Anyone who has read most any of my articles will sooner than later find some reference or comment regarding storage space and the ability to carry both things that you will definitely need and things that you hope you will never need. It’s the way many of us enjoy the sport of snowmobiling and a part of the snowmobile experience that is very important.
Early this season I was in search of an affordable yet worthy storage system to put on the SledMagazine.com Long Term Trail Yamaha Viper RTX SE. While a few manufacturers offer exceptional integrated rack and storage options the costs can be prohibitive. Even the most basic of OEM bags can be overly expensive. When I first saw the universal fit Choko Modular Sac at one of the regions larger snowmobile shows, I thought that it looked promising.
We ride our sleds long distances, usually on multiple day adventures. Bag construction / features need to be durable and the bag must stay securely / firmly attached. When I saw the extremely affordable price of only $135.95 CAN for the Modular Sac system, I had doubts that it could be of high enough quality to meet the challenge that many bags fail to meet.
Choko has a huge presence in the world of snowmobiling apparel and accessories, but I did not have any significant real world experience with any of their products.
The Modular 3 Sac system had, a good look, plenty of compartments, expandable sections and a detachable feature that allowed the main center section to be taken with you while the saddle bags sections remain on the sled. I was intrigued and excited to give it a trial.
The bag arrived quickly and included several extras like a grip pad to help the bag stay properly located on the seat, an accessory interior storage bag, a rain cover and additional straps which allow the detachable center section of the system to become easily carried as a back pack.
My impressions upon closer review in my sled shop were also positive, the material seemed tough enough, everything seemed adequately reinforced, the functions were well thought out, the straps were wide and the plastic cams and buckles were thick. Installation was quick and easy.
At this time, our Viper RTX SE has travelled over 2,000kms with the Choko bags packed to impressive capacity on trails in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and Quebec. We have experienced the function and durability of the bag through a very representative sample of smooth, bumpy and deep snow trails as well as very cold temperatures.
Here’s what we have experienced
- The bag’s 3 sections have all remained closed and securely attached without loosening or bouncing around and that is job #1 for any bag.
- It has securely held anything and everything needed in its’ several compartments without any issue.
- The straps have not frayed and the buckles have not loosened their grip.
- The zippers can be a little stiff and slow to operate in extreme cold, but have never failed to operate.
- Just like most every other bag, some amount of fine snow can work its way into the side compartments. I personally pre-bag anything I want to stay dry in 1 or 2 gallon freezer bags.
Here’s the big one
- The Choko modular sac bag has definitely proven to be a worthy storage accessory at a great price.
If an impressive amount of quality storage space for very little money is of interest to you, check out the Choko Modular Sac (item 96-0450-00) and their many other products at Chokdesign.com or a Choko dealer near you.
SledMagazine.com is happy we checked it out and we can recommend it with the experience and confidence of our positive trial results. We look forward to reviewing more Choko products in future trials
