This is what I did. The cut out is about 2x4 inches then riveted a 1/8" square plate in. I think it will work pretty good to help keep toe area clean.
better boards, anyone use em on a PRO?
- Thread starter B00nd0ck3r4lif
- Start date
A
Arcteryx
Well-known member
Nice job. It looks really clean and simple.
B
barry1me
Well-known member
That looks excellent
S
snopro_ac
Well-known member
exactly what i was thinking, great job.
Very nicely done. Just might do that to mine.
Arcteryx hit it right on the head.
I think Chris Burandt is amazing and sometime I want to go ride with him, but I take opinions of professional "mouthpiece" riders with a grain of salt. They aren't going to say anything negative at all about the product and in my opinion omission of important information is almost the same as lying.
Dan Adams on the Polaris video said "these sleds have been tested, they put miles and miles on them so its not like they are putting out something totally new".
So then why do so many of us have the midrange bog issue? But only an idiot would put "yea they have a midrange bog sometimes but its still an awesome sled" on their promotional video.
My point is, guys like F-Bomb, Chris Burandt, Dan Adams ect. ect. don't give honest opinions that reflect the positive and negative aspects of the items we spend our hard earned dollars on because they are after our hard earned dollars. If you want to push product, go to the classifieds section. This is for real people to analyze what does and does not work so we can help each other not waste money on the products that don't work.
I think Chris Burandt is amazing and sometime I want to go ride with him, but I take opinions of professional "mouthpiece" riders with a grain of salt. They aren't going to say anything negative at all about the product and in my opinion omission of important information is almost the same as lying.
Dan Adams on the Polaris video said "these sleds have been tested, they put miles and miles on them so its not like they are putting out something totally new".
So then why do so many of us have the midrange bog issue? But only an idiot would put "yea they have a midrange bog sometimes but its still an awesome sled" on their promotional video.
My point is, guys like F-Bomb, Chris Burandt, Dan Adams ect. ect. don't give honest opinions that reflect the positive and negative aspects of the items we spend our hard earned dollars on because they are after our hard earned dollars. If you want to push product, go to the classifieds section. This is for real people to analyze what does and does not work so we can help each other not waste money on the products that don't work.
J
Jkinzer
Well-known member
were the boards that you put on powder coated or not? we sell both versions at our dealership, and i always clearly state that you are not saving any money on the non powder coated ones, the only reason i stock them is in case a customer wants them powder coated a different color than black. Non-powder coated better boards do not work very much better than stock.
better boards are well, better. thanks rob for a product that delivers what it claims.
Good job as stated, my only additional thought would be to use UHMW plastic instead of alu for even less sticking.
RS
Boondockerforlife you make a huge mistake discounting what professional riders say, state, and advise based on the fact that you think WE do this because we are payed. You're attitude handicaps yourself and that is your own personal decision but far worse is that some unsuspecting reader might think you know what you are talking about and take your comments as advice and then they are negatively affected as well. People need to think about that kind of stuff when they comment! Almost NONE of the posters on snowest or any of the other sled forum sites post their resume and real world experience so that people can associate a value to what they state.
Know this about me and this is also something that I've discussed in depth with both Burandt and Adams (other industry people as well):
I am offered to represent and test (turned down several that were just flat out a bad idea) and have even tested alot of products that don't perform in one aspect or another. You never ever hear about those. You hear from me on stuff that is absolute conclusive and has benefit to people irregardless of wether I get paid. In the event that my experience shows that one is superior to another option then I tell it like it is. Check out the products that all of the top guys who actually make their living doing this and you see that each and every one of us align ourselves with the foremost companies in the business. THIS IS MY LIVING AND I CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE MY REPUTATION TAINTED BY SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T DO EXACTLY WHAT I CLAIM. My name and phone number is on every single post I've made on this and other websites for the past 12 years. I am face to face with over 30,000 snowmobile enthusiasts each and every season. If I tell you something I"m totally accountable for my comments and advice.
This is a tiny industry that gets almost no satisfactory real world testing compared to other industries. Most of the aftermarket manufactures are little independant business' with little or no resources. Very very few companies actually perform signficant and conclusive tests prior to putting product out to the general public. The work that the few pros do is vital in this industry and a super valuable resource to those smart enough to listen. The other value is actual experience and legit experience reports from mulitple enthusiasts on these forums and I never discount this resource. Not my brother's friends cousin had this happen so I report it on this website and create a circus. If someone reports a problem with one of our products we analize the situation in depth and design a solution if there is a legit problem. The accumulation of all aspects is the value!
