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Not a deal breaker but the cable management under the dash of the Ariens look cleaner. I like the way Ariens thought out of the box with the RapidTrack system 👌.

I love the joystick on my Toro! When the wind changes suddenly I can whip the chute instantly and keep on going.

Excellent review Mr Sikkema! Based on your previous review, last year I went to purchase the Ariens Pro Rapid Track 28 at my local dealer. Unfortunately, they were sold out and I purchased the wheel model Pro 28 hydro instead. No regrets at all, it’s a phenomenal machine and works perfectly for my needs. I grew up using a 1960’s Ariens 5 hp unit and inherited my Dad’s 1984 Ariens ST1032 that finally wore out which necessitated my purchase last year. I suspect that my new current Ariens will outlast me. Your reviews and demonstrations are second to none and show prospective buyers exactly what is relevant for making a sound purchase.

Paul, fantastic review. Thank you very much for taking the time to make this video. Very nice work!

I have the 2016 Ariens Hydro Pro 28 , and I am 100 percent satisfied with this snowblower , It is a fantastic machine . Thank you , Mr Sikkema for taking the the time to make this video . God bless you sir .

Paul, I enjoyed the video thoroughly. Thank you for taking the time to make the comparisons. I live in central NH. Snow conditions vary wildly. I own a Honda HS1132TAS that I purchased in roughly 2000, and often ask a great deal of it. It’s pro’s: Still fires off with a pull or two and runs like it did when new. The build is seemingly bombproof. It’s traction is extraordinary, and the auger rarely climbs.

Thank you so much for the detailed information. Convinced me to go with the Ariens 28” hydro RapidTrak Pro. I can’t wait for work action!

WOW 🤩!!! Hands down one of the best videos I’ve ever seen on in-depth real life every day use . Great job !! . You have 100% helped me make my choice. Side note.. Neighbors like ..oh boy he lost his mind. Playing with the snowblower in the dirt again . LOL

We live in Anchorage, Ak. Your video is VERY helpful. We love our Ariens!

This was a very in depth review. And very well done. Thank you for your time!

Thanks Paul for your video, i got my ariens last week now can't wait for snow its a great machine for me

Your review was excellent and I really appreciated your thoroughness. Didn't know someone could go into so much specific detail of snow blowers! Again, thanks for the wonderful video!

Hey Paul with your help I bought the 28 inch Rapid Track a couple year's ago and I absolutely love it. I have a disability so I also had to buy a tractor, but I stiill use my blower some as well just not this year because as of right now we don't have any snow, that will probaly change soon I am in NL Canada so we usually get a lot of snow. Thanks for the great video and indepth review. All the best.

I own an Ariens Deluxe with the larger engine and I love it. The dealer carries both Ariens and Honda. Comparing the two, feature for feature, the Honda was nearly $1,000 more. Honda does make a good product but you do pay for the name.

I live in middle Georgia. We have not had snow in two years. And if get snow it's two inches. But for some reason I watched your video and found it interesting. Learned a thing or two.

You rock, Paul! Nobody explains these machines like you do. I am very interested in upgrading in the next year or so, and after watching your vids I am still torn. Both look to be excellent.

Thanks for evaluating both units, it has educated and helped me a great deal.

This video was KING! So much good info! Thanks!

I have to first say thanks to you for your great and very detailed and in depth videos. Living in Michigan, the weatherman can't predict the weather 12 hours out to save their life. 5 years ago we had snow waist deep to a tall Indian, this year we've had 2 snowfalls that require getting out the snowblower for a total of about 5". My driveway is 35' wide, 35' long then it has a 15' long taper that takes it down to 24' wide for the next 30' out to the road. I've been using a 22", 7.5hp single stage for the last 7 years. At least every year it goes thru a set of flights and a scraper bar. Those replacements just keep going up every year. Our last storm the snow about 4" and was a little damp and my single stage would barely throw it 10' to the side. That's when I had enough. I started my research and narrowed it down to a Honda, Ariens, or a Toro. I wanted a track model, hydrostatic drive and a 28". I liked the track drive system of the Toro, but REALLY liked the Ariens. I decided on the Ariens Pro 28 Rapid Track. Little too much sticker shock so I decided to downgrade my option to the Platinum 28 SHO. I scoured the internet and had almost no luck finding one. I had a complete bonehead moment and forgot I had an Ariens dealer 2 miles from my house. I gave them a call and the only tracked unit they had was a Pro 32 Rapid Track. This unit isn't a go big or go home, its go BIGGER or go home! The dealer gave me an OTD, delivered to my house price on it you'd be an idiot to turn down. It looks to be an extremely well built machine. Other reviewers have posted that it is built like a tank. That's an understatement. You could storm the beaches of Normandy with this thing! The chute controls move WAY easier than I thought. The Rapid Track conversion from track to wheel mode and/or back is really easy. Disengage the transmission is easy and even being brand new it is much easier to move around manually than I thought it would be. The engine starts very easy and the throttle controls, choke, fuel shutoff and even the key are easy to get to. Paul, everything you said about this Pro unit model is dead on. I watched so many videos and read so many reviews I cant remember if you said it or not, but it was said you buy one of these and itll be the last snowblower you'll ever buy. I haven't had a chance to use it yet, but I could believe it. It's a LOT of overkill for the amount of snow we get here for the last few years, but when that changes and we get the du.pings like we used to, I'll be ready and itll be worth every penny, as long as I dont have any issues. However, my local dealer reassured me if I do have any, I am not to hesitate to call them and they will come and pick it up and make it right. Another reason I like to give my business to my local business instead of the box stores. Again, a BIG THANKS to you for your great videos and helping me make my decision on an Ariens!!!

