Winner: Ski-Doo 154-inch Summit Everest XP 800R
To mountain riders, every ounce counts. When it comes to vertical snowmobiles, there’s a never-ending quest for the best power-to-weight ratio.
Right out of the crate the new breed of XP Summits dance around the three pounds per horsepower range and thats a ratio even highly modified sleds envy.
The sick Summit, with its 16-wide track, screams weight savings with drilled this and cut away that. Whip the 800R under its hood and you’ll pony up for the ride of your life.
Altitude sensing electronics make this 152 horsepower 2-stroke work hard even when the lung juice gets thin. While you gasp for air, the X-package gauges tell you the altitude of the clouds you just ripped through.
This high-tech vert will climb you further and higher than you thought possible. The only thing you’ll need to bring to the game is common sense, riding skill and a locator beacon.
Runner-Up: Arctic Cat 162-inch M-Series
One thing we know to be true: M-Series Arctic Cats are legitimate vertical weapons.
For 2008 the rear skid gets a big update – shedding torsion springs altogether in exchange for a Fox Float air shock on the rear arm.
Get this: all Ms, both in 153 and 162-inch lengths, receive this lightweight rear bling. Although the EFI 1000 offers brutal high altitude torque, our fave is the 800.
This mill is where it’s at and, with mapping updates for 2008, pulls even harder and stronger up the Dream Whip.