Gang be careful cutting the front section hole and leaving it without additional structural support on the PRO. Part of the strength of the stock holes is associated to the pressed and elevated cleats. (anytime you have a hole it's stronger against bending if it's on a cleat...and it's the only way to get satisfactory structural support from such a thin piece of material like the stock running boards) A few side bar supports are snapping off in the cast section prior to the actual bar. (it's been under hardcore use they don't just break off magically) If that happens and you've reduced the structure of that area it can be a huge problem that can mushroom further then just the support bar and the cast attachment area. Get's expensive in a hurry if something fails right there. You can make a $100 fix/repair from damage turn into thousands.
Know this about me and this is also something that I've discussed in depth with both Burandt and Adams (other industry people as well):
I am offered to represent and test (turned down several that were just flat out a bad idea) and have even tested alot of products that don't perform in one aspect or another. You never ever hear about those. You hear from me on stuff that is absolute conclusive and has benefit to people irregardless of wether I get paid. In the event that my experience shows that one is superior to another option then I tell it like it is. Check out the products that all of the top guys who actually make their living doing this and you see that each and every one of us align ourselves with the foremost companies in the business. THIS IS MY LIVING AND I CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE MY REPUTATION TAINTED BY SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T DO EXACTLY WHAT I CLAIM. My name and phone number is on every single post I've made on this and other websites for the past 12 years. I am face to face with over 30,000 snowmobile enthusiasts each and every season. If I tell you something I"m totally accountable for my comments and advice.
This is a tiny industry that gets almost no satisfactory real world testing compared to other industries. Most of the aftermarket manufactures are little independant business' with little or no resources. Very very few companies actually perform signficant and conclusive tests prior to putting product out to the general public. The work that the few pros do is vital in this industry and a super valuable resource to those smart enough to listen. The other value is actual experience and legit experience reports from mulitple enthusiasts on these forums and I never discount this resource. Not my brother's friends cousin had this happen so I report it on this website and create a circus. If someone reports a problem with one of our products we analize the situation in depth and design a solution if there is a legit problem. The accumulation of all aspects is the value!
Gang be careful cutting the front section hole and leaving it without additional structural support on the PRO. Part of the strength of the stock holes is associated to the pressed and elevated cleats. (anytime you have a hole it's stronger against bending if it's on a cleat...and it's the only way to get satisfactory structural support from such a thin piece of material like the stock running boards) A few side bar supports are snapping off in the cast section prior to the actual bar. (it's been under hardcore use they don't just break off magically) If that happens and you've reduced the structure of that area it can be a huge problem that can mushroom further then just the support bar and the cast attachment area. Get's expensive in a hurry if something fails right there. You can make a $100 fix/repair from damage turn into thousands.
Honestly i did not think the Better Boards would be much of an improvement over stock myself. I had ridden 5 times without them and felt the snow cleared out pretty well. I then decided to give them a try based on the substantial improvement i had gained when installing them on the IQ chassis. Like i said in the previous post...the improvement was very noticeable and that is why i recommend them. I have the black ones, and that is all i can recommend as i did not try the silver ones.
My comment on the Better Boards is/was an honest opinion. No one pays me a single red cent to give a positive post. I have nothing to gain, have no relationship with the supplier, and this is my honest opinion based on my experience.
Regarding the "boot" issue...that is not a "scare tactic". Again, that was my experience. My boots had the soles half worn out by 2/3 through the season last year from pawing at the stock boards to keep them as clear as possible. And yes, i used the bottom of them. Once i saw this, i installed the BBs immediately. Much less expensive to buy BBs than replace Klim boots each year.
My opinion is that the Better Boards are a Premium gain for a Marginal price.
Cheers!
A
Arcteryx
Well-known member
What you said was ^^^^^^^^^. "if you DON'T get these you WILL be buying a new pair of boots every year...."
Maybe something a little more honest would be "if you do get better boards you might just save some wear and tear on your boots too." Then you could throw in your experience about how you know. That being said the experience you speak of was from last season meaning not on a PRO. So your personal experience last year on a NON pro may or may not really relate to people on PROs. I guess we will see.
First year on my Dragon and 2 rides after installing better boards I hit a huge hole, came off the sled and my shin smashed the tipped up cleat of my new better boards. It tore a hole in my Klim pants. I was sick over it but $50 and a trip to Klim and the panel was replaced. That being said I wouldn't blame the better boards for causing my isolated problem. Nor do I believe you should blame the lack of better boards for yours.
So far my Klim boots are holding up well to the stock boards. I try to be careful on how I clear the snow. The outer rail would probably offer me more hazard than anything else and unless I am mistaken better boards won't do anything to dull or replace that edge???
