sled rental in Twin cities

[setterguy]

Looking to do a ice fishing snowmobile trip with a couple buddies and wondered if anyone knew a place we could rent sleds for a long weekend. I would look to rent where we are fishing but we may be moving around the state a little over the 4 days and would like to be able to take the sleds with us. Plus our first destination would be Red Lake and I don't know if there is any rental options available up there...thanks.

[SledNeck]

for 4 days?

Honestly it might be cheaper to buy a used sled

[setterguy]

Really? I will check craigs list...any other suggestions on where to find good used sleds? I've only ridden a few times so any help would be great.

jnovatney at g mail dot com

[311Hemi]

Yep...I would probably buy a used sled. Call around where your going as places up north rent them, but you are probably looking at a minimum of $150-200/day.

Craigs list, dootalk, hardcoresledder, snowmobilefanatics.....are good places to start.

[DTro]

Just doing a quick browse through sleds on hsolist for under $600 brings up several good candidates.

One very nice looking one at $400

Remember to look in the RV section, that's where most are located

[setterguy]

Thanks guys...I'll have to come up with a strategy of explaining on how buying a sled is cheaper than renting...

[311Hemi]

All of the rental rates I have found around MN have been at least $200/day. So take that $800 for this trip and buy a nice used sled! Maybe put in next years rental fee's also for next years trip and buy a nicer sled for $1600. Or, maybe you will go twice this year...and once next year. There's $2400 for a sled. I am sure the wife will understand. LOL Good luck!

[BoxMN]

Dont forget insurance if you buy a sled. For just liability it is about $45 up to $170 for full coverage on a newer (2002) sled.

but remember, there is maintenance and repairs on all sleds, but the newer rental sleds are probably in tip top shape. Might not be so with used sleds. With that said, I got three used sleds this year Hope to put some miles and fishing on two of them this weekend.

edit - I did rent sleds up in Int'l Falls years ago, and it was a great experience. They ran perfect, and I just picked them up and dropped them off. No storage, no upkeep, very nice. But I figured more than about 5 days a year and it would be better to buy. That was my 1994 math

[mudslinger]

If you think about it. Owning/Driving a sled costs over $1 a mile. Add up maintenance, trailer, storage fees, reg/insurance, and snow down your back cause they are in your garage and your snow covered truck is outside... renting is not a bad gig. If you were planning on putting 200 miles plus per day in trail riding I would say rent. BUT since you are only driving a short distance....not more than 25 per day??? I would say buy a cheap one listed that runs. Plus one of your buds will crack one up while "checking the other side of the lake out" anyways. If you own the sled you don't have to pay HUGE bucks for brand new replacement parts to get it looking perfect again. Know a guy that didn't get the insurance from the rental place and he ended up buying a totaled sled after the first day. Go buy one. They are fun to play with