I own the 174LE and also have a couple 850 154's. After taking folks out, both experienced and 1st timers, I've found the following:
1) Rider Weight/Size: If you are a bigger guy (not necessarily fat but 230 lbs.+), and you are comfortable putting a machine on edge, you will love the 174" in the trees and for climbing, especially when you like to do both at the same time, e.g., Matt Entz Instagram or Chris Burandt at Grizzly Peaks Lodge. Normal framed guys will naturally find the smaller sled to be easier to flick around simply because the laws of physics apply
2) Rider Ability: IMO, the shorter tracks are more forgiving for teaching new riders in powder and also for riding in hardpack (people do this more often than I thought), tearing up meadows, wheelies and really tight trees/jumping. As was said previously in the thread, a good rider on a 174" can lose folks in the trees because of where that track will take you before it trenches out. If you are confident riding with your sled on edge 95% of the time, I don't see why the extra track length would become a "hindrance" as most guys put it. You can turn a 174" every bit as sharp as "most guys" on shorter tracks if you are confident laying it down and ripping the throttle. The hardest part is simply holding on as that track hooks
3) Conditions/Terrain: Powder and steepness are your friends on a 174. The more powder and the steeper the terrain, trees or not, the better. The downside to that is when you get buried on a 174" you are usually on your own because your buddies didn't make it up as high as you - not trying to talk down on shorter tracks, just something that has happened several times this year where I've had to get unstuck on my own, not to mention that it's a handful to get unstuck on the rare occasion that you absolutely bury it. As far as riding in hardpack is concerned, shorter tracks feel easier to maneuver on crusted, rutted out days (people ride on these days?) Despite popular belief, you can definitely do a sharp downhill turn and hopover with ease on a 174". Can you do a downhill turn on a 174 in hard pack/rutted out snow? Yes, but it won't be nearly as easy as on a shorter track. Will your hopovers be an amazing feat of showmanship like on a boosted 155" or 163"? Nope. It stays planted and isn't nearly as cool to watch. If you want to do those awesome vertical hopover turns, better go with the shorter track unless you are playing on a big cornice because it takes a lot to unplant that longer skid. I will be boosting the 174" this off season and will come back with some videos of me trying (and likely failing) to do the fancy hopovers that we see on Instagram all the time
4) Riding Style: I'm not 100% convinced that the shorter track is necessarily "easier" to ride, especially in powder. I'm from the train of thought that the width of the sled is not affected by the length of the skid. Yes you'll have the track push the skis, but in the mountains how often do you turn with both skis on the ground? And, if you're not in the mountains, why do you have a 174"? To me, the Doo's feel tippy compared to my axys. I suspect it is mainly attributable to the very narrow front end, T-Motion and really weak stock suspension. If I end up putting the 36" Zbros front end on mine, I'll lock out the T-motion and do a video comparison between the two once the front ends are the same width.
All in all, it really just depends on your preferences and abilities. Ideally, I want to get an assault for that spring "go anywhere" snow, but keep my 174" for the bulk of the deep powder season. I don't think you can go wrong either way as long as you find a sled that fits you and get it set up properly (suspension, ergo, etc.) so that you can ride all day with a smile on your face
1) Rider Weight/Size: If you are a bigger guy (not necessarily fat but 230 lbs.+), and you are comfortable putting a machine on edge, you will love the 174" in the trees and for climbing, especially when you like to do both at the same time, e.g., Matt Entz Instagram or Chris Burandt at Grizzly Peaks Lodge. Normal framed guys will naturally find the smaller sled to be easier to flick around simply because the laws of physics apply
2) Rider Ability: IMO, the shorter tracks are more forgiving for teaching new riders in powder and also for riding in hardpack (people do this more often than I thought), tearing up meadows, wheelies and really tight trees/jumping. As was said previously in the thread, a good rider on a 174" can lose folks in the trees because of where that track will take you before it trenches out. If you are confident riding with your sled on edge 95% of the time, I don't see why the extra track length would become a "hindrance" as most guys put it. You can turn a 174" every bit as sharp as "most guys" on shorter tracks if you are confident laying it down and ripping the throttle. The hardest part is simply holding on as that track hooks
3) Conditions/Terrain: Powder and steepness are your friends on a 174. The more powder and the steeper the terrain, trees or not, the better. The downside to that is when you get buried on a 174" you are usually on your own because your buddies didn't make it up as high as you - not trying to talk down on shorter tracks, just something that has happened several times this year where I've had to get unstuck on my own, not to mention that it's a handful to get unstuck on the rare occasion that you absolutely bury it. As far as riding in hardpack is concerned, shorter tracks feel easier to maneuver on crusted, rutted out days (people ride on these days?) Despite popular belief, you can definitely do a sharp downhill turn and hopover with ease on a 174". Can you do a downhill turn on a 174 in hard pack/rutted out snow? Yes, but it won't be nearly as easy as on a shorter track. Will your hopovers be an amazing feat of showmanship like on a boosted 155" or 163"? Nope. It stays planted and isn't nearly as cool to watch. If you want to do those awesome vertical hopover turns, better go with the shorter track unless you are playing on a big cornice because it takes a lot to unplant that longer skid. I will be boosting the 174" this off season and will come back with some videos of me trying (and likely failing) to do the fancy hopovers that we see on Instagram all the time
4) Riding Style: I'm not 100% convinced that the shorter track is necessarily "easier" to ride, especially in powder. I'm from the train of thought that the width of the sled is not affected by the length of the skid. Yes you'll have the track push the skis, but in the mountains how often do you turn with both skis on the ground? And, if you're not in the mountains, why do you have a 174"? To me, the Doo's feel tippy compared to my axys. I suspect it is mainly attributable to the very narrow front end, T-Motion and really weak stock suspension. If I end up putting the 36" Zbros front end on mine, I'll lock out the T-motion and do a video comparison between the two once the front ends are the same width.
All in all, it really just depends on your preferences and abilities. Ideally, I want to get an assault for that spring "go anywhere" snow, but keep my 174" for the bulk of the deep powder season. I don't think you can go wrong either way as long as you find a sled that fits you and get it set up properly (suspension, ergo, etc.) so that you can ride all day with a smile on your face
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