Last edited:
A
Arcteryx
Well-known member
I have no idea where to even start with this comment. Boondockerforlife, your right on the mark. These people make their living off of these products and or services and that includes Rob and better boards. And for many of them they trade products and services with each other and in doing so vocally promote each others products while not disclosing to us the nature of the exchanges. I would be very surprised to see F Bomb say anything negative about Carl's or vise versa. They have a "relationship".
Dan Adams, Chris Burandt, other industry people have relationships with Fbomb and better boards. We don't know the nature of these relationships but I will venture a guess that neither Dan nor Chris paid a dime to outfit the sleds at their riding camps with better boards. They get free boards, Fbomb gets the advertising. Every person that goes through the camps sees the better boards on these sleds and many probably enjoy using them and will purchase some.
But if you are Chris or Dan and manufactures are sending you free stuff for your stable of sleds would you start bad mouthing products and crush the supply of goods??? I think not. Whether they love them or don't I highly doubt you'd get the whole story unless you were spending some time behind closed doors with them.
Seriously, why do people have to talk so much and not SHOW. Just do the "test" I suggested earlier of having 3 or so honest riders each use a betterboard on one side and stock board on the other. Take the pictures and do a write up here on SW. Yes, they would have to be able to keep a set of boards as payment for cutting up one side of their sled which they could never undo. Hell I'd offer myself (and you can be damn sure you'd get an honest answer, good, bad or indifferent) but I'm not ready to hack up my sled just yet.
Set up the challenge here in Utah with someone else's sled and I'll commit to meeting up with them and riding a day or two. I'll take the pictures and do the write up.
Last edited:
A
Arcteryx
Well-known member
Rev Kev...out of mere curiosity how many rides did you have on your Pro before you installed your better boards??
R
Rev Kev
Well-known member
None, but if the stockers worked like my Snow Eliminators did on my Summit, I knew I needed something. The stock Summit boards were not that great.
2300 miles on a demo pro but polaris would allow NO MODIFICATIONS.....that is a pretty good amount of EXPERIENCE.....
HERE IS WHAT WE DEALT WITH ALOT IN HEAVY POWDER
I'll absolutely give you that the stockers are a HUGE improvement over the IQ RAW...but they still don't even come close to performing like Better Boards on the PRO.
Please note there are 5 verified confirmed non paid or sponsored people who've taken it upon themselves to offer you guys an opinion from experience! Are you listening? I totally concure based on my own personal riding experieince. You ride a PRO with and then one without and there is a big difference in traction and effort to clear.
RideCats...we've done a bunch of versions and testing. It takes a big hole to make any difference and unfortunately there isn't much we can do with the bracket or even the back section. Burandt really likes our PRO Assault version because it doesn't have that rear most cleat. He thinks they clear easier without that little end cleat. I agree but some don't so we offer both. Either fits your choice. The rear section is a build up area for sure but nothing you can do about it other then keep your feet moving.
Generally speaking the lighter, colder, and dryer snow is the type that doesn't build up on your boards and cause alot of grieve. I figured Burandt being in the high country of Colorado would get the least value from our product. Well you call him and ask him what he thinks. Flat out no bs the guy absolutely advocates this product and so do the people that ride his sleds on the adventure. Same with Dan Adams and his clinics. You can say what you want about give aways and sponsorships but these guys LOVE THESE BOARDS. I'm the same with these and all of the fine products I work with. IT WOULD SUCK TO NOT HAVE THE SUPPORT OF HOLZ, FOX RACING, CARL'S CYCLES, HMK, FLY/WPS, BETTER BOARDS ECT ECT. Riding regular is not fun after you've had the best!
You would think so too if you rode this sled daily!
HERE IS WHAT WE DEALT WITH ALOT IN HEAVY POWDER
I'll absolutely give you that the stockers are a HUGE improvement over the IQ RAW...but they still don't even come close to performing like Better Boards on the PRO.
Please note there are 5 verified confirmed non paid or sponsored people who've taken it upon themselves to offer you guys an opinion from experience! Are you listening? I totally concure based on my own personal riding experieince. You ride a PRO with and then one without and there is a big difference in traction and effort to clear.
RideCats...we've done a bunch of versions and testing. It takes a big hole to make any difference and unfortunately there isn't much we can do with the bracket or even the back section. Burandt really likes our PRO Assault version because it doesn't have that rear most cleat. He thinks they clear easier without that little end cleat. I agree but some don't so we offer both. Either fits your choice. The rear section is a build up area for sure but nothing you can do about it other then keep your feet moving.
