Where's your priorities?

Stop and think for a moment about all of modifications you've done, and all the money you've spent on your sleds to make them go faster, handle better, and ride softer:

ECP's $300
Clutching (Heavy Hitters, Rollers, etc...) $300-$400
Suspension (M-10's, Expert-X, Ohlins,) $1000's
Seats (Boss, Mountain Mod, custom) $50 - $500
Exhausts $300 - $500
Turbo $4000 +
NOS $600 - $800
Studs $200 - $300
Longer tracks $500 - $800
Lighter Hoods $350 - $500
Wide front-ends $300 - $500
Skis (Simmon's, C&A, SlyDogs) $300 -$500
Customization (Chroming, painting, polishing, LED's) ???

Now stop and compare the importance of having a fast, customized ride, that will, for all intended purposes, be worthless in a few seasons - to your upper body's ability to withstand a multiplied, blunt force, or sharp impact in the event of a collision, or should you or your passenger fall and be run over by a studded sled. Which is REALLY more important to you?

After pouring over countless adds in magazines, and websites, regarding which aftermarket product(s) I would buy for my sled, all the while putting a Tek-Vest, on the back burner, I realized that I've got it all wrong. So I have been encouraging all of my friends to get them, and yet snow is falling and I still sit without one because I'm trying to save up for that clutch-kit!? :shock:

Some of us have witnessed, and many of us have read or heard about serious injuries or deaths that might have been prevented had a Tek-Vest or similar device been worn. My close friend Paul has been in a couple of accidents both with, and without a Tek-Vest, and he is obviously aware of the importance it made to him. Consider that no-one is allowed to race a snowmobile in sanctioned events without a helmet and proper body protection, and 99.9999% of the time, the sleds are going in the same direction. But out on the trails, 80-90% of the traffic is on-coming to you.

So...I have decided to forego the clutching, skis, custom paint, and anymore modifications until I have a Tek-Vest sitting in my garage. I have also decided that my daughter will not be going anywhere with me, until I have one for her as well. I have been saving and scrimping, and selling all sorts of stuff to try and build up enough to finish the sled, but the reality of the situation is: A SNOWMOBILE CAN BE REPLACED, MY DAUGHTER OR MYSELF, CANNOT.

So I encourage anyone who might read this thread, to consider how expensive, NOT wearing a Tek-Vest could be? And if your wive's, girlfriends, or husbands are like my wife? They'll probably give you that same "$300 for that!? :shock: Are you nuts! Are you ready to go yet?" look when you show them. But this is one of those purchases that I am willing to suffer for. And you should too, even if it means putting that ECP, or Heavy Hitter order on hold for a while. Sorry Freddie and Matt.

After spending $2000 on mods, I Just ordered my Tek-Vest Super Sport for $210.

4fighter - updated this year for me:

tek-vest
LED safety light
Garrett LED light for helmet
and for last.........slowing down a bit in wooded, and railroad sections. Came too close to getting an a$$full of deer last year.

Learning every year

NOS-PRO said:

4fighter - updated this year for me:

tek-vest
LED safety light
Garrett LED light for helmet
and for last.........slowing down a bit in wooded, and railroad sections. Came too close to getting an a$$full of deer last year.

Learning every year

Click to expand...

Definitely learning something new each season myself. I'm also getting older. I think we tend to forget how unpredictable the trails are, even the ones we know like the back of our hand.

It's just strange how we get so caught-up in spending money on stuff to go faster and beating other sleds in a drag race, that we forget about how fragile our bodies really are, even when we're only going at 30 MPH, as opposed to 100MPH. For a mere fraction of what we spent on something that's replaceable, we could protect ourselves better from the uncertainties - but we tend to think of this last. Actually, I'm surprised motorcyclists don't wear them, but that's a whole different genre, in and of itself.

I voted No.

I wear a chest protector when motocrossing & see the value in body armor. But I also wear MotoX boots, CTi knee braces, kidney belt with armor, etc on the bike.

My problem is the Tek vest never seemed to be enough for the money. I'm sure every little bit helps, but I would prefer to see a better made product for our application. I could be all wrong and I should probably check one out again and do more research, it's just the ones being used back in 99' did not seem like much.

I raced in 1 Snocross event back in 2000 and used my MotoX gear instead of a Tek vest. The front plate of the chest protector was a little bulky, but I have much more faith in it than a Tek Vest.

Just my opinion & I hope this doesn't dissuade anyone from making a purchase. More protection is always better, ride safe! I just don't see myself buying one.

I think it really depends on how you ride. I find 80mph to fast on a sled and wont stay there unless it is wide open and flat riding like a lake crossing that someone is in front of me or I have rode prior. So if you are always putting yourself in risky situtations on a sled then you need one. I am more worried of other riders hitting me than myself hitting them.

