Welcome to Sled RUX! In this series we feature members of the RUX community, and share how they use RUX in their snowmobiling adventures.
Do you have a cool story about how you use RUX? We’re always interested to hear alternative and adventurous ways our community is using the RUX products.
Who are you? Name, location, occupation, random fact.
Stefan Shier aka Lil Ron, I'm Based in Squamish, BC. I manage a backcountry ski lodge (Whitecap Alpine) in the winter season and do safety and logistics for adventure-based tv shows in the off season. I have been mountain sledding for 11 years and I ride a No Limits Motorsports 2023 Ski-doo G5 165 expert boosted (of course). Random fact: when I first got into sledding I did it to ski but quickly enjoyed sledding much more and stopped skiing for about 6 years just snowmobile, but recently found the love again for sled skiing, and sled access ski touring and find myself using the sledding skills to access new ski zones that people don't generally take sleds into.
How do you use RUX products for sledding? (tunnel bag, gear hauler, etc)
I use my RUX 70L for sledding in two main ways. I have two RUX 70Ls and each has a purpose:
I use one as a gear hauler to get all my needed gear for a day of sledding from my garage to my truck. I generally leave my house in the morning for a day of riding fully geared up, but I always bring a full change or clothes for after riding. All of this gear is packed in my RUX 70L the night before so it's a quick grab, toss over the shoulder and go, keeping my hands free for my coffee as I walk to the truck. The fully waterproof bottom is perfect for putting it in the snow or on the wet ground (Squamish is at sea level so generally raining in town but snowing up high) while opening truck doors or wiping off snow. At the end of the day it’s great when I take all my wet snowy gear off to be able to put it in the fully waterproof RUX to keep the truck clean and snow-free.
My second RUX I use as a tunnel bag for longer exploratory days later in the season. The large size is perfect to fit everything I need and the fact that I can collapse and compress means nothing is bouncing around or exploding (ie. beers). It also means I can use all 70L if need to or compress it down and use only a portion of the space of the RUX. I strap my 70L directly to the Link q mounts on the tunnel and it fits perfectly on and is so bomber I never need to look back and check on it. As well as a tunnel bag I also use my RUX as a ski boot bag with my CFR (Cheetah Factory Racing) XL Explorer Rack. The RUX 70L fits perfectly inside the rack and is a must for all sled skiers. Anyone who wears their ski boots from the truck on sled ski days is doing it wrong. Get yourself a RUX and put your ski boots, skins, harness rope, anything and everything you could need for a day or sled skiing, or sled access ski mountaineering while keeping the weight off your back.
Why is it better than a more "traditional" tunnel bag?
I like the RUX 70L as a tunnel bag better than a traditional tunnel bag because it can go from a small compressed bag holding only a couple items, to a full 70L capable carrying system that I can fit everything I need overnight. Furthermore, its 100% waterproof whereas traditional tunnel bags always seem to hold a little moisture and snow attaches to them. The RUX 70L material sheds snow, and on those deeps days any extra snow sticking to your tunnel is gunna create drag and slow you down.
How do you use the same 70L in the off season?
During the off season of sledding I use my RUX in very similar ways. Firstly, if i'm going to ride a dirt bike, I can fit all my moto stuff in a 70L, toss it over my shoulder and keep my hands free to push my bike out to my truck to load up. Secondly, I always have a RUX 70L in my garage with the adventure essentials ready to go: extra layers, camp chair, towel, RUX soft cooler (gotta keep the beers cold). This 70L is basically a baseline for adventure. Living in Squamish you never know who's going to call you and what you're going to do, but you can generally bet it's gunna be last minute. When I get a call depending on who, what, and where I just add in what else is needed, toss the lid on and go. It's like a bug out bag but better. From swimming hole missions, sea doo missions up the coast, or jet boating up the river the RUX always fits in.
