A couple of product reviews for you!!

maxwell

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Hi all, midway through the season now i wanted to share my experiences with the new stuff ive been using this season thats working. thanks for listening!



#1 - SLP FULL EXHAUST SYSTEM FOR SKIDOO XM


i didn't purchase this kit myself and it is not on my sled but i have put many miles on this machine with some really good results. The machine was a stock 2015 174 T3 when the full exhaust system went on and that was the only thing that was changed on this machine. What impressed me about this kit is the big mid range power gains. typically you think when mountain riding mid range power isn't important. WRONG. i always thought this as well but after logging some miles on this kit you really appreciate the extra mid range power playing in the trees or pulling up to the base of a hill. I am fortunate enough to have another stock 174 T3 to compare too and jump back and forth at will which is why i can confirm this kit actually works. this kit wont turn your machine into a big bore turbo monster so don't get that impression but it is worth the 800$ for the gains that are acquired. the other machine has an MBRP exhaust can and the first thing i noticed about the SLP is how linear the power curve is compared to the other machine. the throttle response is also much quicker than the other sled. it seems like the SLP kit brings back that smooth power band that the stock t3 has with the stock suitcase muffler but with some weight loss and extra mid range response. I let about 3 other people drive these 2 machines back to back and they all basically had the same response i did. I don't believe there is any top end gains and if there is they would be slight but that mid range jam really gets that big 3" track spinning in a hurry. i was having way too much fun to take a look at the track speeds but it is on my list of things to watch next time i have them both out together to compare. I think it will be the first thing on my 2016 summit overall i really like the product and its hard to impress me. 2 things i don't care for are the fact that it basically sounds like a stock machine....maybe a bit louder but i prefer a louder machine than stock im not sure why. it does sound pretty cool at idle though. secondly the exhaust probe mount is rounded and not squared off so the factory doo retaining clip does not work on the exhaust can and i did have the probe pop out last ride. Would be nice if they could make a smaller lighter can version that is a bit louder. im sure if you are good at clutching you could rework that mid range power to work better for you but right out of the box its pretty damn good!!

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#2 Skidoo Helium 30 Jacket


I have to admit for the last couple of seasons i have been wearing KLIM from head to toe and when i first saw this gear i was a little nervous since my KLIM gear was indestructible,warm and waterproof i figured there was no way the skidoo gear could match that ( seasons not over though). I didn't really want to say anything about this gear until i literally put it through HELL. well.....in 3 short months our awesome Canadian weather was able to deliver that for me. started out riding this gear in -33 in early December, then onto mild temperatures with decent snow, heavy winds and fog. and finally last weekend HARD RAIN from the parking lot to the alpine. my first impressions when looking at the jacket was that it would last about 2 days with the way i ride through the trees. so far so good no rips no tears and i haven't been very easy on it. On my first ride it was -33 so i put one KLIM breathable layer underneath and then the jacket and i was toasty warm all day as long as i didn't stop for too long but in those temperatures it didn't matter what you were wearing if you sat for too long you got cold. heading up the trail i was impressed that doing 70km/h on the trail in -33 it was not letting any wind pass through that jacket. during my riding days in somewhat normal weather the jacket met all my expectations and kept me warm and dry throughout and it must breath well because im a fat guy now and when i get stuck i get pretty sweaty and when i get back to the cabin my under layers are pretty much dry. The best part about this jacket is how light and stretchy it is. Really makes maneuvering much easier compared to the bulkier klim stuff im used too. it is a very thin jacket but the sympatex material doesn't let anything in and it lets the moisture out so its not an issue at all like i first envisioned. i really like the waterproof zipper system and many pockets as well. the sleeves are extended and go over your thumb and this really creates a tight seal. no more snow down the arms like my old jacket. i went with the high vis yellow and it looks awesome but after 3 months she is getting pretty dirty. im not sure what the answer to this is and it seems like most colored sled gear ends up like that but i will try washing it. also the tether loop is on the wrong side of the jacket but maybe there is a reason for that? i would love to see some more color options yellow orange and black not much selection. Those are the only negatives i have found so far but the season is far from over so i will keep you posted. overall very impressed with this gear and i would recommend to anyone.
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#3 Skidoo Helium 30 Pants

same as above the pants go with the jacket. sympatex works very well the pants keep me warm and dry. i love having bib pants no more snow down the back! don't think i would go back. the strap that holds the bottom of your pants to the boots is still there to my amazement that's usually the first thing to rip off. i would like to see better pockets on the pants, maybe a little more padding for the rear end as well. knee pads catch on my feet when putting them on because they are removable. not sure why? overall great pants my complaints are minor so far they are holding up great.