Thanks for making this video! I like all your snowblowers.

Thanks for this very thorough in detailed review.

Great video sir! I decided on the Ariens Rapid Track. I can't wait until the next snow

Thank you for an awesome comparison.

I just recently got the Alpine model from Ariens. I am looking forward to using it. Love the track features!!

Excellent Presentation!!

Thank you for this very comprehensive and informative video Paul, it seems Toro and Ariens have virtually perfected these machines. The hydro static drive is a big improvement over the disk and friction wheel system which inevitably gets wet due to not being sealed up well on top. I'm currently using an older style Ariens that's very well built and reliable but have been considering an upgrade to one of these tracked models. Thanks again.

Thanks for such a great video, you have convinced me that an Ariens is a quality machine. I was going to purchase a used Honda HSS1332A however a used Ariens platinum SHO 28 track is about 700.00 less expensive. Thanks again for such a detailed video.

Thank you very much for such a detailed comparison review!

Thank you Paul, get the Ariens!

Thanks for the video. It is always interesting to watch a review of cool machines :-)

Thanks Paul!! Love the videos

Very good review videos! I have been looking at cub cadet tracked snow blowers and keep seeing the eriens rapid track i think your video finished me off think I’m going with the eriens. Thank you for video.

My only experience with a track system is the Ariens you tested here. I had a Murry previously. I purchased it because it can be setup to "dig" into packed snow. Found out it also climbs curbs easily which is helpful for what I clear. It is nice that it operates like a wheeled snowblower when using you don't need the other features. I'm sure the Toro is a fine machine, but I am very happy with my Ariens.

Without having used them, I'd take the Ariens with the Toro's chute and chute control (in a perfect world).

I like the Ariens. I think I'd go with a 28" and TIRES. The tracks aren't for me. If they come out with a professional with EFI, I may think about it. I am looking at the Honda as well because well, HONDA! Their engines are amazing. This would replace my 44-year-old 832 Deere which is being a jerk lately! 😀 It's been in the family since new though so it's hard to replace it. Thanks for a thorough review.

Amazing review

Can’t wait for my rapid track to come in should be in this week.. thank god i ordered when I did there backordered till March!!!

Best video I have seen on snowblower comparison it just so happens these are the two machines I’m interested in. I wish there was snow to really show the machines in action. But most of all I wish you talked price being a dealer. Again the best and informative video I have seen thank you very much and please make more you good at it.

Love my Rapidtrak. There are four positions for the traks. Float, track, track with positrak, and dig in.

Wonderful video. Thank you so much:)

This man knows a good blower when he sees one! Bravo 👏

I’m an Ariens guy! I did notice the Ariens tracks didn’t drop into place when you were turning on the concrete so it’s probably not an exact representation while turning with the bucket on the ground. Some of my pictures with my Pro 28 are on display in one of the meeting rooms at Ariens headquarters! Pretty neat to have Ariens recognize me!

Good rundown on both machines, I have owned both brands but I'm an Airens man they are built like a tank and I find maint. on the airens as far as changing your own belts and doing adjustment's is far easier.

Excellent videos. Top of the line

Love your présentation for the ones that want to know everything about the Toro :P That's the one we are going to buy next week! :)

Great video! Loved it!

YOU'RE THE BEST. THANK YOU

Great review

Very well done! Thank you!

Great quality review. With the cast iron gear case and actual shear bolts, these aren't close. Our dealership repairs almost ever aluminum gear case we've ever sold.

