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People in snowy places - can you tell me about sledges?

9 replies

Weta · 03/12/2010 09:06

Would like to buy one for DCs aged 3 and 7 - is it better to go for a traditional wooden one or a cheaper plastic one? Was thinking of getting one for them to share and we do like the look of the wooden ones but don't know much about them. Do they need the seat attachment you can get?

Anything else I need to know? do they need helmets if we are just going down little slopes around the neighbourhood?

Thank you!! I'm such a snow novice, but after last year have decided the best way to cope is to find ways of getting out in it and enjoying it :)

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RipMacWinkle · 03/12/2010 09:10

I'm far from an expert here but I'd like to share that we have a snow boogie board. It's made of foam and DS (and DH and I!) love it.

It's so light to carry that he can do it himself (v important for a 4 year old) and it goes down hills really smoothly because it's got a smooth bottom.

Am sure more expert sledgers will be here soon but wanted to let you know our experience. We live in Scotland btw so prob shouldn't even be posting on this topic! Sorry...

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JustDoMyLippyThenWeWillGo · 03/12/2010 09:12

The plastic ones are by far the best imo as they can be steered easily (with feet), go fast and are low to the ground if you fall off Grin. The wooden ones look good, but are no good unless the snow is just right.

Happy sledging.

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JustDoMyLippyThenWeWillGo · 03/12/2010 09:14

Oh, and buy two - they will want one each, and can pull them up the hill and feel v grown up.

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kreecherlivesupstairs · 03/12/2010 11:32

Justdo has the best advice. We had both sorts [spoiled by the broki] and the plastic one was the definite winner. DD always had to wear her helmet, no excuses. You could also consider what she called a bum sledge. Not sure of it's proper name, a disc with a handle on it.

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GrimmaTheNome · 03/12/2010 11:38

Its not snowy here so our sledge is languishing in the garage.Sad Its the proper Davos wooden one DH had as a boy, which proves its durability at least!

Not having tried the plastic ones I can't compare properly but my observations in the past is that ours goes like its on rails, seems to go faster and further.

Plus I'd feel like a prat on a plastic one but the wooden one is fine for a grownup. Oh, you were buying for your DCS... Grin

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meltedmarsbars · 03/12/2010 11:42

As an expert who has just been sledging this morning......

I use a plastic one like this one and you can fit two on it, but we also have the red one.

I am very jealous of people who have wooden ones with metal runners, as they tend to be the fastest, but are too heavy for small kids to pull back up to the top.

Best of all is sledging in the dark after the kids have gone to bed!!

The "bum" sledge is on my second link.

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fffreeezing · 03/12/2010 11:45

Would agree with boogie board type sledge, someone had one sledging with us recently and it was definately most popular, several little ones can go on it together too. Great fun Xmas Grin

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kreecherlivesupstairs · 03/12/2010 11:55

The one and only time I've been on a sledge I ended up with bruises from the wooden one. The little bits that stick up at the front got me.

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Weta · 03/12/2010 14:35

Wow, thank you all for the advice. The boogie board ones look quite scary!! The wooden ones look so lovely, but I can see it might be more fun for us if the kids can pull them up the hill instead of us having to do it :)

Hard part now will be to get hold of one - have looked at quite a few German websites but the ones that would deliver here have sold out, and I called the adventure shop and they don't yet have them in, so I'm obviously in some kind of inbetween no man's land (as often seems to be the case here!).

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