First Look: Can-Am Apache XC LT Track System

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Running a side-by-side or ATV in deep snow can be hazardous. Even rugged all-terrain tires will quickly dig themselves a grave when there’s enough powder on the ground. And they don’t always offer the required traction when conditions turn icy. So in order to make your quad effective year round, Can-Am designed the new Apache XC tracks. XC tracks, which are a set of tracks that mount on a quad or side-by-side to improve traction, flotation, and ground clearance. They are engineered to help drivers confidently navigate difficult terrain, particularly deep snow.

Whether you need a homestead workhorse or a vehicle to get you to your ice fishing spot, these tracks are designed to get you over tall drifts, deep powder, slippery ice, and pretty much any obstacle winter (or any other season) might throw your way.

The new Apache XC LT track system is an update to Can-Am’s already stout and capable Apache 360 LT. With brand-new optimized frame geometry, track patterns, angle of attack, and wheel placement, Can-Am promises an easier-handling drive, a more enjoyable ride, and better performance on difficult terrain. I saw just how well these tracks handle deep snow during a drive that took me both on and off trail through Utah’s Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. Here’s how they performed.

The new Can-Am Apache XC LT tracks next to the Can-Am Apache 360 tracks. Ben Dann Photography

Can-Am Apache XC LT Track System Specs and Key Features

Track width: 12.5 inches (front), 15 inches (rear)
Lug height: 1.25 inches (front), 1.375 inches (rear)
Average ground clearance: 17 inches
Central guide to reduce detracking
Noise- and vibration-reducing shaft dampeners
Increased front wheel height
Stamped and welded steel frame
Replaceable hub and wheel bearings
Mounting kit sold separately
Price: $6,700

Installation

When I asked how difficult it was to install the treads, I was told it took two people less than an hour.

“After that, maintenance is no harder than changing a tire,” our guide, Kyle says. The treads are compatible with all Can-Am ATVs and side-by-sides vehicles, including the Outlander, Commander, and Defender series. While these winter tracks can be used in the summer for swampy conditions, they tend to wear out faster in the mud. Beaver Creek Lodge swaps them out for all-terrain tires during warmer months.

New Track Design

Although the Apache XC tracks may have a completely new design, it’s easy to tell they share the same basic DNA as their older brother, the Apache 360. At first glance, I mistook them for twins, but a closer inspection revealed some impressive differences.

First, Can-Am optimized the width, lug height, and track pattern, providing a ½ inch wider track with ¼-inch deeper lugs and a slightly more angled pattern. It also extended the contact patch to increase grip and better distribute weight in deep snow. When paired with a more aggressive attack angle, Apache XC LT tracks are designed to provide better traction in virtually any off-road condition.

Frame Geometry

Can-Am engineers improved the frame geometry (the length and angles of the track frame) on the new Apache XC. By adjusting the balance between the front and rear track sections, the new design allows a more precise response from the steering wheel (or handlebars if you’re on an ATV). As a result, it is much less of a struggle to get the vehicle to do exactly what you want.

The Can-Am Apache XC LT tracks in action in the snow. — The enhanced treads on the Can-Am Apache XC tracks system allow you to accelerate faster and maneuver easier in snowy conditions. Ben Dann Photography

When paired with the enhanced treads, the Apache XC LT system allows you to accelerate faster and achieve top speed while burning less fuel. Apache XC track systems also have a more aggressive attack angle, so you can easily plow through mud and soft, fresh powder or climb over tough obstacles.

Ground Clearance

Can-Am gave a big boost in ground clearance with the Apache XC. The brand also adjusted the track’s angle of attack to help ATVs and UTVs climb over bigger, nastier stuff so you can spend more time on the trail and less time dealing with obstacles.

Reduced Vibration

To offer a quieter ride, Can-Am adjusted the placement and spacing of the wheels to match the track design and added a supportive rolling band and rubber shaft dampeners to reduce noise and vibration.

