STROKE TRAIL | head for the hills | Formula One

When it comes to ultimate performance as measured by horsepower and top speed, the 4-Stroke Trail can't match traditional two-stroke sleds. But when the environment is factored into the equation, this snowmobile leaves all others floundering in its snowy wake.

MAD RIVER MT. RAINIER POWDER ROCKET, $250
(802) 496-9882 or www.madriverrocket.com
If you had any lingering doubts that winter recreation has changed dramatically in the past few years, the very existence of the Mad River Mt. Rainier Powder Rocket, which retails for a very cool 250 bones, should be enough to squelch them. Consider the simple fact that there's actually a market for a $250 sled - that alone is probably enough to clue you in to the fact that sledding just ain't what it used to be.

Still not convinced? Strap yourself in (and we mean that literally - the Rocket comes complete with a lap belt, though airbags are currently not available), and head for the hills.

It's not even fair to call this sledding - that'd be kind of like calling Formula One racing "driving." From your kneeling position, the Rocket grants almost total and instantaneous control, responding to subtle shifts of weight and body position. As such, the Rocket is constantly goading you to tackle ever more challenging terrain: Drops, jumps, and narrow chutes are all fair game, and more proficient Rocket pilots can be found performing dizzying flips and other assorted trickery.

KARHU META $309
(802) 864-0005 or www.karhu.com
Karhu's Meta is not only a new model, but an entirely new concept, designed to fill the void between snowshoes (great for climbing, but a bit of a yawner on the descent) and cross-country skis (miserable on the climbs, and frighteningly fast for all but the best skiers on the descent).