"We're Gonna Get Stuck" - Polaris Ranger XP - National Geographic TOPO - ITP Tires
Let me say again for the record that I receive no compensation from Polaris, or anyone else for that matter, for publishing my opinions on great gear. This is something I do because I like it and I think it is important.
My brother and I were scouting this weekend for 3 upcoming hunts (a muzzle loader elk and two Coues hunts) none of which are our tags but such is life in Arizona's public draw system. We were on the mountain and in position before sun up and as usual we had a great time together. After all these years there is still no one I would rather be in the field with and nobody, I mean nobody spots game like Cody. On the other hand, nobody and I mean nobody rearranges the gear in the Ranger and repacks my pack while Cody spots game like I do.
Anyway, we finished glassing what we wanted to look at and were just running a few of the forest roads that were unmarked on my map program. As an Airborne SAR Tech-EMT for the Sheriff I used a ruggedized HP TR3000 tablet PC, now called a Duo-Touch available from Itronix and a Garmin GPS 18 with National Geographics TOPO program to give us real time moving map capability on the helicopter. Now, I use the same set up to prepare for my trips by labeling roads and trails with their names and numbers and then print them out in color on National Geographic Adventure Paper.
This process serves two important purposes. First, I leave a copy of the map with my wife so that she has a record of exactly where we plan to be in case we are not home by the specified time. We have a hard and fast rule that says if I am not at least heard from by an agreed upon time, she is to call the Sheriff's office and report me as over due. Period. Second, with these enhanced maps I know where I am and what is around me. Even with all the wonderful advances in technology I still rely on good old fashioned map and compass skills. A good map and a little preparation is a necessity. Many of the search and rescue missions I went on could have been avoided entirely if the subjects would have just done a little home work with a good map.
So, I wanted to fill in a couple of blank spots I still had on the map and one of them was a road Cody had been on but it was before a big fire that occurred in the area a couple of years ago. The road was about 4 miles long and it was in pretty good shape until we reached the half way point. The run off from rains since the fire had really torn the road up and washed it out completely in several places. What we encountered was probably the worst road conditions we have ever tried to negotiate. In fact I seriously considered turning around. However, I have to tell you that we pride ourselves on our ability to go pretty much anywhere we want regardless of how bad the roads are. Now, I am not talking about the crazy rock crawler stuff you see the customs and Jeepers take on in Moab but drop offs and shelves and big twisties are something we routinely handle successfully. With that said the stuff Cody and I were looking at on this road was pretty hairy.
We agreed that we were going to get stuck but despite the slope we might tip over but we wouldn't roll very far and we had the right gear to eventually work our way out of it. The Ranger is still somewhat new to us and we really weren't sure what it was really capable of. This was a good opportunity and the right situation find out.
Every time we were sure we were going to get stuck the Ranger, shod with ITP Mud Lite XTR tires, just crawled right out of it. It just kept chugging forward. The clincher for Cody was a steep off camber slope that ended in a two and a half foot drop off into a hole with a two foot high shelf immediately on the other side for an exit. I would not have tried it with the quad and it was too narrow for a Jeep. I kept looking around for good anchors to use for the extraction but to our surprise the Ranger handled it with nothing more than scraping of the skid plate for an objection. The best way I can describe it is that it is like a good trail horse that you trust enough to just give it it's head and let it pick it's way through the mess. It was pretty amazing but not unlike stories that I have heard from other Ranger owners.
I continue to be impressed by this machine. In fact, when paired with the ITP tires it instills so much confidence that I need to make sure I keep myself in check and not ask it to do something stupid. The bottom line is that the Polaris Ranger XP is a very capable ATV that will take you where you want to go and back. Just be careful because it will take you to places you probably have no business going.
Thanks.
My brother and I were scouting this weekend for 3 upcoming hunts (a muzzle loader elk and two Coues hunts) none of which are our tags but such is life in Arizona's public draw system. We were on the mountain and in position before sun up and as usual we had a great time together. After all these years there is still no one I would rather be in the field with and nobody, I mean nobody spots game like Cody. On the other hand, nobody and I mean nobody rearranges the gear in the Ranger and repacks my pack while Cody spots game like I do.
Anyway, we finished glassing what we wanted to look at and were just running a few of the forest roads that were unmarked on my map program. As an Airborne SAR Tech-EMT for the Sheriff I used a ruggedized HP TR3000 tablet PC, now called a Duo-Touch available from Itronix and a Garmin GPS 18 with National Geographics TOPO program to give us real time moving map capability on the helicopter. Now, I use the same set up to prepare for my trips by labeling roads and trails with their names and numbers and then print them out in color on National Geographic Adventure Paper.
This process serves two important purposes. First, I leave a copy of the map with my wife so that she has a record of exactly where we plan to be in case we are not home by the specified time. We have a hard and fast rule that says if I am not at least heard from by an agreed upon time, she is to call the Sheriff's office and report me as over due. Period. Second, with these enhanced maps I know where I am and what is around me. Even with all the wonderful advances in technology I still rely on good old fashioned map and compass skills. A good map and a little preparation is a necessity. Many of the search and rescue missions I went on could have been avoided entirely if the subjects would have just done a little home work with a good map.
So, I wanted to fill in a couple of blank spots I still had on the map and one of them was a road Cody had been on but it was before a big fire that occurred in the area a couple of years ago. The road was about 4 miles long and it was in pretty good shape until we reached the half way point. The run off from rains since the fire had really torn the road up and washed it out completely in several places. What we encountered was probably the worst road conditions we have ever tried to negotiate. In fact I seriously considered turning around. However, I have to tell you that we pride ourselves on our ability to go pretty much anywhere we want regardless of how bad the roads are. Now, I am not talking about the crazy rock crawler stuff you see the customs and Jeepers take on in Moab but drop offs and shelves and big twisties are something we routinely handle successfully. With that said the stuff Cody and I were looking at on this road was pretty hairy.
We agreed that we were going to get stuck but despite the slope we might tip over but we wouldn't roll very far and we had the right gear to eventually work our way out of it. The Ranger is still somewhat new to us and we really weren't sure what it was really capable of. This was a good opportunity and the right situation find out.
Every time we were sure we were going to get stuck the Ranger, shod with ITP Mud Lite XTR tires, just crawled right out of it. It just kept chugging forward. The clincher for Cody was a steep off camber slope that ended in a two and a half foot drop off into a hole with a two foot high shelf immediately on the other side for an exit. I would not have tried it with the quad and it was too narrow for a Jeep. I kept looking around for good anchors to use for the extraction but to our surprise the Ranger handled it with nothing more than scraping of the skid plate for an objection. The best way I can describe it is that it is like a good trail horse that you trust enough to just give it it's head and let it pick it's way through the mess. It was pretty amazing but not unlike stories that I have heard from other Ranger owners.
I continue to be impressed by this machine. In fact, when paired with the ITP tires it instills so much confidence that I need to make sure I keep myself in check and not ask it to do something stupid. The bottom line is that the Polaris Ranger XP is a very capable ATV that will take you where you want to go and back. Just be careful because it will take you to places you probably have no business going.
Thanks.
Wade Nelson
Editor
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