Hey Everybody,
We finally got enough snow in Utah to get out and use the Snoscoot a couple times. I figured I would share my thoughts so far on the little machine. My kid riding is an 8 year old of smaller than average stature with above average general riding experience and above average skill / aggression. I'll try to post some followup videos when I get time.
1. Absolutely no regrets. The main purpose is to give the kid the best tool possible for him to become a better rider sooner and therefore a better chance of getting addicted to snowmobiling instead of getting addicted to video games. I can confidently say after just two rides that this machine absolutely fulfills that purpose. Had it been around when he was 5 and first showed signs of boredom of the 120, he would be a better rider than he is today. With the other current options being a 120 or a full size sled, there is no doubt that my kid has already learned tons about riding in just two rides that he would not have learned on either of those two other options.
2. It is a tractor, not a floater. It sinks, not floats, when the powder gets deep. Let's have realistic expectations, though, at 9 HP and a 10" X 90" track, nobody really thought it would glide effortlessly across 2 feet of blower pow right? So far, it seems that the optimal level of powder that is enough for a kid to learn how to ride powder on it while not being too much so that the machine just completely can't handle it is going to be right around 8-10 inches, varying of course with snow density. I want to be careful saying this, though, because I can also tell that my kid, as expected, has no skill at riding powder yet. I don't want to say the machine is not capable when really it is my kid that is not capable. I'm anxious to see as he gets better at riding powder just how capable this sled really is. It is a great tractor. The capabilities go way up when it is riding in even one single snowmobile track. As it gets harder and harder, the tractor gets incredibly capable. He climbed a hill yesterday very steep and quite long because he was able to find one really packed track up it. I couldn't believe that 9 HP got him up that steep of a hill. Also, if he's riding in a track and then gets off in the powder and gets stuck, I know that getting him out is no more than just getting him back to the track so I just push him with it on full throttle and then the second that track hits something to track poach on that it will climb right up on top and he's off to the races.
3. I don't think it goes as fast as some have advertised. I had heard it advertised around 30 mph. I'm having my doubts about that and I'm thinking realistically it might be closer to 25 mph. I am at quite a bit of elevation though so maybe the flatlanders and Alaska guys will have better luck at sea level.
4. Speaking of flatlanders, the track does a great job of snow evacuation. So good though, that I'm wondering if it needs to get some extra idler wheels or ice scratchers for it. I guess we will see how the hyfax holds up over the next little while.
5. The rear suspension has 3 adjustment points that provides a really big range. On setting 1 it is very soft and supple. Setting 3 is very rigid. I'm 175 and it doesn't sag when I sit on it, I have to actually bounce a bit to get it to go down. Setting 2 is obviously in the middle of those. I find this really cool so I can turn it to setting 1 when my daughter (5 yo) is first starting out on it, but then have 3 available for bigger people as well. Speaking of my daughter, she has already ridden it and the transition from her 120 (2015 Arctic Cat) seems to have been very seamless. I'll try to keep her on the 120 for a little while longer, but I'm sure she will insist pretty soon.
My kid's enthusiasm and confidence for riding are through the roof with this sled. Two comments from yesterday tell the whole story. At one point he said "Dad, I think my sled might have even more power than yours. I'm definitely riding it more aggressive." Of course I had a few reminders to give him after saying that, but it just shows how he is on top of the world and thinking he is one of the big boys and riding as hard as he can on this thing. Later I was talking to my Dad and he came by and told me that he had just done the best powder turn of his life and I missed it!! Oh no!!! He's not really good at them yet, but he's already understanding a little bit of the what, why, and how of powder turns and he is already a lot better at them than he was a week ago and a lot better at them than he would be if I was still making him choose between the 120 and the 600.
I'm not saying this sled is perfect. But I'm saying that if you can afford it, and your kids are anywhere in this age range, you HAVE to get one. It is the best $4k I have spent in a long time. Even I am sitting here with a renewed enthusiasm for snowmobiling knowing how much more involved my family can be in my snowmobiling life because of this darn sled.