Excellent review on them. I have the ariens pro 420 efi wheeled version and the toro 1432. Both good machines. Wanted efi after froze my 1028 the previous season and more power. I use them on 30-40 plus houses with large driveways and lots of sidewalk each time it snowed last year. I alternated machines. The ariens was used for 2 snow events at the end of the previous year. Broke an auger bolt and then a month later the auger gear went on my 1028 the previous year. probably related to the stupid 2" shale rock that snapped the bolt initially but it got used hard for a few snow falls. Few things on each current ones which is the same for atleast the toro. The auger brake lever has been replaced a couple time on the ariens and the shoot as you mentioned doesnt go down enough. Doesnt seem like much but when doing close driveways and directing away from neighbors homes and gas meters....its necessary. Toro, broke the things i was told wouldnt break on the 1028. But the 1432 only broke the aluminum rod for the drive lever. The light position for the toro sucks when blowing to the right...snow coveres it and with both machines...engine heat causes buildup around the chutes and thus creates ice. Id buy either one. I prefer my toro disc drive for busting through the plowed driveway ends but the ariens hydro is faster when less load.

I almost bought the new Husqvarna last year as I liked the EFI, but I'm sure glad I didn't and went with the Ariens RapidTrak. While it definitely throws snow "high" it's wayyyy slower. Your comment "remember that thing" reinforced I made the right decision 🤣😂.

Excellent comparison!! Unbelievably thorough. I have a commercial Toro Powershift 1031 I purchased back in 1993. Still running strong! Two things that I really like about that machine are the auger and drive. The auger is a steel drum with the solid blade wrapped around the drum. You can hit a brick, or a frozen newspaper hidden under the snow and you won't damage the auger at all. The second thing is the Powershift. When activate, it releases the rear axle, and allows it to pivot back an additional 6 inches or so. With the rear wheels in that Powershifted position it digs deep. I can do dips on the handlebars, at 260lbs, and the auger still rests solidly on the pavement without lifting. I'm curious if anyone nowadays makes an auger like my old Toro, and I'm also curious if these machines with tracks and their systems will dig as hard as the Powershift setup. I may be in the market for a second machine, and from your comparison, I'd lean towards the Ariens (I need that taller auger opening for the 2 to 3 got snowfalls)....but, I'd like a machine that's at least 31" wide or preferably wider.

Could tell ya liked the orange one a bit more:) so did i. Can't wait to see it eating through a 7ft drift of snow or something ya know more than a 2 inch dusting that's almost easier just to push with a shovel instead till ya get an actual pile for the blower

Would love to have either one. Mine spinning tires is still better than a shovel but having one that can push itself through the snow bank plow left at the end of the drive would be way nice.

Well done sir !

I love my ariens rapid trak platinum, I'll do my neighbors house when it snows heavy, it's enjoyable to use. Thanks for the recommendation, about to start my 3rd winter season with it.

Thanks for the info

Both look awesome and seem like fun. I heard Toro has been having a lot of reliability issues but I love the idea of not having to replace shear pins.

Awesome, thanks

Hi Paul! Double dipping today I am! I have to give the Ariens a Win from an engineering point of view that wheel and track combo and the on demand steering no ancillary user input required and would sell the machine for Me if I was shopping for one hands down that was Well thought Out to be sure! looks like there is a removable side plate to sevice the auger! Thanks Again! Cheers!!! Rick Armstrong Aurora Ontario Canada

You are awesome Paul

Great video, thanks. I have a very long, very narrow driveway which is adjacent to my neighbor's driveway, so the down position on the Toro's chute is the game changer for me - I need to keep the snow as close to the machine as possible. Is there another brand that also does this function well?

Such a useful and thorough presentation. Thanks Paul! Too bad Yamaha don't sell their snowblowers in the US, would've loved to hear your thoughts on their 10/28 vs these two.

ended up with Toro 1432 after looking at both of these units. Hard to beat rapidtrak but my local Toro dealer sold me a TRX HD 32 for $1300 less than the Ariens. The ariens Alpine 28 hydrostatic is 6500-7k canadian at my local dealers, crazy expensive.

I love Ariens Rapid Trak( ty Ron

Two great USA made machines!

You did a great job explaining track differences and demonstration on gravel. Do you have a winter snow demonstration between Ariens and Toro?

As an older fella I like the tracked machines for stability on sloped areas. But man, are they expensive. Thanks for the video!

Best machine i evergot 😊ariens rapid track

I love my rapid track

Have to stop you at the gear boxes. I work part time at a Toro dealer/small engine repair shop in the rocky mtns of Idaho. We get all types of snow and lots of it. The Toro has a much better built gear box than the Ariens. Toro uses all steel gears of which we have NEVER had to service in the thousands of machines out there in our valley. We have however replaced gear boxes and gear sets in the ariens as they use a brass on steel gear set that will wear over time no matter how gentle you are with it. If i remember right its about a 400 dollar fix. Toro is the hands down better machine when it comes to the major conponent longevity. We rarely see the Toros for anything but regular maintenance.

