In an industry dominated by big boost power, the NA sleds tend to go unnoticed.

But does this mean they no longer have a stake in the game out on the mountain?

I would argue that a NA sled absolutely has a place and should still be the go to sled for many riders whether you’re a novice or even the most capable expert.

For the mountains, the Skidoo 850, Artic Cat 858 and the Polaris 850 and 9R are all very capable of getting you where you want to go. It just takes a different approach.

For the rider that’s just learning how to ride out west the NA sled is the perfect match.

For one, the power is much more manageable that keeps them from getting out of control too quickly. For two, they are slightly lighter and because it’s not trying to rip their hands off the bars every time they crack the throttle, it’s way less fatigue throughout the day.

The power band is smooth and predictable. This builds confidence in a rider to have control over the sled instead of the other way around, lol. Newer riders are able to really focus in on the fundamentals of riding our terrain here in the mountains and build a strong foundation of understanding what works and what doesn’t before graduating to a sled with big boost power.

For those of us that one could consider to be an expert at riding in the mountains, mostly ride NA sleds to reintroduce the challenge of getting from point A to point B.

For myself it’s fine tuning my skills while navigating terrain and having to execute more precise lines to climb up and out of zones differently than I do on my boost.

My boosted sleds install the confidence knowing when in doubt I can usually just point it up and it will take care of the rest getting to the top. Where as on my NA sled I definitely have to implement my plan B options way more frequently.

Either way, it’s always fun to mix it up from time to time and leave the boost in the trailer and instead remember just how capable a 850 or 9R is. I’m still out on the mountain playing in the snow, having the time of my life.