Which direction to go after many years off?
Been out of consistent sledding for quite a few years now, last logged into SW over 2 years ago, and quite infrequently at that time. Have a deposit with the dealer for either an '18 Axys 155 or an '18 850 Summit SP 154, couple days left to decide before pickup.
Haven't ridden either , won't have a chance to ride before buying. Midwest rider, lots of tight technical U.P. hilly terrain, occasional trip out west 1-2 times per year at best. Typical late 40s recreational rider- no lightweight MX 20s wanna be!
Had a lot of time and money invested in a '04 Rev Hymark-X and aside from the engine package, hated the sled. After so many years on Polaris Wedge/Gen2/Edge chassis, never came to grips with the Rev chassis. Went back to an '05 Vertical Escape 159 after the Rev and other than the weight, enjoyed it a lot more than the Rev. Bottom line, expect either Axys or 850 to be light years ahead of either of my most "recent" snowcats.
6-7 years ago rode an updated '10 Summit XP w/S36 and definitely liked it more than the Rev. Rode a '13 RMK-Pro down a trail and it felt very snappy and light. That's the extent of my experience on anything remotely modern. Dealer support minimal concern, neither close enough to matter. Have several Pro-RMK in my riding circle and some XMs too. Understand their real or perceived strengths and weaknesses in general.
Leaning slightly towards the 850, mostly because I like the reported HP, like the new aggressive looks of the sled, and intrigued by the new clutching package as well. Concerned about trenching and potential sidehill "issues" and really don't want to put money into a brand new sled to address any handling issues. Axys just seems too "blah" looking as it's so similar to the 2011 Pro-RMK we've seen forever, little wow factor for me. Axys upside is the proven chassis, ultra light weight, efficient drivetrain- all bonus.
So trying to decipher it all before I pull the trigger...