The top mountain big-bores from Polaris, Ski-Doo and Lynx
One region in the U.S. received dependable snow for the past two seasons: the mountain states. Last year, the snow came early and stayed late. It’s enough to make any flatlander consider a mountain sled and a road trip. The consistent storms and patterns in 2025 kept the pack building. The season provided fresh tracks each weekend — even into terrain often inaccessible without the depth to cover rocks, downfallen trees and coulees. It’s enough to make any mountain rider consider an upgrade to a new model.
The mountain sled selection continues to evolve, with sleds becoming more specialized (and expensive). It’s as important as ever to make a wise choice when purchasing a snowmobile. Each machine we compared meets general expectations, but it’s the nuances that will distinguish the overall experience from oh-yeah to oh-no. And this reaction will vary between riders, experience levels, riding conditions, brand preference or expectations of what makes a great day on the snow. The best choice depends on a rider’s goals during a single ride, throughout a season or for the next eight years.
Follow along as we dig deep through what Polaris, Ski-Doo and Lynx offer for the 2026 model year.
Our testers evaluated two top-tier 850cc-class mountain machines from each manufacturer, setting a duel between sleds within each brand. They’ll all do what a rider wants, just in different ways through varying degrees of effort.
We compare:
• The Polaris Patriot 9R RMK Khaos 155 Limited Edition 275 and Patriot Boost Pro RMK 155 Limited Edition 325
• The Ski-Doo Summit X 850 E-Tec Turbo R 154 Expert Package and Summit X 850 E-Tec 154
• The Lynx Shredder DS 850 E-Tec Turbo R 3900 and Shredder RE 850 E-Tec 3900
All three brands provide stellar machines for each type of mindset, each area code, each snow condition, each elevation, each desired color. The options seem endless in track lengths, features and configurations depending on the desired sled behavior. In fact, the Ski-Doo Summit X 850 E-TEC Turbo R 154 Expert Package was named Snow Goer’s 2026 Snowmobile of the Year. It’s up to riders, though, to determine which one will be the best for their unique style.
Plenty of common components exist on the surface of these two Roseau, Minnesota-born sleds.
They are both built on the Matryx platform, which Polaris bills as the lightest chassis in the industry. It features a narrow Pro-Lite seat, tank and console for better maneuverability.
From a rider’s point of view, the machines use the 5-inch ProTaper handlebars, which got a redesigned throttle block last season. There’s a low windshield and a button for PERC reverse actuation, and Polaris’ Ride Command unit takes center stage on the console. The Ride Command’s 7S Display provides GPS maps even with little or no cell service.
Under the hood are RMK LWT disc brakes, P-22 and Team LWT clutches, QuickDrive2 belt drive and 11 gallons of fuel capacity delivered through Cleanfire Injection and sparked by Patriot 3DS ignition. Gripper skis touch the snow.
Overall dimensions are also identical at 53 inches high, 126.7 inches long, 43.4 inches wide — with a ski stance adjustable through 36 and 38 inches on the 9-inch traveling RMK React front suspension.
Both of these 2026 limited editions feature components labeled as “Burandt Approved Mountain Accessories.” These items were created and tested by both Polaris engineers and Chris Burandt — a Polaris athlete, mountain snowmobile guide and performance enthusiast. Burandt’s reputation adds to the credibility of these products. While typically sold separately as add-ons, both of these machines include the Burandt handlebar bag, front bumper, and rear HD bumper boldly painted with premium color and graphics for an enhanced design. If purchased separately, these items add up to almost $950, and you won’t need to install them.
Now onto the bigger differences: primarily the engines, suspension packages and the target rider.
The 9R Khaos is billed as a lightweight, versatile mountain machine. It’s created for riders who value agility.
The two-stroke Patriot 9R engine in the Khaos is the newest mill of the Factory Mod line and honed for the RMK on the hillclimb competition circuits. It claims 7 percent greater horsepower and 12 percent more torque than the baseline 850 Patriot engine, which we did not test for this comparison. It also has a lighter crank and flywheel than the standard 850, which provides better inertia and lighter handling. The Patriot 9R features the factory mod hefty bore of 88mm and stroke of 74mm totaling 899cc of fast-revving displacement. The ceramic-coated pistons also come from the racing world, and it’s ported like engines used in the mod classes for more flow and power.
Polaris custom-builds its deep-lug tracks. It uses the Series 8 all-purpose, versatile 15- by 155- by 2.75-inch track with a weight-saving 3.5-inch pitch between lugs. The track comes in at
44 pounds.
