There was a lot of new technology at Snow Shoot (the industry’s 2016 new model introduction to the press) held in West Yellowstone, Montana earlier this month. One we really took to was Fox’s Quick Switch/3 Position shocks available on a number of models for 2016.

We suspect there’s been behind-the-scenes hanky-panky with these shocks.

First, lets say this – every sled these dampers appeared on impressed the entire Supertrax/Snowtrax crew.

On all the Arctic Cat ZR Limiteds (and El Tigre) these shocks did not just improve ride quality they tangibly altered the way the ProCross chassis handles terrain.

The simplicity of their adjustability and their range of adjustment in just three clicks was doggone impressive.

The shocks did the same thing (but not quite as profoundly) on Yamaha’s Viper models using QS-3’s. Why not quite as impressive? We suspect Yamaha did not go as far as Cat with front arm and rear torsion spring recalibration (read: softer).

Finally, in a surprise move, the QS-3s showed up on Polaris’s 2016 AXYS 800 Adventure including a special QS-3 variant with an air chamber and a Schraeder valve and manual pump to add more spring to the rear arm when an optional passenger seat is added.

The plot thickens. At the Polaris Sneak Peek event in early January we were told (but did not see the AXYS Adventure 800) the sled would come with a unique rear arm Fox air assisted shock. Not a mention was made of the QS-3 name or that the front arm and both front ski shocks would be QS-3s.

Why do we mention this? We had heard rumblings Arctic Cat worked a cooperative program with Fox to bring these new shocks to market on an exclusive-use basis.

Suffice it to say there were no smiles in the Cat camp when this topic was raised. We have a strong suspicion this ain’t over.

Some of our more seasoned readers (read: older) will remember in 1997 Fox got themselves in a pickle with Arctic Cat by selling Cat’s proprietary “Remote Front Arm Adjuster” shock system to Polaris.

An ensuing legal battle resulted in the recall of all those shocks from 1997 model year Polaris XCR 440SP race sleds. Stay tuned.

We’re a bit surprised at some of our readers’ and viewers’ feedback after reading about Ski-Doo’s new Renegade Enduro.

In our opinion, this was one of the best 2016 models offered by Ski-Doo and our SnowTrax and Supertrax test riders pretty much universally agreed it was a great move to upgrade to this more macho version of what was once the GSX.

Some of you commented this was just a camouflage job and the Enduro was really not much different sled than the GSX.

In some ways this is true but as BRP says: “The proof is in the riding”. To be fair, the Enduro does use an air shock system like the GSX did in its rMotion skidframe and has a 137-inch track, also like the GSX. However some key changes give this sled a completely different flavor than its predecessor.

First, the Enduro uses a new version of the XS bodywork that is only differentiated from an MX-Z by its flared side panels.

From the outside you can barely tell the difference styling-wise, but it provides better wind resistance than an XS and apparently, even though it is narrower than the XR was, combined with the mid-height windshield, the shelter factor is about the same for the rider.

The Enduro comes with Ski-doo’s new TS adjustable skis, where you simply dial in more carbide to suit trail conditions and an Ice Ripper with carbide tipped studs built into the track) track which vastly improves acceleration and grip.

Since we first rode the Enduro a month ago Ski-Doo has added electronic reverse instead of manual and the Enduro is now offered in two colors: the camo-military beige (our preference) and now, jet black.

We put the most miles on versions of this sled with the 1170 4-TEC and the 800 E-TEC 2-stroke. Although our first choice is the 800, we were impressed with the 4-TEC and its new ITC intelligent throttle control set-up.

There is some varied opinion on ITC around here but the bottom line is it improves the throttle lag situation a little and makes it much easier to move the sled around in tight situations such as putting it on a trailer or parking it in a garage (we’ve found it’s easiest to just flip the switch onto ECO when you’re maneuvering in tight spaces at low speeds).

With the extra grip of a pre-studded 137 and that 800 mill, you can rock this sled on all kinds of trails and the ski combo, along with rMotion, means the handling is flat-out excellent. Best of all is the adjustable air-ride which is simply and absolutely premium.

We’ll go on record as saying we love this sled and think it deserves to be a big success.

Drive by wire (DBW) technology is spreading in the Ski-Doo camp (and at Yamaha) this year with the addition of an Intelligent Throttle Control (ITC) system on the popular and updated 4-TEC 1170 engine and drive-by-wire on Vector and Venture 1049cc triples from Yamaha.

The ITC system on Ski-Doo’s 1170cc 4-TEC was admittedly (by Ski-Doo) put into play to counter what we’ve been griping about for over five years – throttle lag. Does ITC system have any effect on what we now refer to as “Delayed Throttle Pick Up” or DTPU? In a word, yes.

However we rarely use just one-word answers around here, so here goes. I would personally suggest the use of ITC on the 1170 has reduced DTPU by 60-percent in my estimation.