Snowman269 said:

I voted No.

I wear a chest protector when motocrossing & see the value in body armor. But I also wear MotoX boots, CTi knee braces, kidney belt with armor, etc on the bike.

My problem is the Tek vest never seemed to be enough for the money. I'm sure every little bit helps, but I would prefer to see a better made product for our application. I could be all wrong and I should probably check one out again and do more research, it's just the ones being used back in 99' did not seem like much.

I raced in 1 Snocross event back in 2000 and used my MotoX gear instead of a Tek vest. The front plate of the chest protector was a little bulky, but I have much more faith in it than a Tek Vest.

Just my opinion & I hope this doesn't dissuade anyone from making a purchase. More protection is always better, ride safe! I just don't see myself buying one.

Click to expand...

Sorry to hear that D. You're one of my friends too ya know! These are my reasons for buying one:

1. A Tek-Vest prevented a serious injury for my friend.

2. Taking my daughter for a ride to see Grandpa and Grandma. Trails are almost like sno-x tracks. There's always that streak of green, yellow, or red that comes flying around the corner on my side.

3. Better overall chance of riding with D. following an accident.

4. Deer

5. Presure cracks, logs, hidden obstructions, or drop-offs hidden by that cloudy, mid-day ride where shadows don't exist. A relative was hurt bad up in Grand Marais and they couldn't get a signal on their cell phone to call 911 - he doesn't ride anymore.

6. The occasional broken-down sled sitting too far in the trail.

7. The guy running without a working tail-light in poor visibility.

8. Exploring the Canadian wilderness. Where's the nearest air-lift station or hospital between Iron Bridge, Elliot Lake or Spanish? And can you get a signal to call 911?

Sled Dog, I agree with you - How you ride is a contributing factor as well. True, not everyone drives 80 MPH but you should think more about protecting yourself from what you can't control like large animals (deer, elk, moose), and how others, on the same trail as you, ride. You have no control over such things. Not even with hand signals or signaling lights.

More than 50% of voters so far say they will be wearing a Tek Vest. That's outstanding...far more than I expected to see.

My prediction? Body armor will be as common as helmets before too long. I'm old enough to remember when helmets were considered optional equipment...when's the last time you've seen someone ride without a helmet? I really believe the same thing will happen to body armor.

Spread the word, and read my signature!

2nd season wearing a TekVest. It is not bulky at all, it's race legal and it help keeping you warm too. I did wear all the safety gears that was a few years back when I own a Kawasaki ZX9R superbike. Now I have a Yamaha RX-1 supersled, I would not dare ride without safety gear and body armour. Not even when trail riding below speed limit. Accidents happens at random, you will not know when you are safe, better wearing safety gear.

Happy trails everyone, hope it starts to snow any day soon. All we got is ice for miles and miles until we get into the mountains where there is very little snow.

Anyone else wearing safety gear. It can't be as few as 22 of us in here who's wearing protection. Please join in on the poll and post your comments.

Sled Dog said:

I think it really depends on how you ride. I find 80mph to fast on a sled and wont stay there unless it is wide open and flat riding like a lake crossing that someone is in front of me or I have rode prior. So if you are always putting yourself in risky situtations on a sled then you need one. I am more worried of other riders hitting me than myself hitting them.

Click to expand...

I just found out that's not true at all.

A few days ago I found myself needing to turn around on a fire road, I was going fairly slow when for reasons known only to someone other than me my sled decided to roll over on top of me.

My first thought was: I just cracked a f***ing rib!
My second thought was: Why the f*** didn't I get a Tek-Vest?
My third thought was: How in the world did I just do that?

My buddy following behind me couldn't understand how I rolled either, I just wasn't going that fast.

The season's over for me now but it only hurts when I laugh, cough, breathe, you get the picture. :cry:

Man Steve, thats terrible! I hope you heal up quickly buddy. I bruised my ribs playing foootball and it was NO fun at all! I guess you'll have to ride faster ALL the time, cause the slow stuff isn't workin' for ya' LOL. Take care, and we'll miss you in March.

Dave

Man,................. Steve, I am glad you are o.k. buddy!

I have been wearing mine more and more. Gonna miss you in March buddy!

Thanks guys, I'll sure miss the TY ride and riding the new sleds but maybe it'll actually save me some money. I'll be getting a vest for sure though.

SledderSteve - Glad you're still OK after that incident. Hope you get better soon. Good thinking getting a west.

And now for the preaching to the crowd; I hope people realize that accidents just happen for no reason and at random. It is time buying proper security gear.

I have got lucky a few times myself craching into the trees at high speeds without hurting myself, my sleds got wrecked though. That was with only a helmet, no TechVest or similar safety gear. Now I can't affort not to protect myself because I have a wife and 2 kids depending on me.