Adult sled comparison

There is no chance... Since you are reading us, it is that this sled comparison in which we detail only the sleds for adults is probably made for you !

Because you know and have probably practiced sledding when you were young. So you've probably experienced the intense feeling of sliding and speeding along the ground.

I'm guessing that, like Forster Kane*, sledding is one of the joys of your childhood.

And you don't intend to give up the joy of sledding in the snow !

But you're probably wondering : which sled to choose ?

In this sled comparison, you'll find all the information you need to know about the type of adult sled that's right for you.

The possibilities are endless, because the fun and excitement of sledding make it an endless source of inspiration and motivation.

Without further ado, find the rosebud (Orson Wells' hero sled in Citizen Kane) that will continue to give you thrills and memories for the rest of your life.

To do so, follow us into the magical yet technical world of sleds, their features and uses with this comprehensive sled comparison.

The monoski luge

ski-luge on piste

There are many Monoski sleds all over the world.

If you want to take the time to discover the history of the French model, you can read our article on the history of the paret.

Otherwise, let's get to the point.

The monoski sled is characterized by the fact that it has only one ski with a seat.

Even though this sled is less well known than its two-skate counterpart, it is still more efficient in many situations.

Among its undeniable advantages, many ski resorts allow some of these sleds on the slopes with skiers !

And you can consider that the SNOOC is probably the most authorized ski sled in the world on the ski slopes.

Why is ski sledding allowed on the slopes in the resort ?

The main characteristic of this monoluge is to follow the same trajectories as the skiers and to stop when skidding.

Therefore, the resort managers considered that the practice of SNOOC was as safe as skiing or snowboarding and allowed non-skiers to have a first approach to skiing.

The ski resorts and their managers prefer to speak of sit-skiing, in reference to the wheelchair-skiing used by people with disabilities.

In the framework of these authorized resorts, you can enjoy skiing, sitting at ground level, without having to walk up.

Without forgetting that this authorization will often be limited to adults or children provided that they are able to direct this ski-sled.

It should be noted that the behavior of each person on the slopes can promote or degrade the image of the practice, depending on whether users respect each other or not and respect the safety rules.

If these characteristics interest you, you will certainly want to deepen the subject by discovering the different existing monopatins sleds.

Ski sled in the mountains

Monopattern sledding also allows you to get off the beaten path and go hiking in the mountains in winter.

Sledding on a ski allows for great maneuverability and tight 180-degree turns, compatible with sledding touring routes..

Therefore, if the winter hiking in the mountains attracts you, discover a comparison of the best touring sleds for the rando-luge.

Or subscribe to the Newsletter to find out the latest news on routes and places to practice Snooc

The innovative aspect of this equipment encouraged us to carry out a complete analysis of the SNOOC to identify its strengths and weaknesses

The 2-skate sled

The two-runner sled is the most famous. It is obviously the ancestral sled that is present in the imagination of the whole world.

Again, in this comparison of snow sleds, we will only present equipment for adults.

Therefore, only strong sleds for weights up to 90kg and sometimes more than 150kg !

The undeniable advantage of these sleds is their stability !

The downside is that this stability limits the possibility of stopping if the speed is too great and the user is tetanized by the fear of falling.

It also does not accept slopes well. Therefore, the terrain must be carefully chosen to have a downhill profile without slopes. For example, a forest road or a trail designed and groomed for this purpose.

Although these sleds are not as maneuverable as a single-skate sled, it is important to note that different designs allow some two-skate sleds to have excellent control of their trajectories

Rigid sleds

Rigid wooden sleds are not made to make turns. It is possible to slightly orientate its course by playing on the pressure that one exerts in the snow with the feet.

Deformable sled

Some competition wooden sleds allow you to take the curves of the snowy forest roads.



These sleds can be twisted or deformed to make them take a turn.

You will find these sleds in Switzerland and Austria, where this practice remains a national sport.

Moreover, there are products for sportsmen and women that are very aerodynamic to allow them to have a very fast machine.
The guiding technique consists of applying pressure with the leg on the front rafter while pulling the guiding leash on the opposite side.

Sitting or lying on your back at ground level, the sensations are close to Formula 1.

Unfortunately, this competition luge remains very little developed or even non-existent in France.

The stations prefer the plastic sled bob which reaches lower speeds and causes lighter collisions.

Articulated frame sleds

This is probably a surprise to many of the readers of this sled comparison, but the articulated sled has been around for many years !

These sleds are very maneuverable thanks to a particularly well thought-out steering system.

Indeed, a parallelogram is mechanically deformed with a return on springs or simply thanks to elastic materials allowed by the progress of the plastics industry.

These sleds come close to, but do not reach, the maneuverability of skiing. Unfortunately, they have never reached the level of safety expected by resort managers.

As a result, these directional sleds have become very, if not too, efficient for sledding runs but not enough for ski runs.

A complex positioning, between two worlds, which probably did not contribute to its development despite its remarkable qualities.

The guiding technique is simple since you just have to lean on the side you want to go to in order to deform the frame, put the skates on the edge and start your turn.

This sled is often equipped with a manual metal brake that is activated if the user falls.

Does the quality of this winter sports equipment inspire you to go sledding in the mountains ?

Then discover the history of the directional snow sled and its models.

Finally, since you are probably inconsolable at the thought of the Rosebud sled going up in smoke, we have good news for you !