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#4 Skidoo Backcountry Gloves

These gloves are wicked. ive always been a cheap ass when it comes to gloves so i cant really compare them to the high end gloves from other manufacturers but i realize now you get what you pay for. The grip on these gloves is phenomenal. they just stick to the bars its great. they have a fit on my hands like nothing else i have ever tried. no extra bulk to them but yet still keep your hands warm. Im not sure how other expensive gloves hold up but i cant make a pair of gloves last more than 4 rides and these look brand new after 3 months so i am very impressed. the gloves will get wet on the outside but your hands stay warm and DRY on the inside somehow. typically once a glove is wet your hands are wet that outdry Tech really does work.No water in between the layers to cool your hands.





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#5 -




Awesome Product. Can pre program all your buddies channels on the letter dial. speaker is loud so you can hear it while riding. battery life on the low power channels is awesome 3 days no problem. I haven't tested out the high power channel range but the low power ranges work good enough for my group we never seem to get separated further than that range which varies depending on obstructions. im not sure how we survived without these group communication is critical and you find yourself on the radio alot more keeping tabs on everyone because its just so easy you don't even need to take your gloves or helmet off. Charger is a bit cheap i would prefer to see a drop in style charger. there have been complaints of the microphone freezing up and it did happen to me once but only seems to happen when its warm and the snow is sticky. also the letter dial can rotate off your selected channel if you bump it but i keep mine on a and haven't had a problem yet. you will figure it out right away anyways when no one responds. Overall great product its given our group a new level of communication and safety for sure.
 

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slednek

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how much were the bca link radios. Where did you get them. Is this an ear piece set up or just load enough to hear from your jacket.
 

brian h

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thanks maxwell for posting updates of new products, also im impressed with the bca radios,checked on clemina trail and parked 4 k apart and worked as if we were beside each other,most hand helds wouldnt work that distance in the mountains. im also like maxwell said and i dont purchase expensive gloves and they dont last so would like to know how they have stud up for the season.or what others find work for gloves from warmth,durability and dryness
 

X-Treme

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Hey Sean, just curious... If a guy had one of those radios, but his riding group did not, if said guy or his group got into trouble, would he be able to get a hold of others out there, or do the frequencies need to be pre programmed? Not sure if I worded that correctly. Hope you get my point.
 

maxwell

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Hey Sean, just curious... If a guy had one of those radios, but his riding group did not, if said guy or his group got into trouble, would he be able to get a hold of others out there, or do the frequencies need to be pre programmed? Not sure if I worded that correctly. Hope you get my point.

Yup it's fine it gets programmed the exact same way as a regular handheld radio as long as you know their channel you are good to go
 

X-Treme

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Yup it's fine it gets programmed the exact same way as a regular handheld radio as long as you know their channel you are good to go

Ok... So what if he didn't know "their channel"? Are there only so many? Can he scroll thru all channels trying to find help? Or does he HAVE to know the proper channels? Guess I could read the manual too, but this is way easier. ;)
 

maxwell

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If he used just the main channels then yes there are only something like 22. But then each channel has 121 privacy sub channels so basically 2600 combinations. Soo I wouldn't count on it make sure you know the channels used by all the groups you ride with. The channel functions are the exact same as any other frs handheld radio you would purchase
 

catmando

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They are really good radios, I talked to my group for an hour before they could find me, guess I don't give great directions lol but it was nice to know they were still looking and they were about a kilometre away over a ridge. Was very clear, going to get another one so I can keep track of my son quading as well............Great Product!
 

takethebounce

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What max RPM is the sled with the SLP exhaust running?

Do you know if they have tried running higher than 7900? I ask because when I had the full SLP exhaust on my etec we did a little testing and found running it at 8050 did show peak gains. These were field tests doing pulls, changing the clicker to adjust for peak rpm and at 8050 vs 7900 the sled would pull harder. One of the ways BRP controls rpm is through the pipe. I know field tests are not scientific enough for some people but its worth a try.
 

Highfly

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how much were the bca link radios. Where did you get them. Is this an ear piece set up or just load enough to hear from your jacket.

They do have a plug in for external head set as well. The plug is Mono so I bought a Mono to Stereo adapter then installed a set of helmet speakers. Sounds like the person is talking inside your head it so clear!
Mic wind noise can be an issue when trying to talk on the go. But if no wind we were communicating on the go. Was a warm day so had no balaclavas on. Might be hard to talk through one, not sure.

Radios are $175.00 on BCA website. I got them a little cheaper with free shipping from Ebay out of Vancouver.

Awesome Reviews Maxwell!
 
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