The first ride on the 2024 Patriot Boost Pro RMK Slash 155 with the Series 9 3.25 ″ track is in the books. Full disclosure, this was a test ride where I was more on defence rather than offence. With the lack of snow in the mountains so far this season, this ride was focused on feeling the handling characteristics of the sled and trying not to smash it into a rock or stump. I’m very pleased to let you know, this beautiful sled came back looking the same as it did when I headed out.
Sled Specifications and Options
- 2024 Polaris Matryx RMK Pro
- 850 Patriot Boost
- 155 Slash Tunnel
- 25″ Series 9 Track
- Walker Evans Velocity Shocks
RMK Pro Package
This season I decided to try the ultra-predictable and precise 2024 Patriot Boost Pro RMK Slash package. The last two seasons I’ve been on Polaris’s wild child, the Khaos chassis. It felt like a suitable time to shake it up and give the very performance-driven pro another shot. The Pro RMK Slash package is designed to be laser focused and perform at the highest level by reducing the transfer of the sled and keeping it planted. This helps keep the sled from wheeling up and going off the line you are trying to hit. This is particularly important if you’re trying to push your limits and ride the most technical terrain.
The Patriot Boost Pro RMK Slash 155 is begging for a challenge.
After the first ride, I can feel the performance of this sled. The 2024 Pro RMK Slash is begging to be challenged. It wants to head to the steepest most technical section of the mountain. The first thing I noticed is that as soon as you hit the throttle, the sled immediately takes off like a rocket. OK, I know what you are thinking, of course, the sled takes off when you hit the throttle. What I mean is, there’s very little wheelie. This sled’s first fifteen feet is forward. That’s perfect when you’re trying to gain momentum quickly in the steepest and most technical terrain. After the first ride, there’s one thing for certain, the Pro RMK Slash means business and is looking for a challenge. Hopefully, the snow starts stacking up soon and I can give it the challenge it’s looking for.
New Polaris Scratchers
New for 2024: Polaris has redesigned scratchers and now you can back up with them down! Anyone that has been riding a Polaris in the past has bought a set of scratchers… or more. The old design worked well, but you could not forget them down and accidentally back up. They would bend and then break within a few rides. Well, my friends, those days are behind us now.
The new scratchers are coiled so you can go forward or backwards and hook on the rail when you want them out of the way. Not only is the new scratcher design more versatile now, but they also work as well, or better than, the old design to keep the sled cool going down the trail. I rode about twenty miles on the trail to and from the backcountry on a packed but soft surface, and the sled’s temperature ranged between 99 ºF (37 ºC) and 104 ºF (40 ºC).
Series 9 3.25 ″ Track
The feature that I’m looking forward to testing most on this sled is Polaris’s new Series 9 3.25 ″ track. On my first ride, I didn’t have the deep snow conditions that we all hope for, but it was deep enough for a trial run. The traction and lift this new track provided was amazing. Even in the shallow snow, it provided a lot of traction, and shot this sled forward with ease. I’m excited to test this track on a super deep day. I think it’s going to be amazing. Hopefully, we’ll find out soon.
Here is a little bonus for you: The track even kept the sled surprisingly cool going down the trail. This was an area I thought would be a weak point for the Series 9 track. Since the lugs are so deep, I thought it would struggle to grab enough snow for the heat exchanger to keep the sled cool going down the trail. The Series 9 track did surprisingly well on the trail. I attribute some of this success to the new scratchers.
First Ride Impressions
The very first thing I felt when I rode the Patriot Boost Pro RMK Slash 155 was how focused and down to business this sled is. It surprised me that a boosted sled with a 3.25 ″ track in a 155″ length could be so laser focused and stay so planted. My first impression is that this sled is like a thoroughbred racehorse. As you ride the Pro RMK Slash, you are holding the reins back because you can feel that it wants to head to the technical terrain and be challenged.
It took a lot of restraint to not crack the whip and let this beast loose on the first ride. Hopefully, old man winter kicks into full swing soon. We need to release the reins and head to the steep and deep to properly evaluate this backcountry mountain thoroughbred.
