Just making a joke about this weight thing
Everyone gets to carried away about it. Weigh them dry and it is what it is. Wet is how you ride them. The only reason anyone cares is Polaris has killed everyone on marketing and they are lighter. No different than the left vs right argument. People have to trash on the other to find an angle to get in the door and make up for their short comings. So then it is the glue is garbage or they fall apart. Well they don't and their a arms are also fine. Then you have the only 9.5 gallon tank on the 850. Well, if you know anything about skidoo there gas tanks or pickups have sucked for 13-14 years. If you can burn all 9.5 gallons you are burning 1-1.5 more gallons than they burned in previous models. Next everyone goes to the broken bulkhead to justify that they are heavier. Well, they are snowmobiles. What do you expect when you slam into boulders.
The fact is that all this weight thing, between cat, doo and poo, doesn't really mean sh!t. It is not the difference it used to be years ago. It's mainly marketing. You could take 20 pounds off the 850 and I will bet my last dollar that you can't tell the difference. I guess I buy stuff because it works better or a lightweight can so I can get a muff pot on.
People buy emotionally and then try to justify logically. For some that means putting the other side down to achieve that. My bet is the 18 cat will be awesome. I would buy it because of that. The weight thing isn't much more than a conversation piece. Spend your money on clutching or suspension.