.8 in a 3-inch pitch. In some conditions, the track was an animal. In others, the pitch spacing was too much. But when you get the conditions that the Conquer 280 was designed for, you’ll swear you’ve added an extra 10 horsepower.
Camso Conquer 280 9335M track. From $855.00. www.camso.co
Next Level Riding Clinics is one of the original all-inclusive backcountry riding and avalanche safety training facilities in the West. We’ve had staff go through complete courses with Dan Adams and the NXT LVL crew. After three days, they come back with a completely new set of skills and a new respect for mountain terrain. Dan and the staff are experts in everything they teach, and they focus a majority of the time on working with riders to develop skills and training necessary for better backcountry riding. Their avalanche training is top-notch, with hands-on, on-the-snow experiences that are worth every penny.
Next Level Riding Clinics. From $375. www.nextlevelclinics.com