tldr.if you want my perspective.I'm brand new to sledding.i was looking for an affordable entry level trail machine I could grow in to. I live on a 17 kilometer long lake and like to ice fish.i couldn't find one for months.everything was high hp mountain sleds and the only trail machines were in the high teens to low 20k's.hard to get new riders involved when your entry level is mid to high teens just to get started,and this is without all the necessary gear.I ended up with a bare bones ski doo expedition sport.exactly what I was looking for,out the door for 13k cdn.if they want to reestablish their brand,get the new crop of riders on their machines for an affordable price first.nothing is sustainable without new blood,no matter what it is.and to get new blood,you MUST make an affordable entry level product that you don't have to replace every year or two.my brother in law is in the same position as me,late 50's,close to retiring and looking for his first affordable sled and is looking at an expedition sport for the same reason,it's affordable. .

 

Those skidoo sports are the best value in sledding. All of the power and performance that 95% of riders will ever functionally need, excellent reliability, and easy service/maintenance vs more complex ETEC engines.

 

I must say - looks wise that cat looks pretty sweet

 

I stopped by my local dealer the other day. The seat on the new Cat feels like you're sitting on a 2x12 plank - it was hard.

I'm thinking once you're gear is on and you're riding it probably feels better. In the showroom it just wasn't comfortable.

 

I stopped by my local dealer the other day. The seat on the new Cat feels like you're sitting on a 2x12 plank - it was hard.

I'm thinking once you're gear is on and you're riding it probably feels better. In the showroom it just wasn't comfortable.

Now imagine that same seat in single digit temps.

Even Polaris seats feel soft when they’re baking in the summer sun.

 

Cat just needs different seat foam and then they need to tweak some geometry in their dated skid to adapt it to the new chassis and they should be good. Oh and maybe inject some quality control. I will admit the new signature shaped LED headlight & giant Garmin screen look sexy. I’m just glad to see MY 26 cats rolling off the line / showing up at dealers.

 

26 T-Cat

 

Still a good looking sled.

 

I stopped by my local dealer the other day. The seat on the new Cat feels like you're sitting on a 2x12 plank - it was hard.

Very true. Seats get rock hard when very cold. Poo seats great for support and getting to standing position, not so great after 250 mile trail loop. Doo seats a bit squishy. Pick your poison....

In my world, Cat going for a stiff seat is a positive thing…

/ Lynx rider used to laugh about Ski-Doo’s silly soft seats

 

To some degree, yes. I like the Doo 2 stroke seat better than the 4 stroke seat. I've never tried a Lynx seat.

The 4 stroke seat feels great in the showroom, to me, 200 miles into the ride, the 2 stroke feels better on the trail. The 4 stroke seat is a touch soft for spirited high miles.

On the Cat seat, that's why I said "in the showroom" and wondered about it in the real world with gear on.

Anyone here with a new Catalyst want to weigh in on this?

 

To some degree, yes. I like the Doo 2 stroke seat better than the 4 stroke seat. I've never tried a Lynx seat.

The few hardcore trail riders around here always slag the Ski-Doo’s off because of overly soft seats. The Lynx seat is considerably stiffer and this makes a huge difference in the transition between sitting and standing up.

I think Doo has done a good job of keeping their foams consistent.

In all fairness, Lynx had a few model years with less than consistent seat stiffness, during G3 as well as G4. I purchased a take off seat from the first model year Xterrain (2019), to use as a ”spring ride seat” on a deep and steep beast. I ended up test sitting like ten different seats at the dealership, to pick the stiffest one…

Anyway, it sounds like Arctic Cat is on it and understands the impact it has on the ride.

 

I have a '24 Catalyst and have ridden the '25 as well. Seat foam is so subjective. I am 6'5" and 300lbs. So, I sit way back and I appreciate the firm foam on my '24. I can easily do a 200 mile day comfortably. Like any seat, the foam does break in, and the Catalyst foam is no different.

Overall, I am pleased with my Catalyst 600 w/ IFP shocks. If anything is a complaint, the clutching needs some refinement......

 

4.7K views · 134 reactions | Beautiful day at Epping Race Into winter Grass drags! A lot of hype and energy at the Granite State Power Equipment Arctic Cat booth! #snowmobiling #arcticcat | TJ Leach

Beautiful day at Epping Race Into winter Grass drags! A lot of hype and energy at the Granite State Power Equipment Arctic Cat booth! #snowmobiling #arcticcat

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EXT SPECIAL is ugliest sled produced. HAUK