Best long lasting ski rod

[devilnabludress]

I'm sure this topic has been beaten to death, but I'm wondering what ski rods last the longest in poor snow conditions. I'm not worried about darting issues or changing ski brands, adjusting the sled for ski pressures, I'm just wanting input on actual ski rod longevity. If 2 identical sleds had different rods, how did the life of them compare? I've always used Woody's in the past but I've also heard of other brands simply lasting longer. I've rode with a fella using Everlaster rods, but complained they hooked on everything with how aggressive they are and put the ski way up in the air and seemed to lift the ski at high speeds on hard snow. My Nytro has Tuner ski's on it at the time with the track studded to the max. We ride in very harsh conditions where life of the rods are low due to lots of road crossing, rail bed riding with low snow conditions and trails running down the sides of roadways either gravel or paved. Wheel kits are not an option. Thanks for any input!

 

[Port-Parts]

SnowStuds Magnum series bars are the most durable from what I have seen - They use the most carbide wearpads (in comparison on Tuner ski carbide Woody's use none and only places hardweld filler on the front of the bar) and have a large carbide insert that lasts. Made in the USA - a couple links below if you would like to check them out.

4" https://www.ebay.com/itm/254429669088
6" https://www.ebay.com/itm/254429671971
8" https://www.ebay.com/itm/264541562158

 

[maim]

i want to try the bergstroms at some point as they seem to really last. i usually use stud boy shaper bars and can only get a season out of them at best.

 

[Hooray!]

i want to try the bergstroms at some point as they seem to really last. i usually use stud boy shaper bars and can only get a season out of them at best.

I did the entire Bergstrom Nytro system, reversed new rubbers, ski savers with triple points inner and wear bars outer are amazing, perfection on 0-9"! Not sure why you would select anything else once you have ridden the system, it is that good. Once you start to float, for me it is all about the throttle to pull your front end into the corner (kick the rear end out) vs. pushing to the outside. The Bergstroms work well with this technique as they still bite with the extra 5/8" (as I recall) ski-saver deepening the dual skegs and Tuners are narrow knives of sorts.

I have found if you really push them even in deep powder with the Bergstroms on the bottom, you can knife into the corner (rather abruptly) but controllably if you expect it. It is like having a semi-controllable submersed plane through the snow (or my imagination). With a little throttle blip at the end to lift the skis up to the surface it is quite doable to cruise a field or modest hills or break a woods road in 24-36"+. I want to try the Powderhounds with the beta Bergstrom setup as apparently that is perfection on both trail and powder.

Year before last we were in the Allagash and there was 14-16' of snow on the ground, 6-8' of it over the prior week. Pull off the trail and sink 6', get off the sled and you grab the running boards on the way by... wild. Anyways, you learn quick how to ride our Tuners in the deep, zero choice and even if you have a breaker in front of you, one slip and you have to be able to power through and not stop. Our triples are the savior to this with endless power if you get in the right balance of submersed skis and snow spinning out the back. More like riding a Jetski on snow vs. a snowmobile, likely because the belly pan was probably what I was floating on with little steering flippers! Anyways, very doable, fun, but we had one rule to the group, NO stopping (unless you were on the top of a hill). Every stop was a 1-2 hour ordeal; rare experience but other than mountain hill climbing, I actually now have fun with Tuners in the deep.