Arctic Cat struck hard with the announcement of its 2021 models by starting the announcement … in November! An ambitious strategy that attracted a lot of attention during the 2019–2020 season. We were very excited about the idea of trying out all the new models at the 2021 SnowShoot. Waiting a long time allowed us to get an idea of what we liked best about the Thief River Falls brand. Were our predictions right? Mine was!
Two models caught my attention for the new Arctic Cat “cuvée,” the Riot X and the Blast M. I know, I know, it clashes a bit! Despite its position in the snowmobile market, I thought the last one would be my favorite.
Riot X
A new model that has been somewhat silenced by the Blast’s popularity, the Riot X is an interesting snowmobile. The monorail on a 146” shorter deck makes the Riot X an extremely interesting snowmobile for a 70-30 rider like me. It turns and initiates movement more easily in deep snow than the Alpha One. Oh, and to do wheelies! Also, although it is not perfect on trails, it is much more stable than its big sister, the Mountain Cat.
A lot of fun!
The Riot X was my favorite Arctic Cat until I tried the…
No problem in the deep snow with the new Riot X
Blast M
The minute you sit on the Blast (whatever the model), you’re back in childhood. The M version is the kind of snowmobile on which I would have liked to learn how to ride off-trail. It’s smaller (we’re talking about ? the size of a standard snowmobile), super agile and, relatively high-performance. With the front suspension and monorail of an Alpha One, it’s perfect to have a lot of fun!
I had a lot of pleasure doing big S’s in the deep snow and even make tight turns with my leg out! Even if the snowmobile sometimes has difficulty holding the “momentum,” the engine is strong, especially when you help it by using your leg to help the track have better traction and go up a slope.
The Blast M allows the rider to focus on off-trail technique.
But the most surprising, fun and coolest thing is to watch someone a sidehill. The little Blast M is so light and agile that it can do incredible sidehill lines! As the engine is not super powerful, it allows the rider to focus on technique without getting scared by pushing too much on the throttle. Moreover, if the machine starts to lean down, a simple effort will bring it back in line with the slope of the mountain. I’ve followed big mountain snowmobile with the Blast in sidehill. Don’t get me wrong here, I’m not saying I’d go with a Blast M in Whistler. I’m not a professional, far from it. However, I’ve had a lot of fun with this little 400cc!
Making sidehill lines with the Blast M is incredible!
For all these reasons, the Blast M is my 2021 Arctic Cat favorite. Especially in the mountain segment, there was a huge hole to fill, and the Blast M fills it. I consider it the ideal snowmobile to teach someone the basics of off-trail. When you’re starting, the technique is much more important than HPs. Not only that, but someone more experienced like me can spend a fun-filled day with the Blast M!
