Year-Round Machine For Work, Fun

2018 - Volume #42, Issue #1, Page #38

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“Snowmobiles - fast and expensive. SnowDog - low cost and slow.”
    That’s how the owner of the company explains the SnowDog, a power unit that pulls a rider on a sled. Being inexpensive and multipurpose throughout the year helps make the SnowDog a great piece of equipment, says Howard Carstensen, sales and marketing manager for Power Equipment Company in Cortland, Ill.
    A power unit that pulls a sled and its rider is an early snowmobile concept that originated in the U.S. in the 1960’s by Bolens Corp. While conventional snowmobiles took over the market in the U.S., Europeans and Russians appreciated and continued to use the tracked power unit design, mostly for ice fishing, but also for hunting, trapping, hauling firewood and supplies, camping and outdoor fun, and trail grooming.
    With the high cost of buying snowmobiles and their maintenance, Carstensen was curious when he received information about the SnowDog.
    “This looked like something that is intriguing for running on the snow and year round,” he says.
    He was the only person from a U.S. company who responded to a letter from the Russian manufacturer who makes SnowDog. After working through design changes, import regulations and other details, the “utility task machine” became available in the U.S. in 2015 and is sold through a variety of dealers.
    Powered by a 10 hp. or 13 1/2 hp. Briggs and Stratton engine, a SnowDog goes up to about 20 mph and can tow up to 1,100 lbs.
    Prices for the power unit range from $2,999 for the compact model to $3,499 for the standard model that goes through 26-in. deep snow. SnowDog comes with a 2-year warranty, electric start with recoil backup, headlights, disc parking brakes and an engine cover that comes with a choice of three patterns. The cover is removed during warm weather.
    “One of the big things is its compact size,” Carstensen says of the SnowDog. “They weigh 265 to 330 lbs. so they are small enough so you can put it in your SUV and you don’t need a special trailer for it. For storing it, just push the handle forward, and it takes up about as much room as your push lawn mower.”
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, SnowDog, Power Equipment Company, 211 W. Stephenie Dr., Cortland, Ill. 60112 (ph 833 766-9364; www.snowdog.com).

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Year-Round Machine For Work Fun FARM HOME Miscellaneous “Snowmobiles - fast and expensive SnowDog - low cost and slow ” That’s how the owner of the company explains the SnowDog a power unit that pulls a rider on a sled Being inexpensive and multipurpose throughout the year helps make the SnowDog a great piece of equipment says Howard Carstensen sales and marketing manager for Power Equipment Company in Cortland Ill A power unit that pulls a sled and its rider is an early snowmobile concept that originated in the U S in the 1960’s by Bolens Corp While conventional snowmobiles took over the market in the U S Europeans and Russians appreciated and continued to use the tracked power unit design mostly for ice fishing but also for hunting trapping hauling firewood and supplies camping and outdoor fun and trail grooming With the high cost of buying snowmobiles and their maintenance Carstensen was curious when he received information about the SnowDog “This looked like something that is intriguing for running on the snow and year round ” he says He was the only person from a U S company who responded to a letter from the Russian manufacturer who makes SnowDog After working through design changes import regulations and other details the “utility task machine” became available in the U S in 2015 and is sold through a variety of dealers Powered by a 10 hp or 13 1/2 hp Briggs and Stratton engine a SnowDog goes up to about 20 mph and can tow up to 1 100 lbs Prices for the power unit range from $2 999 for the compact model to $3 499 for the standard model that goes through 26-in deep snow SnowDog comes with a 2-year warranty electric start with recoil backup headlights disc parking brakes and an engine cover that comes with a choice of three patterns The cover is removed during warm weather “One of the big things is its compact size ” Carstensen says of the SnowDog “They weigh 265 to 330 lbs so they are small enough so you can put it in your SUV and you don’t need a special trailer for it For storing it just push the handle forward and it takes up about as much room as your push lawn mower ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup SnowDog Power Equipment Company 211 W Stephenie Dr Cortland Ill 60112 ph 833 766-9364; www snowdog com