Indeed, Rosebud was made in triplicate to shoot the end of the movie Citizen Kane. Orson Wells was satisfied with the first two shots and didn't need to burn the third sled.

Since Steven Spielberg donated it to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Museum, you can find this mythical sled still intact !

The plastic sled

Of course you know the plastic sled.

In fact, the one you know best probably looks like the one in the


Under the pretext that in France, the sled is often considered a toy, it is possible that some manufacturers are not opposed to an increase in annual sales by being complacent in front of the obsolescence observed ... (or programmed ?) !

That being said, you could argue that adults use children's sleds when they are not designed for their weight! Of course, you are right.

Nevertheless, we have all noticed the same thing and so have the manufacturers : Adults love sleds... and break the children's !

In this case, why not make children's sleds strong enough to hold the weight of an adult ? ....

At a time when single use is to be banned to limit plastic waste, you should know that the price of a poor quality material is often more expensive in the long run than a quality equipment..

However, not all manufacturers are equal and some French products are better than others.

heavy duty sleds for adults, Those that will accompany you on all your descents without weakening.

I hope you are not looking for a first prize ?!

Because we will review the solid sleds up to the high-end sled that will serve the whole family for many years.

Solid plastic sleds with metal brakes

A must in a sled comparison, metal brake sleds owe their strength to the manufacturer's desire to make a solid sled for rental. The solidity is obtained thanks to several characteristics.

Firstly, the plastic is particularly resistant to extreme temperatures.

Secondly, the thickness of the plastic is greater than on the majority of children's sleds.

Finally, the choice of shape means that the whole sled is in almost permanent contact with the snow, which limits the deformation of the sled and the risk of breaking.

Relative maneuverability

The steering technique is mainly based on the alternating use of the brakes. Thus, one will brake on the left to turn left.

However, the piloting of this sled can become subtle. Once again, body weight is used to enhance performance in initiating and accompanying turns.

Although this professional sled is not allowed on ski slopes, you will find it on many adult sledding runs.

On these adult sledding runs, equipment is provided when you purchase your pass. No need to invest to make those mile-long sled runs !

We will not discuss models with plastic brakes that tend to break when the sled goes into reverse and the brake gets stuck in the snow.

Some brands do offer the possibility to repair these brakes, however. Hopefully, repairability of sleds will become the norm in the years to come.

The plastic shaped sled

You will probably be surprised to learn in this sled comparison that plastic sleds also have their directional model

These models have scalloped sides and often a domed surface in contact with the snow.

The flat middle section allows the sled to go straight. However, when the sled leans to the notched side, the notched side makes the sled curve and start to turn.

The user only has to lean to the side where he wants to turn.

You will find more details on where to go sledding in France with these models in the articles dedicated to directional sleds

The minimalist sleds

The shovel sled is equipped with a handle and a flat surface on which the user sits.



The shovel sled does not offer the possibility of negotiating these trajectories. It is however highly appreciated for its small footprintits, weight and its first prizes ridiculously low.

Inflatable sleds

It seemed obvious to us to address in this comparison sled, those that are inflatable. They are divided into two categories,

Tubing

This sled only slides in the direction of the steepest slope ! Usually in the shape of a donut, the famous American doughnut, the sled turns on itself during the descent.

This practice is very developed in the United States where there are snow stations reserved for this practice.

No effort or technique is required other than sitting in the buoy.

Once wedged in the center of this tubing donut luge, the user has nomore control over its direction and speed.

The total loss of control and the acceleration offer a rather stimulating adrenaline rush! Probably the reason of its success...

In France, some resorts offer an adapted space. Sometimes you can even practice tubing on specific slopes in summer.

We can only recommend the utmost caution and to venture out only on dedicated and secure spaces or after a thorough reconnaissance of the terrain.

The airboard

The airboard looks more like an inflated arrowhead that you position under your torso. Lying on the sled, the head in front, the chin at 30 centimeters of the ground, the thrills are at the rendezvous ! Helmet essential !

Rigid plastic rails attached to the underside of the cushion and in contact with the snow allow the glide to be directed.



As with the notch sled, tilting the cushion to one side allows a side rail to bite into the snow and initiate a turn.

The turn can be accentuated by the angle between the legs in contact with the snow and the upper body in contact with the cushion.

This accentuated turn allows to brake effectively by putting the rails perpendicular to the trajectory. This sledding is forbidden on the slopes, but is occasionally authorized at the end of the day under the supervision of ski professionals or on specific events.

so a solution for the rando-luge by inflating the cushion at the top of the hike.

2-person sleds and tandem sleds

You should know that many sleds are also adapted for tandem sledding.

Here again, it is a specific practice that we wanted to develop in our article about sleds for adults with 2 seats

You will discover in this article a sled that can accommodate more than 12 people simultaneously !

Innovative gliding and unlimited creativity...

We've quickly covered the basics of sledding and the most common technologies.

You'll find more in-depth information on each type of sled and technology in the additional articles linked throughout this article.

A buying guide with our recommendations is also available on our site, but if you're short on time, you can go straight to finding out what's the best 2022 sled on the market today.

However, we don't pretend to be comprehensive.

Some sleds have disappeared and others appear regularly.

We have only made a selection of the most emblematic sleds or sleds with interesting sliding characteristics in this sled comparison.

We remain convinced that the sled of the future still has many surprises in store !

Teachers : Didier Gugole, Daniel Kula, Denis Laville

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