The USI SS Railers have a base unique to USI. They have eight steps on the bottom of the ski blade, similar to a step-bottom hydroplane boat. USI boasts a 2 to 4 mph speed increase due to reduced friction. USI claims the stepped keel design hides the front of the wear bar to reduce drag and virtually eliminate darting, too.
The skis are definitely aggressive. Coupled with the deep, aggressive keel and the front-end heft of our Mach Z, steering effort was extreme. The heavy front end of the snowmobile caused the most steering effort we’ve ever felt on a snowmobile.
One driver commented, “I drove the machine for 100 miles, and I felt like I had been lifting weights all day.”
Lengthening the limiter strap would certainly affect the amount of steering pressure, but not eliminate the overly aggressive steering.
The skis certainly stuck to the trail and held their line well. At times, though, they stuck so well the machine tipped up in corners. They also caused the rear end of the sled to feel loose, despite the 168 studs in the track.
The set that USI offered to us for evaluation had some prior testing miles on them. After a short time on our Mach, the plastic-covered cable ski loop broke, which made the ski tip flatten out.
The USI SS Railers are an aggressive performance ski that would be a better match for machines with less front-end weight. Machines in better balance would have a corner-push problem resolved with the Railers, but should expect added steering effort as a result.