Based on our research, the 34 best snowmobiles for women are as follows:
Best Women’s sleds for trail riding:
- Arctic Cat 600 DSI (2-stroke)
- Arctic Cat M6 EFI (2-stroke)
- Arctic Cat M7 EFI (2-stroke)
- Polaris Indy EVO (2-stroke)
- Polaris Voyageur 550 (2-stroke)
- Polaris Edge Classic 340 (2-stroke)
- Yamaha Vmax XTC 700 (2-stroke)
- Yamaha Bravo 250 (2-stroke)
- Ski-Doo MXZ TnT 1200 (4-stroke)
- Ski-Doo X Renegade X 1200 (4-stroke)
- Ski-Doo Grand Touring 600 ACE (4-stroke)
- Arctic Cat XF 7000 CrossTour (4-stroke)
- Arctic Cat F1100 (4-stroke)
- Polaris Indy 550 (4-stroke)
- Yamaha Phazer (4-stroke)
- Yamaha Vector (4-stroke)
- Yamaha SRViper (4-stroke)
Best Women’s sleds for off-trail riding:
- Ski-Doo Summit (with shorter tracks)
- Ski-Doo Renegade
- Ski-Doo REV 600
- Ski-Doo XP 600/800
- Ski-Doo XM 600 ETEC
- Arctic Cat M6 EFI
- Arctic Cat M7 EFI
- Arctic Cat M8 Sno-Pro
- Arctic Cat 600 DSI
- Arctic Cat F6
- Arctic Cat F7 Firecat
- Arctic Cat CrossFire 600/800 Sno Pro
- Arctic Cat ProClimb M800
- Polaris RMK 600 144/155
- Polaris 600 Switchback Assault 144
- Polaris Switchback PRO S 600
- Polaris Switchback Adventure 600/800
If you want to find out how to choose a perfect women’s sled, this post is for you. We at PowerSportsGuide have compiled all you need to know under one roof!
Which Snowmobile is Best for Women?
“Which snowmobile is best for women?” – if you Google this simple question, all you get are a lot of pink snowmobile accessories and gear.
But would that be what female riders are looking for when they want to get into this sport? Of course not! Just like any other rider, they are looking for the sled that best suits their needs.
But let’s face it since the majority of riders are men, there are no specially designed “women snowmobiles” out there.
On the other hand, there are many great sleds in the marketplace that are suitable for female riders. These machines are often considered to be “women’s sleds” or even “wife’s sleds.”
If you are looking for the best snowmobile for a woman, you have to consider some essential factors such as:
- The rider’s size, weight, skills, and riding style
- The weight of the sled
- Engine type (2-stroke vs. 4-stroke)
- Features (electric start, reverse, windscreen, hand warmers, etc.)
- Used for what purpose (trail, off-trail, mixed-use)
- Budget
Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty and talk about these aspects in detail!
Best Trail Snowmobiles for Women
Since women are typically smaller and don’t have as much upper body strength as a male rider, they can’t go wrong with a smaller, lightweight sled.
According to SuperTraxMag, the best snowmobiles for women are lightweight 2-stroke machines like the Arctic Cat 600 DSI. Why?
First, it’s safe to say that many female riders don’t know the difference between a 4-stroke and a 2-stroke sled. What they know is the difference in the weight of these machines!
Operating a lighter sled requires less muscle work, which results in less fatigue and more enjoyable rides. What’s more, if the sled gets stuck, it’s much easier to dig out.
Without further ado, some of the best 2-stroke trail snowmobiles for female riders are as follows:
- Arctic Cat 600 DSI
- Arctic Cat M6 EFI
- Arctic Cat M7 EFI
- Polaris Indy EVO
- Polaris Voyageur 550
- Polaris Edge Classic 340
- Yamaha Vmax XTC 700
- Yamaha Bravo 250
Beginner female sledders should look at smaller vintage sleds like the Yamaha Vmax, the Bravo 250, or the innovative Polaris Indy EVO. Although the latter is considered a youth snowmobile, it can be ridden by smaller adults.