The Khaos package delivers the Walker Evans Racing Velocity Hi-Lo front shocks at front, center and rear for the RMK Khaos rear skid on 16 inches of travel.
The 9R tips the scale at 426 pounds dry. It sells for $20,549.
If the Patriot 9R is the nimble running back, the Patriot Boost is an aggressive tight end. It’s geared with the power to do what needs to be done — especially in deep snow — though at the expense of more weight.
The 850 Patriot engine with turbo has hillclimb competition cred, as well as snocross-developed technology in the throttle body injection. The Boost ProRMK rocks the 85mm bore with 74mm stroke displacing 840cc force fed by the vertically designed scalloped, reverse rotating turbine controlled by the SmartBoost System. It offers 50 percent more power at 10,000 feet than the standard, naturally aspirated 850.
Being a ProRMK, the Walker Evans Racing standard Velocity shocks are found throughout the sled. The ProRMK rear suspension actuates 16 inches.
The Boost has a purpose-built Series 9 15- by 155- by 3.25-inch track for ultra-deep snow. The lugs are more flexible at the top for better lift. It’s not a trail track, and it even has a 50-mph speed limit for any trail usage — a warning on the dash will let riders know to dial back.
The Boost weighs in at 453.5 pounds. It sells for $22,250.
After testing four deep-powder power machines, the Lynx snowmobiles provide a specialized ride for different conditions. These sleds are aimed toward riders who are off-trail, hucking off jumps and riding on heavier, denser snow – think the Cascades, the Black Hills, parts of Alaska, or its birthplace in Finland. These are burly machines: less about finesse and more able to take abuse. “Shredder” is an appropriate name for
these machines.
A noteworthy change for 2026 is the revised PPS3 DS rear suspension with lightweight rails that keeps the track more parallel to the chassis and improve sidehilling capabilities. Weight was shaved from Swiss-cheesing the rails. For a regular Lynx driver, it’s a big change from 2025; a seasoned powder rider taking a first ride on the Lynx will find a familiar balance. The front torque arms and rear scissor, in addition to the shocks and mounting, are uniquely Lynx.
The sleds have a 15- by 154- by 3-inch Powder Max X-Light full fiberglass bar track, which is slimmer than the typical BRP mountain shoe. The 15-inch track is lighter, it spools quickly for higher track speeds and there’s less rotating mass — but it sacrifices some flotation.
Newly revised Blade DSS skis are 10mm narrower and 250 grams lighter with a new dual-keel design to reduce negative feedback. Both use the updated LFS-DS front suspension, which features a new twin-link steering design that’s 20mm taller at the spindle and gives a 40 percent increase in turning radius.
The U-Type Aluminum hooked handlebars with low grab handle sit atop a diminutive 90mm riser block, which works well for the intended riding style. Ultra compact and lightweight deep snow seats sit atop an updated Radien2 chassis with a revised, tapered, lighter-weight tunnel, while new higher and more open running board designs sit beneath feet. At the tail, Lynx added the bumper back, which will please anyone who needs to lift the machine.
Each machine gets SHOT standard, the 10.25-inch touchscreen display, triple premium LED headlights, and an adjustable brake lever. Another improvement: a smaller handlebar grip diameter.
The RE and DS separate themselves from here.
The RE caters itself to riders who go aggressive and hit things hard, including big booters. The RE uses the LFS-DS front suspension but with a 36-inch stance, which gives more stability.
The shock choices in both the front and rear suspensions work well for a rider who wants to dial in performance. Up front, the RE has the higher capacity KYB PRO 40 EA-3 shocks, a KYB 46 Plus shock at center, and KYB PRO 46 EA-3 R at the rear. All feature Kashima coating and quick clickers for easy adjustments. RE models also receive a set of rail reinforcements to prevent any bending.
The RE uses the same naturally aspirated E-Tec mill found in Ski-Doo’s lineup, with 165 hp. It spins 82mm bore pistons through 80.4mm of stroke totaling 849cc displacement.
Overall dimensions on the Lynx 3900s are 126 inches long, 49 inches tall and, for the RE, 43 inches wide. The naturally aspirated RE sled weighs 463 pounds dry.
The Shredder RE starts at $19,499.
The DS lends itself to someone who likes to play. It has a 34-inch ski stance, which will help riders pop the machine up on an edge. The suspensions use Kashima-coated KYB 36 Plus Kashima shocks in front, center and rear. These shocks do not adjust.
