[JeffXC7]

Switchback Assault 144 and SKS 146 are both built on the same chassis and use the same rear suspension. Assault has the trail sled from end with a fixed 42" ski width. It comes with trail sled skis which need to be upgraded to mountain skis if you will be using off trail. The gripper mountain ski is very good on trail with some 6" shaper bars. In the rear the Assault come with a 1.325", a 1.6" ?? or a 2" track option. It uses a 4 wheel rear axle. Both sled use the same bars and controls and have the same two option for gauge cluster, GPS or standard gauge. Dropping the GPS gauge at snowcheck will save you $450.

The SKS 146 is new in '18. The SKS gets the shorter, forged mountain sled A-arms and taller mountain sled spindles. This gives a max 41" ski width that can be adjusted, by moving spacers on the ski bolt, to give narrower ski widths of 40" and 39". In the rear the SKS get the 2.25" Peak track. It also gets different drivers that change the track length to 146. I assume lower gearing with the 2.25" but not certain. The SKS also get a two wheel rear axle.

I rode my '17 Assault on the Tug Hill this past winter for over 1600 miles with the 2" track and had zero issues with track or hyfax wear. Granted we took vacation days and chased all of the big lake effect storms early in the winter. The Assault did extremely well breaking trail in every storm. It rolls over and carves very easily. You can stop and go in waist deep snow without ever worrying about getting stuck. It runs whooped out trails as well as most everything out there. At 185 lbs the rear may be just a touch stiff - no worrying about bottoming. Motor is awesome. Assault with 2" is geared pretty low. Didn't run it much past 75 on the trails.

The SKS should be all of the above but even better deep snow carveability which will be awesome in the tighter trees. The unknown is how the narrower front end will be on trail.

Hope that helps.