Although experts mainly recommend 2-stroke sleds, some riders argue and say that 4-stroke snowmobiles are better for women. They claim that if the sled is too light, it’s harder to keep on the trail.
Also, 4-strokes are much quieter, cleaner, and more fuel-efficient than their 2-stroke counterparts. We don’t want to turn this into a 2-stroke vs. 4-stroke snowmobile debate, but it’s a fact that 2-stroke sleds are prone to making the rider’s clothes stink on longer rides. As you might assume, many women do not appreciate this!
On top of that, you can find some 4-stroke sleds on the market that are as lightweight as their 2-stroke brothers. As an example, the dry weight of the Ski-Doo Grand Touring 600 ACE is only 509 pounds.
Other great 4-stroke women’s snowmobiles for trail use are as follows:
- Ski-Doo MXZ TnT 1200
- Ski-Doo X Renegade X 1200
- Ski-Doo Grand Touring 600 ACE
- Arctic Cat XF 7000 CrossTour
- Arctic Cat F1100
- Polaris Indy 550
- Yamaha Phazer
- Yamaha Vector
- Yamaha SRViper
Besides the type of engine, the features of the sled are no less important. Having a reverse can be a game-changer in many situations, but other features like an electric start, hand and thumb warmers, and larger windshields are also nice to have.
It’s also good to know that virtually any sled can be customized based on the rider’s size and needs.
As an example, the handlebars can be lowered or replaced, just like the seat. It’s not uncommon to see women’s snowmobiles with wider and/or narrower seats and wider footrests for greater comfort and safety.
Best Off-Trail Snowmobiles for Women
The general rule is that only 2-stoke snowmobiles are recommended for female riders when it comes to off-trail use. 4-stroke sleds are simply too heavy, which could cause many headaches in deep snow.
Playing in powder requires much more skill and bodywork, so heavy 4-stroke sleds are not recommended at all.
Also, it’s also common knowledge among riders that if a snowmobile goes off trail, it will get stuck sooner or later. And the heavier the machine, the harder it is to get unstuck!
Besides the weight of the sled, the track dimension is also important. Mountain sleds typically feature very long tracks for the best floatation, but they may not work for female riders.
A track that is too long makes the sled heavier and less maneuverable, but snow is also prone to building up in the large skid. Eventually, this build-up of snow can significantly increase the weight of the sled!
Because of this, even the lightest snowmobiles with long tracks can become heavier than a bigger sled with a short track.
Consequently, the longest (163”-175”) tracks are not recommended for female mountain riders. The best practice is for women to stick to 144”-155” tracks to avoid excessive snow build-ups.
For your convenience, we’ve listed some of the most popular “mountain women’s snowmobiles”:
- Ski-Doo Summit (with shorter tracks)
- Ski-Doo Renegade
- Ski-Doo REV 600
- Ski-Doo XP 600/800
- Ski-Doo XM 600 ETEC
- Arctic Cat M6 EFI
- Arctic Cat M7 EFI
- Arctic Cat 600 DSI
- Arctic Cat M8 Sno-Pro
- Arctic Cat F6
- Arctic Cat F7 Firecat
- Arctic Cat CrossFire 600/800 Sno Pro
- Arctic Cat ProClimb M800
- Polaris RMK 600 144/155
- Polaris 600 Switchback Assault 144
- Polaris Switchback PRO S 600
- Polaris Switchback Adventure 600/800
Takeaways
Unfortunately, there are no special snowmobiles designed for women. Since there are only a few female riders out there, snowmobiles are engineered with male riders in mind.
But the good news is that there are many lightweight sleds that can be strongly recommended as a “wife sled.”
These models are mainly the lightweight 2-stroke sleds, but some light 4-stroke sleds can also do a good job on trails.
But when it comes to off-trail rides, women should stick to 2-stroke sleds with 144”-155” tracks. Heavy 4-stroke machines are hard to ride and sink much easier in powder, so they are not recommended for female sledders!
This is our short review on the best women’s snowmobiles, we hope you find it useful!
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