Powder Jack...Anybody use one?

[SnowSnob]

I have always poked fun at this kind of stuff, even the snobungees.....but as I get older and have now been through 2 back surgeries, I hate to say it but I will be carrying a snobungee and I can see the day coming that I will need to carry one of these jacks . I can still lift a sled if I have to....BUT, lifting will likely shorten the years I will be able to ride actively....so my choice will be to use things that will extend my riding years.

EXACTLY. I'm only 32 but yanking on sleds for 20years and lots of other back wrenching activities has screwed my back up pretty bad.

To the guy who does power lifts in the summer so he can yank on a sled in the winter.....you'll be in my shoes soon....make sure you have insurance that covers chiropractors and physical therapy.

 

[KFD070]

Ok. Not trying to be critical..... but.... REALLY!?

I thought that's why sleds have grab handles on the back...

When I get stuck (which I do, a LOT, with an F7 in Idaho Pow), I just squat the sled out of the hole. Or have one of my buddies help me.

Welcome to why I workout..... it's like doing a deadlift in the gym.

I can deadlift 405lbs 8x's. Welcome to why I emphasize deads, and squats in the gym.

Save yourself the dollars, and just be in shape people!



It's amazing what a summer of working out will do for your riding season... these sleds are freakin heavy, so lifting weights will only make them feel lighter!

Okay Macho Man! I'm sure you impressed someone with your BS but it wasn't me. I'm a 46 year old professional firefighter in good shape. I've played semi-pro football and still play net in competitive ice hockey and work out regularly. There was a time I could dead lift over 400 lbs too but I grew out of that stupidity. Due to my "macho" past I have no disc in my lower back between L5 and S1. I have degeneration of discs L4 and L3. I have a curvature of my spine just above the degenerative discs. I'm now of the mind set that it is easier to "work smarter...not harder". I'm in the same boat as Winter Brew. I can lift the sled out of most stucks if I have to but why risk another injury with a bad stuck and shorten my years of riding. I know you're young and invincible right now but believe me.... that'll pass! Go buy another mirror!

 

[duke1n]

Why are you sofa pilots getting stuck to begin with?

 

[arcticman31]

Funny

Sofa Pilots....... Thats funny stuff right there duke I might have to use that one!.... Getting stuck means your riding hard dont it?

 

[KFD070]

Why are you sofa pilots getting stuck to begin with?

Funny how everytime you ask for an opinion based on experience you get these intellectual type of responses

 

[duke1n]

YMCA flag football is not semi pro. We Americans don't need no stinkn jacks you Canadian girlyman.

 

[skibreeze]

Ok. Not trying to be critical..... but.... REALLY!?

I thought that's why sleds have grab handles on the back...

When I get stuck (which I do, a LOT, with an F7 in Idaho Pow), I just squat the sled out of the hole. Or have one of my buddies help me.

Welcome to why I workout..... it's like doing a deadlift in the gym.

I can deadlift 405lbs 8x's. Welcome to why I emphasize deads, and squats in the gym.

Save yourself the dollars, and just be in shape people!



It's amazing what a summer of working out will do for your riding season... these sleds are freakin heavy, so lifting weights will only make them feel lighter!

Wow, good for you! First off, my back has been screwed for close to 17 years and second, buddies are not always immediately available. Those are the reasons that my jack occasionally comes in as priceless.

 

[Yourworstnightmare]

Not trying to be "macho" ... just saying. damn. lol.

I just lift it outta' the hole. LOL. it happens.

 

[Motley Doo]

Okay Macho Man! I know you're young and invincible right now but believe me.... that'll pass! Go buy another mirror!

I'm not! two torn rotator cuffs, tweaked knee, ankle surgery, both ankles screwed, back issues, 6 years of physical therapy, and I feel everyone everytime I ride...............and I'm not even 19!




What am I gonna feel like when I'm your age!

