I know we’re all loving the 2022 Polaris Snowmobile line-up. But we’re going back in time to talk about the very first Polaris Snowmobiles: The Sno-Traveler. Did you guess it right?
Sno-Traveler: The First of the Polaris Snowmobiles
In December of 1955, the employees of Polaris created the first of the Polaris snowmobiles and cleverly named them the “Sno-Travelers”. It marked the beginning of Polaris’s grasp on winter travel. From that first invention in the cold winter of Minnesota, the ongoing evolution of Polaris snowmobiles continues to be some of the top-ranked snow vehicles in the industry.
A classic Sno-Traveler had a rear traction platform holding the engine and track, and a hull from a boat in the front with skis. In the early days of production, Polaris purchased the utility engines from a local hardware store.
As you can see, the original Sno-Traveler model looks big, bulky, heavy, and even immobile. But they were actually reliable for both floatation and power. Although they were initially viewed as utility machines, they provided such great mobility that they also created recreational appeal.
Seen through today’s lens of technology, a Sno-Traveler can look bulky, heavy, and immobile. But they actually provided reliable flotation, and the engines (available in a wide range of sizes) could deliver outstanding power.
From the first Polaris snowmobile in 1955 to the new 2022 Polaris snowmobiles, you can see the changes Polaris has made to keep up with the times. From introducing lighter, shorter, and narrower sleds in 1965, to the SnowCheck in 2019 with the most powerful snowmobile engine ever built by Polaris, to the 2022 line-up that are even more evolved, Polaris is rightfully one of the most popular snowmobile brands on the market today.
