There was never a time that I anticipated the delivery of a package more than the one sent to me from Canadian performance shock manufacturer Elka Suspension, based out of Boucherville, Quebec. I dreamed day and night about their stage 5 shocks. I wanted something a little bit more from my suspension. A stock snowmobile is designed to accommodate a man weighing 177.9 pounds. I am a woman, 5 feet, 9 inches and 145 pounds, with a yearning to get every ounce of responsiveness out of my machine. Imagine if my suspension was fine-tuned specifically for me.
When I ordered my shocks, Elka representative and pro racer Cynthia Prefontaine wanted to know my weight, height and riding style. Knowing these details, Elka sends out the shocks pre-set, allowing you to basically install and go.
I have often fought with my shock set-up. Air shocks left me frustrated, with constant pressure changes throughout the day from elevation, temperature and terrain. Coil-over shocks are more consistent and predictable in pressure, but don't have the range of adjustability I need to fine-tune my sled.
My husband doesn’t really feel these subtle changes I feel when my shocks fluctuate in pressure. He may not be affected by these pressure changes, but I am—as are thousands of others who don’t weigh 177.9 pounds.
There were a few people in the shop when my shocks were delivered, and I am quite certain I frightened the courier when I picked her up and swung her around in sheer joy.
One young sledder said, “Wow! Now you’re really going to be able to go huge!”
I suppose, I thought. I could increase the size of my drops and jumps, but I had another idea. After researching suspension, I realized how much more I could gain while boondocking and tree riding from a sled with a suspension tuned for me.
I wasn’t disappointed. It actually caught me by surprise, one fine February day. I noticed immediately the difference on the icy, whooped-out trail we were using to get into our play zones. While everyone else was getting bucked around by the moguls, I was cruising luxuriously along, singing songs of joy.
Low snowpack and dismal snow conditions pushed us into the trees in search of untouched snow. Normally we’d have overlooked some of the terrain we were exploring, but we simply wanted fresh. My husband was leading our group through a technical draw, waiting at the top ready to assist if anyone needed a hand. I was third up. The narrow draw was trenched, leaving many obstacles exposed. I squeezed down on my throttle, instantly feeling at one with my machine. Gentle shifting of my weight had my trusty 2015 Pro RMK sailing with ease through the ruts.
Upon approaching the top, I saw my destination: a narrow opening with a huge, chewed-up trench between two rather large poplar trees. I gave it more throttle, hopped wrong foot forward to my left running board in perfect balance and sailed past my helpful husband to the plateau above.
We looked at each other in disbelief at first. Then I composed myself and gave him an “Oh yeah, I just did that,” gesture to bring some cocky back into the picture. In reality, I was totally and completely amazed by what I was able to effortlessly pull off.
The surprises kept on. Trees, glorious trees! My sled son Dylan Armitage and I set off to explore more trees, up the Salmo Creston Pass. These trees are notorious for their tight spacing and unforgiving wells. As I made my own path through the fresh, untouched powder I continually thought to myself, “Look at me go! Oh yeah, you totally just did that!" Never before have I been so at ease in the trees. Never before have I had such balance and composure. Never have I enjoyed tree riding so much.
“Woo hoo! I’m at the top! Me! I’m at the top!” I shouted in victory over our radio to Dyl, and whoever else was listening, feeling quite Xena-Warrior-Princess-like.
Jumping became an addiction. Every possible opportunity to jump had me popping over obstacles with ease. Flat landings were not so flat, and my control and confidence grew. Every landing was simply that much softer and smoother. Confidence in technical climbs sent me higher than I’ve ever gone before, knowing I had the control to make it and not having to rely on a Plan B.
How can aftermarket shocks make such a difference? There are a few reasons.
Most aftermarket or upgraded performance shocks opt for nitrogen rather than compressed air for their internals. Nitrogen is much more stable than air and is unaffected by altitude, air temperature and terrain variance. With a greater range of adjustability, a rider can customize and fine tune their ride to their specific needs, rather than having to make do with a generic set-up. The simplicity of adjustability allows you to adjust on the fly if needed. This equates to better balance, more responsiveness and greater control. Most aftermarket shocks shed weight off the machine, creating more control and requiring less effort to maneuver.
When considering an upgrade for a machine, quite often riders opt for more horsepower. But for me, better suspension created a much more enjoyable riding experience. Whether you are Jonathan Jean, who hucks huge, or a boondocking addict like me, a tweak of your suspension may be all you need to bring your A game when you need it most.
