What kind of snow groomer you should buy?
In the winter it’s very important to make sure that your winter sports trails are groomed properly to make them more usable, safe, and fun. We hope this helps you find out what kind of snow groomer you should buy. Also, who doesn’t love seeing a perfectly level trail in the winter?
There are lots of different types of snow groomers everywhere from ultra-lightweight snow groomers to very large heavy-duty snow grooming equipment. While having options for lots of different snow grooming equipment you want to make sure that your hard-earned money gets you the snow groomer that works for you and your equipment.
The questions surrounding which snow groomer you should buy are plentiful, however here are some things you need to keep in mind when finding the right snow groomer for your needs.
- How wide are the winter trails you would like to groom?
- Can my snow grooming equipment fit down the trails?
- What type of machine or equipment are you towing your snow groomer with?
- What types of winter activities are you needing a snow groomer for?
- How much does it cost to tow and maintain your snow groomer or snow drag?
- What type of snow conditions do you have?
Here is a list of all the different winter activities that you would need snow grooming equipment for.
- Ski or snowboard runs
- Nordic Skiing or Cross country skiing
- Snowmobiling trails
- Snowshoeing or hiking trails
- Fat Biking trails
- Cabin winter access
- Outbuilding winter access
- Ranch and farm livestock access
- Skijoring
- Dog Sledding
- Winter Airstrip
- Remote backcountry access
Really Large Trail Snow Groomers
When choosing a snow groomer the width and even the length matter when choosing the correct snow grooming equipment. When you have large roads or trails you can fit much bigger equipment on these trails and typically are for snowmobiling or even ski resorts. This means that you can fit a large snowcat or tracked vehicle with a leveling plow and snow tiller. With large roads because of the size having a snow groomer like the Prinoth groomers, or Pisten Bulley are usually the first choice when it comes to choosing large snow grooming equipment.
These groomers come with a full tracked tractor and a huge snowplow blade on the front and a full PTO driven tiller to grind up the snow. I do not think that there is really an argument that a purpose-built snowcat is the very best when it comes to laying down perfect level corduroy trails. This is why the ski resorts use them every day.
Large Snow Grooming equipment upsides
- Purpose build for grooming snow
- Power everything
- Leveling Blade
- Excellent flotation with wide snow tracks
- PTO driven options like Tiller
- Winch/cable for steep terrain
These large snowcat snow groomers are incredible and are the best at grooming snow they have some downsides.
They are EXPENSIVE
Large Snow Grooming equipment does have some downsides.
- Expensive to purchase
- Expensive to maintain
- Usually cannot be used year-round
- Very Large and cannot fit down small trails
Who should be investing in large snowcats for grooming snow?
While if you are like me and would like to have a large snowcat for grooming snow it really is not a viable option for those that do not have the funds or really the large trails, roads, or ski runs. However, groups of people or businesses typically are the ones investing in large snowcats for snow grooming.
- Ski Resorts
- Snowcat Skiing
- National Forest multiple-use roads
- State BLM multiple-use roads
- Snowmobile clubs
What are my options if a large snowcat snow groomer is not a viable option?
Luckily there are some really good options when it comes to ultra-compact snow grooming equipment that is a much more affordable option to the larger snowcat powered snow grooming equipment. Wether its called a snow groomer or just a standard snow drag you can groom your trails in the winter in a much more cost-effective way. Also, if your trails are smaller these are also a great option to get your trails level and packed in the winter.
Small Trail Ultra-Compact Snow Grooming equipment
What’s considered a small trail snow groomer? Something that is less than 100″ wide and can be towed behind a snowmobile, snowdog, or tracked ATV/UTV.
This type of ultra-compact snow grooming equipment can help you pack, agitate, and maintain your winter trails. There are snow groomers that even are small enough to fit down single-track winter trails and the chassis are only around 20 inches wide.
Who should be Investing in Ultra-Compact Snow grooming equipment?
- Ski Resorts
- Snowmobile Clubs
- Nordic Clubs
- Cross Country Skiing Clubs
- Fat Bikers
- Property Owners
- Parks and Recreation departments
- National Forest
- State BLM
- Home Owners
- Cabin Owners
- Winter airstrips
Small Ultra-Compact Trail Snow Groomers
If your main activity of choice is fat biking then there is a small lightweight groomer that is called a Sno-blaster 33 that can remove excess snow from the trail. You can pull this with a snowmobile or something smaller. These ultra-compact snow groomers can cut/level, compact, and give you corduroy trails.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT OUR SNO-BLASTER 33
If your main activity is classic skiing and would like to set classic tracks in the snow then you could get a Trakor. This is also a lightweight groomer that is easily pulled with a snowmobile or a snowdog. You actually stand on the Takor if you’re pulling it with your snowdog.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT OUR TRAKOR
Larger Trail Ultra-Compact Snow Groomers
Skijoring, walking on the snow, tubing, sleigh riding, classic ski skating, or snowmobiling then there are a few more options. Having an SNO-MASTER 48 with razor 12” wings lets you groom up to a 72” wide trail. This groomer can cut moguls, post hole tracks from horse hoofs or human or ruts out of your trail and make things smooth again. Most often the SNO-MASTER 48 is towed with a snowmobile but can easily be pulled with a UTV with tracks but it may barely be wide enough to cover your tracks.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT OUR SNO-MASTER 48
Cut, compact and grooming a 48″ corduroy trail.
If you want to go bigger or need to make fewer trips on a ski hill or wider trail then a SNO-MASTER 72 with razor and 12” wings does the same things just a much larger path (up to 96 inches wide). This can also be pulled by a snowmobile but if so should be a utility snowmobile meant for towing large loads. Something like a Ski Doo Skandic that is a working snowmobile. All in all, we would recommend using a side-by-side with tracks to pull this. Plus with this width, it easily cuts the snow and fills back in your tracks.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT OUR SNO-MASTER 72
72″ wide trail with no wings so a little snow caves back in.
All the snow grooming equipment above that are made for personal trails are built to last. With powder-coated steel. Cutter and runner blades that are stainless steel. A place that things rub on is covered with plastic or truck bed liner so you do not scratch the steel and things should not rust.
Built to Last
They are designed with shear pins and shear bolts for safety of the operator and the equipment. This means if you hit something you should not then this part will break and it is easy to fix. It saves you from flying forward or your towing machine or groomer getting broke.
You can also add a Trakor behind either Sno-master version to make a groomed trail by the side of a classic ski trail.
Ultra-Compact Snow Groomer Equipment is much more cost-effective
The cost of towing these personal machines is drastically less than the large snow groomers and can fit on narrow trails. It is so cost-effective that many ski resorts use them to groom to ski in ski out cabins and trails that are too narrow for the huge Pistenbully or Prinoth groomers to go. It saves ski resorts money so that as they drive their snowmobiles around they pull these even in the day to fix up rough spots on the mountain and not leave snowmobile tracks if they go places.
These personal groomers can be moved by one person, especially if you add the optional wheel kit.
This is a big deal as many groomers just need more than one person to move.
Some people call drags groomers and vice versa. We do not consider these personal groomers a drag at all. Most of these groomers are meant to keep your snow. We have used drags and many homemade devices trying to groom and they always left a lot to be desired. If you want a great groomer look at these personal groomers to solve your needs. In the long run it is much safer and more cost-effective.
No matter what kind of snow groomer you choose, you should always have a system that is safe, made to last, and very cost-efficient to operate.