 

[arfrce]

This thread is so far off topic..... It's turned into a who has more pain in their back. I'm not about to post, needless to say I have you guys beat. In this area.

As for SkiBreeze, seriously they are not that hard to make. Also a back ground in mechanical engineering helps out from time to time.

 

[KFD070]

I'm not! two torn rotator cuffs, tweaked knee, ankle surgery, both ankles screwed, back issues, 6 years of physical therapy, and I feel everyone everytime I ride...............and I'm not even 19!




What am I gonna feel like when I'm your age!

BAD!

Anyways, enough flexing...back to topic, those of you who do have them, (HighJacker or PowderJack) do you find they get in the way where you have them mounted?

 

[PassRev]

Alternative

For what it's worth...

I ride with the girl a lot, there have been occasions where I have gotten stuck pretty bad where bringing her sled down to snowbungie me out isn't an option.

Here is what I have done to get unstuck...

I carry one of the snowbungie rope winches in my kit along with the full size sled bungie and a couple of webbing slings with some extra carabiners. Basically I put the sling around a tree, attach the rope winch, run it to the sled bungie (hooked to the sled) and put as much tension on it as I can. I should note that prior to this, I have dug the sled out a bit, stomped out the approach some and shifted the track over to packed down snow (normal prep). Once this is set up, I start the sled and pop the throttle while standing to one side and it pops right out and can be ridden away.

Disclaimer, of course this doesn't work if you have nothing to anchor to...

 

[BackCountryBob]

I wish I could ride with guys like Yourworstmightmare but everyone I know, including me, has a Snowbunjie and a bad back. So I think there is a powder jack or highjacker in my future

BCB

 

[arcticman31]

BAD!

Anyways, enough flexing...back to topic, those of you who do have them, (HighJacker or PowderJack) do you find they get in the way where you have them mounted?

I Have never had it get in my way at all. Its mounted pretty high in the front of my tunnel above the foot hole and is tucked very close to the tunnel all the way to the back. My buddies and I ride in the trees alot and very aggressive and it has never been an issue. My rear mount is one of the first designs bill used on the highjacker and keeps it closer to my tunnel then some of the newer ones.

 

[Snowmark]

jack

it's so much faster and easier....and yea that's him........i have thoroughly field tested the highjacker and don't ride without it.

 

[Snowmark]

squat this

...how can you go without one? ....http://www.highliftjack.com/

 

[SRXSRULE]

I've had my highlift jack for 3 seasons, this will be the 4th. I love the thing and several other guys in my group have them also.

Its not our last choice to get un-stuck, it the first choice. It takes all of 5-10 second to remove it from you sled and have it hook to your rear bumper. Many times I jack it straight up, start the sled and spin the track to get all that snow out of the skid(ported track works great for clean outs) then I either kick snow in from each side or push the sled over to the side. Then many times you can drive it out.

Here is the best part............... This just took about 3-5 minutes and you used very little effort. Your ready to ride, you dont need to take a drink of water and catch your breath Eric

 

[KFD070]

Thanks guys for the previous 6 posts. I appreciate the feedback and info based on first hand experience. I see one of these in my near future. Great pics Snowmark. Looks as though it's just what the old back needs.

 

[Motley Doo]

Anyways, enough flexing...back to topicQUOTE]

Haha no doubt! I do have a question though, is the "foot" on the bottom of the jack big enough to not sink in the pow? That's a lot of weight on that small area! Was looking into one, have had some pretty bad stucks that would have been a whole lot easier to dig out of if I'd had one!

 

[X-it]

Long gone are the days when you just toss those 136x15 out of the hole, and welcome to the 159X16. I am thankful if i get it to even crack loose, i am betting my disk is going pop out before my sled does. Even if you get it to break loose how the hell do you lift it 3 feet up and clear the hole. I bet everyone here knows at least one rider who quit riding because of a bad back, but most likely two. I just do not want to be the one who wrecks someones back trying to lift my moose out.