2024 Polaris 850 Switchback XC
BY JOHN T . PRUSAK
Our test team has had mixed feelings about Switchback Assault models in recent years after it was moved to the Matryx chassis . The riders who primarily stick to trails and ditches in our group found it to be a fun sled that was easy to get rowdy on when back home in the flatlands . Our more deep-snow-focused powder hounds , though , said it was too wide and clumsy for trips out West .
So , when selecting one of our Polaris demo sleds for 2024 , we decided to try something a bit different . We opted for the XC version of the Switchback . Without the baggage of the Assault name , we reasoned , it might slightly alter the expectations of the powder hounds . But would it have good enough suspension for the ditch bangers back home ?
Thanks to Old Man Winter ’ s noshow last season , it became a relatively incomplete test – frankly , there wasn ’ t much true ditch riding to be done back at home . So we ended up accumulating most of its mile in the West anyway , though still mostly on trails but we also did seek some time to pick our way through the trees and climb some hills .
When we first picked up our 850 Switchback XC and brought it back to the shop , one co-worker remarked , “ That thing is really , really , really blue !” Indeed it was : The combination of what Polaris calls Zenith Blue and Sky Blue bathed
NOTES
Sled : 2024 Polaris 850 Switchback XC Engine : 840cc liquid-cooled , semi-direct injected two-stroke twin Front suspension : Matryx dual A-arm with Fox QS3 shocks and Pro-Steer skis Rear suspension : IGX 146 with Fox QS3 shocks and 15- by 146- by 1.6-inch Cobra track
REACTIVE : The Patriot 850 engine was strong right out of the box and got even more reactive once past break-in and reclutched for altitude for our trip out west .
BARGAIN ? The QS3 shocks worked well , but our demo had the 7s display ( a $ 1,199 upgrade ) that ’ s standard on the Assault , which made the price of the two machines quite close .
STOCK : There is no 850 engine option on the Switchback XC for 2025 , mainly because there are new 2023 and 2024 XC 850s available in the market right now . our demo model , from the ski tips and spindles to the body panels , hood and suspension rails . There was also a strip of blue in the otherwise black seat . It was a stylish look but , like any trendy color combo , we ’ ll see how well it ages .
Our initial “ break-in ride ” on a desperate run to chase absolutely any local snow was aptly named , because we honestly felt like we were going to break something on either the sled or our bodies given the crappy trail conditions we found . The groomers hadn ’ t touched the trails , but plenty of other snow-chasing warriors had . That made both the state trails and the local club trails in northeastern Minnesota well beyond rugged .
We toggled positions on the sled ’ s Fox QS3 shocks over the course of the day trying to find some relief . On this particular day , we could keep the rear shock in the softest setting but preferred the front arm shock in medium . Even then , the uncoupled IGX 146 ’ s front arm was the quickest to find its bottom .
Up front , “ soft ” gave us the best ride quality but “ medium ” offered the best handling .
On our demo model , a 146-inch Cobra track spinning 1.6-inch lugs pushed us down the trails . With the quick-hitting power of the 850 Patriot twin , the big shoe and mid-sized lugs could overwhelm the front end and its normally fine Pro-Steer skis . But it was definitely controllable with some added driver leaning – enabled by the ergonomically sound Matryx layout – and some carefully timed throttle inputs . The mid-height window knocked down some breezes ,
Another Upper Midwestern ride found more rugged-at-best conditions : Such was life in the winter of 2023-24 . We banged through the nasty bumps and across frozen , rutted field as best we could .
Finally tired of our plight , we loaded a trailer and headed to West Yellowstone for four days of mid-March riding . On the well-tended but firm trails we found there , we spun up one high-mile day after another . The 43-inch stance of the dual A-arm front allowed us to attack trails with aggression , confident in our control despite the long track .
We also jumped off-trail in search of powder , but mainly found “ white cement ” spring conditions , where we could climb up impressively steep slopes with ease . Such firm conditions are awesome for climbing to neat places , but not as fun of powder riding . We eventually found some loose snow after the day warmed up , but sadly it was more slushy than fluffy .
Bottom line : Our Switchback XC was a fine sled for what we did with it , but as a test we ’ ll admit it was more incomplete than we had wished . It proved to be a decent handling long station wagon of a sled , with blue on the sides rather than wood panel siding .
NOVEMBER 2024 / SNOWGOER . COM / 47