1st sled: '02 Summit 700 / offset keel skis

raknrev · Nov 27, 2011

Living in Revelstoke I thought it was time to check out what all the buzz is about and picked up a starter sled. $2K for the Summit 144/2" with just shy of 2000 miles was within my "try sledding" budget. As a newby sledder my plan is to stick mostly to trail riding and work my way into off trail as my ability improves and I get more comfortable with the sport.

Wondering about the stock "offset keel" skis though. From what I can gather they didn't get great reviews and weren't offered for more than a couple years. Any suggestions about this ski and/or a ski to switch to for trails and powder would be appreciated.

Griff · Nov 28, 2011

I switched to USI PX301's when I was running an 02 Summit 7. They are a deep keel aggressive ski and worked great on the trail. I can't say I noticed a benefit for powder riding. Welcome to sleddin!

rmkrazi · Nov 30, 2011

The stock skis are horrible for any sorta off trail riding... I ditched mine for some c&a pros but still am not 100% satisfied. Most cost effective upgrade is a rev or xp ski (I think they're called 6.9's or something).

Redsledhead · Nov 30, 2011

I went to 6.9 Pilot skis and they work great in the powder.If you are looking for a good trail ski try Simmons skis they have dual runners and help with trail darting.

raknrev · Dec 1, 2011

Alright, thanks for the replies and suggestions. I guess I'll start looking for a set of skis.

Ox · Dec 1, 2011

Word of advise:

Learn to NOT sit down... Maybe on the trail - but when you git off the trail - the butt comes off the seat. You need to ride the machine - or it will ride you. :boxing:

.

shawn2820 · Dec 2, 2011

Redsledhead said:
I went to 6.9 Pilot skis and they work great in the powder.If you are looking for a good trail ski try Simmons skis they have dual runners and help with trail darting.

were the mounts the same, or did you have to buy different mounts?

Bendy · Dec 2, 2011

6.9's

6.9's bolt right on if you have the offset spacer. You could even build your own spacer using (2) washers and a steel bushing.

Summ Guy · Dec 2, 2011

Hi raknrev,

I have started out on an '01 Summit 700 144, but virtually the same sled as you have. I'm not 100% sure what you mean by offset keel skis, but I think I have the same ones. Here's a pic of my sled (the one on the left with the yellow windshield). If they are the same, I love them. They seem to work great for everything, on trail and off and excellent sidehilling. Granted I haven't been in the mountain / off trail riding thing for very long (a few years now), traveling to Western WY for the last couple of years now I have never had complaints with the combination of these skis with the zx chassis!

Hope this helps! You will get hooked! Have fun!

Redneckhotrod · Dec 2, 2011

I've been using Simmons ski for the last 5 years, love them.
Have rode an 01' summit for the last 3 yrs, absolutely loved that sled.

Currently finding out what all the hipe on the XP's are all aboot.

First rule of sled club: hook up with a few people who have been doing it for a number of years. They will be your best teachers.

Redsledhead · Dec 2, 2011

shawn2820 said:
were the mounts the same, or did you have to buy different mounts?

I justed bolted the skis up. Had to use longer bolt. I'll try and look to make surebut it was plug and play.

rhalloran · Dec 2, 2011

I have an 03 Summit 700; it came with the asymmetrical skis. I hated them.

I put Simmons GenIIs on for a season - when it was DEEP, they were good, but the skis were too wide in anything firm.

Switched to a set of Pilot 6.9s - liked them a lot.

Bought a "new" sled this year, an 05 1000/162, which had the asym skis on it - I put the 6.9s on the 05, so now the 700 is back to asym skis. I rode the 700 with the original skis last weekend, shrug, I don't find them as objectionable as I did originally.

6.9s show up at swapmeets for not too much money - I've got my eye out for another set. They're good.

rhalloran · Dec 2, 2011

Oh, and btw, you should love that sled - I've been very happy with mine. I put a 156" track on it, which made a HUGE difference - the 144x"2" stock track kinda sucks, IMHO. If I were to do it again, I'd look for a 151x16, 144x16 or a 159xanything; finding extensions for the 156 was a PAIN.

Other than that, add a riser (I think I have about 6"), I put a Boss seat on mine, geared it down a bit & did a top end - it has been bomber reliable, and it is still a WAY more capable sled than I am rider. I really, really like ZX 700s; I wish a Rev700 existed.