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Durability

The new design has a tougher, one-piece frame construction. The welded and stamped frame is built for better durability than previous designs.

Can-Am also redesigned the hub bearing retention on its Apache XC tracks. The system is stronger and pairs better with larger, heavier units. The wheels are fitted with better-sealing replaceable bearings for improved reliability and easier maintenance.

The tracks also feature a center slide that runs the length of the tread in between the track cogs to prevent it from accidentally slipping the track.

A close up of the Can-Am Apache XC LT track system on a Defender in the snow. — These tracks are built to handle deep snow. Ben Dann Photography

Driving the Can-Am Apache XC LT Track System

I am a flatlander from the South where a few inches of snow means that schools shut down, grocery stores sell out of bread, and everyone generally loses their minds. Because I know that most Southerners (myself included) do not know how to drive in even a dusting of snow, I choose to stay home, eat soup, and binge-watch episodes of Alone when my hometown gets wintry weather. So I have minimal experience driving in the snow, and any I do have I endured with a white-knuckle grip on the steering wheel and near-crippling anxiety.

Two Can-Am side-by-sides with tracks drive on a snowy mountain trail. — Driving off-road in northern Utah is lot different than driving in the South in winter. Ben Dann Photography

When I had the opportunity to drive some Can-Am Defender Max Limiteds in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest in early January, I was skeptical that I could handle it. It was only my second time driving a side-by-side and my first time in the snow.

My home base for the trip was Beaver Creek Lodge, where the guides acted like they were born in the snow. Before I test-drove the new Apache XC LTs, I got a taste of the Apache 360s to provide a side-by-side feel for how well the upgrades performed. After only a few minutes behind the wheel, I ditched the white knuckle grip and any lingering winter-driving anxiety. Driving confidently in Utah’s winter wonderland was easy with Can-Am’s track systems.

With the new Apache XC LTs, the brand promises a “reduction in steering effort because of the optimization of the tread in synergy with the alignment of the wheels allowing a better contact with the ground.”

While that sounds like marketing jargon, and I don’t fully understand the mechanics behind it, I can attest that the new tracks make the Defender hella easy to steer.

While the previous 360 LT iterations weren’t exactly difficult to handle, a driving comparison proved that the simplest of tweaks in the design offered big performance differences. After climbing over a well-groomed trail through the National Forest to the Utah/Idaho line, I had the opportunity to rip up some fresh powder off-trail.

An overhead view of two circles in the snow made by two different side-by-sides. — An overhead view of the turning radius of the new Apache XC LT track system (left) compared to the Apache 360 LT tracksystem (right). Ben Dann Photography

In the powder I found that the new tracks are super easy to steer and definitely offer a superior turning radius compared to the older 360 LT system. While I didn’t have the opportunity to measure the turning radii of each track set, an overhead view says everything that needs to be said.

A Can-Am Defender Max Limited weighs over a ton, but it almost floats over the snow with these new tracks. The traction is unbelievable and I got the side-by-side up to 29 mph with only one mild lateral slide when I didn’t slow down sufficiently for a tight switchback. It cruises over soft snow almost as easily as a snowmobile.

Final Thoughts on the Can-Am Apache XC LT Track System

While a new Can-Am Apache XC LT track system requires a relatively hefty investment, it’s much cheaper than paying for a dedicated snow vehicle. These tracks perform beautifully in snow and are designed for all-season use, so you don’t have to swap them out when Spring rolls around and turns things muddy.

Although I entered the experience with serious trepidation about driving over snowy, mountainous terrain, the new tracks had me wanting more. Not only are they practical, but they make driving in the snow downright enjoyable. Since I’m lucky to see snow at home once every 3 years or so, they wouldn’t be a wise personal investment. However, I can see the utility of the Apache XC LT tracks for any outdoorsman who lives in snow country.

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Source: https://www.outdoorlife.com/gear/can-am-apache-xc-lt-review/