We finally got enough snow in Utah to get out and use the Snoscoot a couple times. I figured I would share my thoughts so far on the little machine. My kid riding is an 8 year old of smaller than average stature with above average general riding experience and above average skill / aggression. I'll try to post some followup videos when I get time.
1. Absolutely no regrets. The main purpose is to give the kid the best tool possible for him to become a better rider sooner and therefore a better chance of getting addicted to snowmobiling instead of getting addicted to video games. I can confidently say after just two rides that this machine absolutely fulfills that purpose. Had it been around when he was 5 and first showed signs of boredom of the 120, he would be a better rider than he is today. With the other current options being a 120 or a full size sled, there is no doubt that my kid has already learned tons about riding in just two rides that he would not have learned on either of those two other options.
2. It is a tractor, not a floater. It sinks, not floats, when the powder gets deep. Let's have realistic expectations, though, at 9 HP and a 10" X 90" track, nobody really thought it would glide effortlessly across 2 feet of blower pow right? So far, it seems that the optimal level of powder that is enough for a kid to learn how to ride powder on it while not being too much so that the machine just completely can't handle it is going to be right around 8-10 inches, varying of course with snow density. I want to be careful saying this, though, because I can also tell that my kid, as expected, has no skill at riding powder yet. I don't want to say the machine is not capable when really it is my kid that is not capable. I'm anxious to see as he gets better at riding powder just how capable this sled really is. It is a great tractor. The capabilities go way up when it is riding in even one single snowmobile track. As it gets harder and harder, the tractor gets incredibly capable. He climbed a hill yesterday very steep and quite long because he was able to find one really packed track up it. I couldn't believe that 9 HP got him up that steep of a hill. Also, if he's riding in a track and then gets off in the powder and gets stuck, I know that getting him out is no more than just getting him back to the track so I just push him with it on full throttle and then the second that track hits something to track poach on that it will climb right up on top and he's off to the races.
3. I don't think it goes as fast as some have advertised. I had heard it advertised around 30 mph. I'm having my doubts about that and I'm thinking realistically it might be closer to 25 mph. I am at quite a bit of elevation though so maybe the flatlanders and Alaska guys will have better luck at sea level.
4. Speaking of flatlanders, the track does a great job of snow evacuation. So good though, that I'm wondering if it needs to get some extra idler wheels or ice scratchers for it. I guess we will see how the hyfax holds up over the next little while.
5. The rear suspension has 3 adjustment points that provides a really big range. On setting 1 it is very soft and supple. Setting 3 is very rigid. I'm 175 and it doesn't sag when I sit on it, I have to actually bounce a bit to get it to go down. Setting 2 is obviously in the middle of those. I find this really cool so I can turn it to setting 1 when my daughter (5 yo) is first starting out on it, but then have 3 available for bigger people as well. Speaking of my daughter, she has already ridden it and the transition from her 120 (2015 Arctic Cat) seems to have been very seamless. I'll try to keep her on the 120 for a little while longer, but I'm sure she will insist pretty soon.
My kid's enthusiasm and confidence for riding are through the roof with this sled. Two comments from yesterday tell the whole story. At one point he said "Dad, I think my sled might have even more power than yours. I'm definitely riding it more aggressive." Of course I had a few reminders to give him after saying that, but it just shows how he is on top of the world and thinking he is one of the big boys and riding as hard as he can on this thing. Later I was talking to my Dad and he came by and told me that he had just done the best powder turn of his life and I missed it!! Oh no!!! He's not really good at them yet, but he's already understanding a little bit of the what, why, and how of powder turns and he is already a lot better at them than he was a week ago and a lot better at them than he would be if I was still making him choose between the 120 and the 600.
I'm not saying this sled is perfect. But I'm saying that if you can afford it, and your kids are anywhere in this age range, you HAVE to get one. It is the best $4k I have spent in a long time. Even I am sitting here with a renewed enthusiasm for snowmobiling knowing how much more involved my family can be in my snowmobiling life because of this darn sled.
Last edited:
)