Is this improvement noticeable? Yes. However the situation still lingers and the 1170 suffers by comparison to the Yamaha. Here’s why: Interestingly, in the same year Ski-Doo decides to address DTPU with ITC, Yamaha comes to the market with its own version of drive-by-wire throttle control.

Before we go any further, let’s say this: The biggest compliment any DBW system could receive from a user would be “This has drive-by-wire? I couldn’t tell”. This is precisely what we experienced with the 1049 Yamahas equipped with YCCT (Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle).

If Yamaha hadn’t introduced YCCT we might have been more pumped about ITC on the 4-TEC. However, Yamaha has clearly aced this technology and is the benchmark for DBW in the immediate future.

By the way, ITC on the 4-TEC includes three throttle modes. Our feeling is this: Does anyone buying a 130-hp performance snowmobile really care about ECO Mode?

The name Snow King Special or SKS defined Polaris’s ultimate long-tracked sleds a couple of decades ago. Then things got very serious and the Rocky Mountain King (RMK) name became the company’s definitive handle for mountain riders.

For 2016 the SKS is front and center again with all the sizzle of Polaris’s ultimate mountain sled, the Pro RMK, now using the fresh AXYS front clip and low mounted 800HO engine introduced last year.

The main difference between the two is the SKS does not utilize the lighter belt-drive Quick-Drive system you get with the Pro RMK. This is a clue to the market the SKS is targeted at.

Although the belt final drive is lighter, there are less gearing combos available than with a conventional chain case. This drive benefit makes the SKS appealing to a wider range of freeride and pure mountain users without sacrificing much in the way of performance.

As it is, the 2016 AXYS-based Polaris mountain sleds have dropped considerable weight compared to the last RMK version and feature some critical ergonomic and balance changes that make them incredible deep snow performers.

The SKS and the Pro RMK use the new forged aluminum upper and lower A-arms – actually the first production mountain sleds to ever go this far, and the 3-lb lighter redesigned mountain skidframe with Swiss Cheese rails that have been computer designed for efficiency.

Taller spindles are used and overall more ground clearance is available so the sled slithers through powder with less resistance and digs out of powder much quicker. There’s an extra bulkhead cooler added to the SKS so it can handle more sparse or frozen-down snow conditions and longer riders to your fave powder playground.

The SKS comes with a choice of three tracks in 155-inch lengths. There’s a 2.4-incher or a 2.6 (Series 6) or a Peak 2.25, ideal for freeriding. Unlike the Pro-RMK, the SKS uses piggyback Walker-Evans clickers up front and has extra idlers in the skidframe to take advantage of the varying snow conditions it’s designed to be used in.

Our mountain test riders were very impressed with this sled and felt it could climb nearly everywhere an RMK could go, turns extremely well in off-camber situations and was very maneuverable in powder or when side-hilling.

Any weight handicap (compared to the super-light RMK) was masked thoroughly by the sled’s balance and agility in a wider assortment of riding situations. Keep in mind, this sled is probably close to the same weight as last year’s Pro-RMK but has all the AXYS features of the new-generation platform.

There were a couple sleds at this year’s annual Snowshoot event in West Yellowstone, which we were particularly anxious to get a pull on. One of them was the 2016 SR Viper 137 Turbo with Fox QS-3 shocks.

If you’ve never ridden snowmobiles at altitude you’d have little appreciation for how soft normally heroic power delivery feels with all normally aspirated 2 and 4-stroke mills.

West Yellowstone sits at 6600 feet and we ride daily to about 8500 feet. The rule of thumb is 10% less power for every 1000 ft above sea level. We’ve always struggled with this arbitrary measurement however, suffice it to say an 800 feels more like a 600 at 8000 ft.

This reality goes out the window when you add in a turbocharger. The turbocharged 130 HP 1049 Yamaha triple twin cammer delivers its full sea-level jam (175 HP) when the flipper is squeezed – regardless of altitude.

The interesting part of this equation is how seamlessly good an MPI kitted Yamaha sled operates. The 1049 triple loves the MPI blower and responds with even, linear and then “WOW” power when you grab a handful.

The Viper Turbo positively blew all challengers into the weeds in the 800cc segment and was relegated to playing with Arctic Cat’s 1100 Turbo for any meaningful comparisons.

The MPI Viper delivers power in the most non-threatening way when massaged gently. Your wife could ride an MPI turbo all day and never need to uncover the monster lurking within, complain of throttle surge or any quirks.

The engine acts like a stock 1049 until about three quarter throttle, then things get serious – fast. Pretty cool.

The new QS-3 Fox shocks on the Viper Turbo we tested deserve a moment in the spotlight. These dampers bring a new and as yet unavailable level of plushness to the Viper and should be considered by every Viper buyer as a must have.

Of course not every Viper comes with these shocks, but after one short ride, you’ll wish you had these on your sled and will probably even consider laying down your hard-earned jing for a set.