We recently ran a poll on our SnowTrax Television YouTube channel and got some interesting results.
It was no surprise Ski-Doo led the poll in most categories but one question we were particularly surprised about was: “Which Crossover sled would you want to ride this season?”
The 850 Polaris Switchback Assault 144 killed it in this segment, scoring a 44-percent positive rating, and rated significantly higher than the other very good sleds it was compared to.
We were a bit surprised at this result because the competition has really been stepping up to the plate with updates, upgrades and improvements to their crossover iron the last two years.
Meanwhile, the Switchback Assault is pretty much the same sled it was three years ago but now has a new engine – the Patriot 850.
The fact Polaris nailed it with the original Switch is pretty undeniable. There were over 1,600 poll responses and the closest the competition got was 34-percent (Ski-Doo Backcountry 850). 10-percent over anyone else is a pretty big margin and sends a strong message Polaris has got this category figured out.
We think one of the sled’s biggest assets is the Assault’s combo of good trail ride and a reasonably deep track. Polaris has leaned a bit more toward the trail-worthiness of the Switchback and kept the formula on track with true dual purpose targeting.
The others in the comparison have gone way far toward off-trail, offering deeper tracks (some to the extent you can barely ride them on trails) in an attempt to capture the love of wannabe mountain riders.
In our opinion, the crossover market is still a strong trail market and requires comfort and trail versatility over hardcore powder prowess. Obviously, Polaris gets this.
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