Generally speaking the lighter, colder, and dryer snow is the type that doesn't build up on your boards and cause alot of grieve. I figured Burandt being in the high country of Colorado would get the least value from our product. Well you call him and ask him what he thinks. Flat out no bs the guy absolutely advocates this product and so do the people that ride his sleds on the adventure. Same with Dan Adams and his clinics. You can say what you want about give aways and sponsorships but these guys LOVE THESE BOARDS. I'm the same with these and all of the fine products I work with. IT WOULD SUCK TO NOT HAVE THE SUPPORT OF HOLZ, FOX RACING, CARL'S CYCLES, HMK, FLY/WPS, BETTER BOARDS ECT ECT. Riding regular is not fun after you've had the best!
You would think so too if you rode this sled daily!
S
snopro_ac
Well-known member
i'd say it's worth something that f-bomb is in here explaining and offering explanations that make sense as to why they work and the reasons and conditions they excel in. and taking a bunch of crap about them, i know he sells them and he wants to make money off us, but i don't see slp in here trying to get me to buy their pipes or cans, or polaris in here selling me the sled, at least he's here offering his pitch on why they work, i listen to you guys and a good example would be the pro, some people don't like them, but 90% or more love them, reading tons of these forums talk about boards and i'd say 75% or more love the better boards. thats how i choose what i buy
A
Arcteryx
Well-known member
2300 miles on a demo pro but polaris would allow NO MODIFICATIONS.....that is a pretty good amount of EXPERIENCE.....
HERE IS WHAT WE DEALT WITH ALOT IN HEAVY POWDER
I'll absolutely give you that the stockers are a HUGE improvement over the IQ RAW...but they still don't even come close to performing like Better Boards on the PRO.
Please note there are 5 verified confirmed non paid or sponsored people who've taken it upon themselves to offer you guys an opinion from experience! Are you listening? I totally concure based on my own personal riding experieince. You ride a PRO with and then one without and there is a big difference in traction and effort to clear.
RideCats...we've done a bunch of versions and testing. It takes a big hole to make any difference and unfortunately there isn't much we can do with the bracket or even the back section. Burandt really likes our PRO Assault version because it doesn't have that rear most cleat. He thinks they clear easier without that little end cleat. I agree but some don't so we offer both. Either fits your choice. The rear section is a build up area for sure but nothing you can do about it other then keep your feet moving.
Generally speaking the lighter, colder, and dryer snow is the type that doesn't build up on your boards and cause alot of grieve. I figured Burandt being in the high country of Colorado would get the least value from our product. Well you call him and ask him what he thinks. Flat out no bs the guy absolutely advocates this product and so do the people that ride his sleds on the adventure. Same with Dan Adams and his clinics. You can say what you want about give aways and sponsorships but these guys LOVE THESE BOARDS. I'm the same with these and all of the fine products I work with. IT WOULD SUCK TO NOT HAVE THE SUPPORT OF HOLZ, FOX RACING, CARL'S CYCLES, HMK, FLY/WPS, BETTER BOARDS ECT ECT. Riding regular is not fun after you've had the best!
You would think so too if you rode this sled daily!
Are you telling me that that snow on those boards was not shoveled/scooped or placed on that sled?? Cause it sure looks to me like it was. No snow on the hood, under the skid, the snow in the background doesn't look deep enough to build like that. Even the way the snow sits on the tunnel and just in back of the tail light.
IMO what that picture looks like to me is that snow was placed on the running boards and tunnel and then packed down or allowed to settle. I know I have seen that picture before and thought that, so now I am asking?? How EXACTLY did that snow get on there?
I guess that is why a BB on one side and stock on the other (no piling snow by hand on the boards) and taking pictures of both sides would answer all questions.
You said that 5 unpaid people have offered opinions. But Rev Kev has already said he didn't even ride his sled stock before putting them on. So, while I am glad he is happy with them as maybe are the others, does that really count?? What do you compare it too if you never rode them stock to begin with? And for the sake of fair balance there are many more than 4 or 5 that have said the stock boards clear just fine.
My stock boards grip great (when they are clear). You said that the BB clear easier that stock. I guess I believe that. How much easier??
If the BB challenge in Utah doesn't work, do one out there. Take pictures and post em. Just make sure we all know when snow is placed there by hand and when mother nature/riding has done its thing.
I love the stock boards on my Pro...they clean out well but I have noticed a few things. The extruded cleats bend easily and although it only takes a few minutes to straighten, still kind of a pain. The only real complaint I have is that between the tunnel and the extruded cleat and the outside tube/extruded cleat, the 1/2" portion between these build up a nice thick layer of ice that you have to either kick or chip out.