LRD · Dec 3, 2011

A shortcut to learn off trail riding is to get at the minimum the first two Schooled Vid's by Burandt and Rasmussen. Sure wish they would have been around 30 years ago when I started really riding. They will also show you what your missing if you stay on the trail.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMTQ-W5qU3c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMTQ-W5qU3c

And then the most Beautiful snowmobile vid "Breathe" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKn9kOtVgEg
And then just down right fun, Slovenian Polka snowmobiling http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hy5Ze3B_XAE I have kind of had similar situations with my wife over 20 years of mtn sledding

Good Luck

Oh Yeah for skis I like SlyDog PowderHounds with a 1" sidecut on the tails for enhanced sidehilling on my 08 XP

raknrev · Dec 5, 2011

Yep....

Ox said:
Word of advise:

Learn to NOT sit down... Maybe on the trail - but when you git off the trail - the butt comes off the seat. You need to ride the machine - or it will ride you. :boxing:

.

So I've heard, and thanks for the advice. I have an enduro motor bike I trail ride with, hopin' that'll help speed up the learning curve. Also keeping an eye out for a boss seat or similar seat mod to put me higher.

raknrev · Dec 5, 2011

Summ Guy said:
Hi raknrev,

I have started out on an '01 Summit 700 144, but virtually the same sled as you have. I'm not 100% sure what you mean by offset keel skis, but I think I have the same ones. Here's a pic of my sled (the one on the left with the yellow windshield). If they are the same, I love them. They seem to work great for everything, on trail and off and excellent sidehilling. Granted I haven't been in the mountain / off trail riding thing for very long (a few years now), traveling to Western WY for the last couple of years now I have never had complaints with the combination of these skis with the zx chassis!

Hope this helps! You will get hooked! Have fun!

Yes, those are the same skis. "Offset keel" is the term they used on the Ski-doo website for the 2002 Summits. Glad to hear you're happy with them. I figured with the width they should be okay in powder but there's really not much info available on these skis. I haven't had the sled out yet but I'll try and get some feedback from other sledders too if I can. Thanks.

raknrev · Dec 5, 2011

rhalloran said:
I have an 03 Summit 700; it came with the asymmetrical skis. I hated them.

I put Simmons GenIIs on for a season - when it was DEEP, they were good, but the skis were too wide in anything firm.

Switched to a set of Pilot 6.9s - liked them a lot.

Bought a "new" sled this year, an 05 1000/162, which had the asym skis on it - I put the 6.9s on the 05, so now the 700 is back to asym skis. I rode the 700 with the original skis last weekend, shrug, I don't find them as objectionable as I did originally.

6.9s show up at swapmeets for not too much money - I've got my eye out for another set. They're good.

Right on. I'm taking that as a semi-thumbs up. Still looking for a set of 6.9's at a good price.

raknrev · Dec 5, 2011

Let it snow!

One thing I noticed when I bought my trail bike (DRZ400s) is that many riders didn't have much love for the stock Trail Wing tires, aka Death Wings. I wore them out just because they came with the bike, then moved to a beefier tire. Granted I rode conservatively, relatively speaking, but I still had a blast and kept my body intact all while getting back into riding. I think a lot of the bad reviews were due to guys used to the bite and performance of a dirt knobby or more aggressive but legal tread trying to ride the stock tire the same speed. I'm new to sledding but obviously an experienced and aggressive sledder will notice performance flaws that I'll likely be oblivious too, especially at my moderate pace and they'll be demanding things from their machine that I probably shouldn't mess around with, yet. I won't sweat the ski thing too much and just get my butt out and up there. I'll get some other skis eventually (leaning towards the 6.9 Pilot) and then I'll have something to compare. It's all brand new and I'm in an awesome area so I know it'll be big smiles all day, well in between digging my sled out, apparently.

raknrev · Dec 5, 2011

Wow. Those are some awesome clips. I'll be sneaking off trail before too long but I need to get my feet wet first and some avy schooling etc. Pretty easy to get in over your head, literally as well as figuratively let alone down right dead and buried around here. Sweet looking films though.

Redsledhead · Dec 5, 2011

From what I gather you can put dual runners on the Pilot 6.9s and that would help darting on the trail. I never have as I try and ride as little trail as possible. Give me powder deep powder.

1st sled: '02 Summit 700 / offset keel skis

Well-known member

Snowest's Axe Murderer

Member

Well-known member

New member

Well-known member

Similar threads