Thank You

What I want is a small track based plow that I can ride on like a mini-Toro Dingo in the $2,000-2,500 range. Doesn't even have to snow blow. Could be just a plow or an interchangeable front head. @Toro @Ariens.

Ariens for me. I have a 2003 11-28 ariens and it’s been bullet proof. Oil changes , grease and normal belt adjustments and a couple shear pins

I live where you need a snowblower. I wish people would quit talking about snowblower speed. When you really need your snowblower……….speed doesn’t matter. What matteres is how much snow they move. People keep selling you on speed of machines………how much snow can they move? That’s what matters. I would give my top 3 forward gears for a faster reverse.

Thank you for your great and very detailed explanations. Really super helpful! I only have one question, which Ariens RapidTrack do you recommend between the 28 and 32 inch? Is there any pros or cons between the two? Thank you kindly.

Great video Paul! I just got a Cub Cadet 30 trac that does not trigger turn on dry pavement. Is that normal for non-commercial machines? Do the 2 machines you reviewed have upgraded steering to turn so well on dry surfaces? Thanks

Paul, I watched video and I also watched a review you did on the ST430T. I currently have ST330 and I moved to an area with way more snow. I would appreciate your opinion on what machine i should buy to replace the ST330. I liked your video on the ST430T but I am not in love with the control cables freezing constantly...let me know thanks

Great review on these very advanced machines but still not as refined as Honda or Yamaha. Far from the very best walk behind machines on the market, as stated. Thank You

That dig in mode should be great for gravel driveways.

Does the trigger pull have a pressure type of feel to it? Meaning, can I only squeeze one trigger a little bit to go around a curve per se? Thanks for the detailed video. Very helpful indeed.

Great comparison Paul! I have a fairly steep gravel driveway at a cabin so I only get to it once a month or so in the winter. My current Ariens 1028 with wheels and tire chains dig the wheels in and lifts the front end so that it doesn't really have much effect. Which of these track drive systems would be better as far as going thru the snow and not raising the front end up and over the snow?

Hi Paul, what is the max speed forward? Are snowblowers on tracks slower that on wheels? I ask this because I have some properties and walk/transport the snowblowers there. I am looking to buy the Ariens 926078 Professional Rapidtrak (28") 420cc Snow Blower, one think I like about the tracks is that there are no flat tires.

Great video Paul! I'm in the market for a new snow blower and have started doing research. I would like a 30-32 inch size model but i would like like a wheeled blower simply for the ease of motion but I can't find a wheeled blower thats hydro drive. Is there a brand that makes 30-32 inch blower, wheeled, with hydro drive? although after watching your video i might just pull the trigger on that ariens rapid track! thanks much

Thanks so much for this review! Looks like I'll be getting an Ariens (service much closer to home if needed). Unfortunately, the professional machine is rather costly. I wonder, would the 28 Deluxe serve as well? Currently being drowned in snow ...

Hello Paul, how would you compare the Cub Cadet Pro 3X with 420 cc with wheels with these two snowblowers? Is the Cub Cadet a worthy competitor? Or is the Ariens still the best? Is the three stages a better system?

👽 Ariens own 2 thx 4 vid. spread the love ...............................................................

Paul, I have a bad back and am looking for a machine that I don't have to manhandle and fight to steer. Will the ariens rapid track be easy to maneuver?

Great review! May I ask what you think of the Generac SB15130GENG snowblower?

What are the main differences between the Ariens RapiTrack and the Ariens Professional series, other than the tracks? My driveway has a small slope, should I purchase the RapiTrack versus the wheels model? I am looking at either the 28 RapidTrack or the Professional series 28. Thank you for your answer!

Hi Paul, in your professional opinion, if you had to pick from the Honda 13/32 or Ariens rapid track 32 inch with the 420cc,, which one would you pick? Thanks

Thanks for the great video! I've been debating between a track drive vs. tires for Ariens, any recommendations? Living in Canada, but normal size driveway (RAPIDTRAK probably an overkill but not sure about how much more traction I can get, and is it worth the extra $$ compared to tires).

Ariens!

I have a 2 stage Cub Cadet that I need to replace. My 2 main complaints with the Cub is 1: It doesn't throw snow as far as anyone would like and 2: I can't go any faster than 1st gear and still see blacktop. Do either one of these do a better job on either account?

Mr. Sikkema , what is the recommended maintnance for the track system . Is it complicated or expensive . Thank you sir for the video and your time . God bless you .

Paul, do you recommend putting impeller kits on a snow blower?

Paul I have a Honda wheel blower, well I'm 6 foot and the Honda makes me hunch over a bit when using, just enough to kill my back ... How tall are the Ariens bars grips ???

I was going to buy the husgvarna, but changed my mind and went for the ariens as i like the rapid trak.