Like the RE, it’s 126 inches long and 49 inches tall, but 41 inches wide for the DS.
The Rotax 850 E-Tec Turbo R, the same found in Ski-Doo’s Expert Package, offers 180 hp.
The TurboR DS weighs in at 465 pounds dry. Noteworthy in DS land, the naturally aspirated 154 weighs 445 pounds – dropping 11 pounds dry from last season (not including the two extra pounds after filling with coolant). It’s only a two-pound difference from the DS. Sure, turbo adds weight, but so does a wider ski stance, heavier shocks and rail reinforcements found on the RE.
The Shredder DS starts at $18,699.
If you read the November issue of Snow Goer, you already know what we think of the Summit X 850 E-TEC Turbo R 154 with Expert Package. Its innovation and industry-advancing technology earned it the title of 2026 Snowmobile of the Year. It has a sibling, though, named Summit X 850 E-TEC 154.
Both machines are built on the REV Gen5 lightweight platform, and even with a 2023 date-stamp, the chassis still performs. The machines use the same ultra-compact seats.
The machines feature 120mm handlebar risers. The larger 10.25-inch digital display looks like a tabletop. It’s flat with no edges or bezels: An arm swipe brushes off snow, and pine needles won’t get stuck in any crevices. For 2026, the display comes with Wi-Fi, satellite GPS and the BRP GO! navigation app with a group ride feature to keep tabs on riding buddies.
The 9.5-gallon fuel tank is the smallest of all machines in this class. The BRP-Rotax engines boast excellent fuel economy, which allows for less weight in fuel but with similar range as its friends.
Inside the engine bay, a pDrive clicker primary and QRS Vent plus secondary transmit power from the 82mm bore by 80.4mm stroke 849cc SHOT refireable engine.
After these common features, the differences give each machine its personality.
The X package shed 14 pounds of weight for 2026 to get it down to 428 pounds dry. Some areas of weight loss include the A-arm (0.5 pounds), the S module (1.5 pounds), the airbox (1 pound), rear shock (2 pounds), track (2 pounds), tunnel (5 pounds) and snowflap (0.06 pounds).
A lot of creative engineering went into the weight loss. The upper A-arm went from welded chromoly with a Heim joint to forged aluminum with a nice bearing. Finite element analysis identified places to shave weight from the S module, the structure that attaches the A-arms to the frame, such as using a truss system rather than full extrusions.
The X tunnel got cropped to resemble the Expert length and profile, with less tunnel hanging past the rear idler wheels. In addition, the heat exchanger reduces the amount of coolant needed by about a half-quart.
The rear skid abandoned its two torsion springs in favor of a single coil over shock right through the middle. The snowflap — already petite — is even smaller. The new PowderMax Ultra-Light with Flex Edge track’s outermost lugs have a bit less width, which not only reduces weight but also its rotating mass. It also sports a powder-friendly Pilot DS 3 ski, unchanged from last season.
The naturally aspirated engine claims 165 hp.
The Summit X 850 E-Tec 154 pricing starts at $16,299
Even with some similarities, the Ski-Doo Summit X 850 E-Tec Turbo R 154 Expert Package is a different beast compared to the X. The Turbo Expert Package uses the aggressive Pilot DS 4 ski, drastically updated for 2026 with an altered keel, changed reinforcements and a bit of weight savings. They’re built for riders who need a lot of positive carve and line — just a little turn to the bars and the skis grab. This ski is exclusive to the Expert Package.
Also new up front: The S32 twin link steering is a ground-up redesign from the steering post to the sway bar. It’s lighter in weight and created to have zero bump steer. The RAS 3 front suspension has 8.1 inches of travel from easy-adjust KYB 36 Pro 36 EA-3 shocks. A new, taller spindle accommodates new control arms — with a lower shock bolt mounted through the body of the A-arm to retain travel despite the narrower stance. The steering swing increases by 30 percent with the new setup. Donuts, anyone?
The rear skid retains the rigid arm tMotion XT setup and adjustable limiter strap where a 16- by 154- by 3-inch full-width rod track is installed and KYB Pro36 EA-3 shocks cushion the ride. The shorter tunnel (45mm on 154 models) saves 5 pounds plus the reduction in carried coolant. Various weight savings shave 6 pounds from Turbo Expert Package to 457 pounds dry. The outside ski width of the narrowed-stance Expert becomes 38.25 inches.
The turbo engine spits 180 hp up to 8,000 feet.
The Summit X 850 E-Tec Turbo R 154 Expert pricing starts at $21,649.