Archives: FAQs

How do you use a pulk with children?

We are often asked if our pulks work well for pulling kids or which sled we recommend using with children.  We’ve compiled some options for pulling your child while you ski or snowshoe.

Pulling your kids behind you in a sled isn’t a new invention.  But, new gear and creative people have made pulling your kids so much easier!  Now you don’t have to just pull your child with a rope while they bang into the backs of your legs on any inclines – you can pull them in a pulk!  You’ll find several commercial pulk companies that manufacture systems specifically for kids – and they are slick!  The Chariot Carrier looks amazing and we’ve heard great things about it.  There’s also the Thule system and probably others we’re not yet aware of.  But, if those sleds seem a little out of your price range, you can also make your own pulk to pull your child.  Here are a few ideas:

1. Purchase any child’s sled (or maybe you already have one) and connect our poles and harness to it so you can ski or snowshoe while having control over the little ones being towed behind. While we know many people who have pulled kids in a Paris based pulk with a Crazy Creek type chair, we do not recommend pulling children without a secure harness system and a backrest that can function as a roll bar.  It is difficult to do this in the Paris sled.

Snowclipper Pulk Pulling Kids2. Another option is to use our Snowclipper pulk system. There are two slots in the Snowclipper which makes adding backrests or dividers very easy.  While we do not provide the backrests or dividers, you can easily use cardboard to create a template and cut them out of 1/2″ plywood. Snowclipper Pulk sled to pull kids

Once you have the backrest, you can secure it to the sled and add harness configurations depending on the age of the child. With such precious cargo, be sure to ski well within your limits of controlling the sled.

Check out this video describing the Snowclipper backrests for pulling kids:

We’ve tried out a couple of other sleds that have worked well for our young daughter (15 months at the time of this article) that come with built in harness systems.

EraPro Snowflake Baby Sled3. The first sled we tried was the Paris Snowflake (from the same company who makes the popular Paris Expedition sled). We liked it because it had a shield to keep her warm and cozy and it had straps to keep her upright (since at 8 months she wasn’t the most stable sitter while riding in a sled).  But, there were also some drawbacks.  The shield wasn’t very easy to install and even though the sled fit her well at 8 months, our 2 year old niece was almost too big for it – so it wasn’t going to last us long.

 

Pelican Baby Sled Deluxe for Kids4. Then we found the Pelican and tried their sled. You can find the Pelican Baby Sled Deluxe online at Amazon by following this linkPelican Baby Sled Deluxe for Kids. This sled is bigger than the Paris Snowflake and we prefer it since it will last us longer and was more convenient to assemble.  It has a shield to keep her warm and toasty (even in -18F wind chills!  Oh Minnesota winter 😉 and has a strap to secure her (although that is one drawback – the Snowflake was better at keeping her secure since it had over-the-shoulder straps instead of just a waist strap) but it does the trick. One other thing we read might be a drawback is that the shield zips in the back so you have to put them in and take them out over the seat.  But, we found that you can just push the shield forward and get them in and out just fine.

On both of these sleds we were able to attach our pole and harness combo to provide good control while pulling our daughter.

       

How do I attach SkiPulk.com pole sets to other sleds?

Our pole sets work very well on several sleds. In many cases they will work without alterations, and in other cases you may need to create your own backing plate. Below we have some photos of our poles attached to sleds from other pulk manufacturers, or on sleds that are easier to find than the Paris sled. And, you can watch a video on how to install the Channel Kit on the Paris Expedition sled here:

Jet Jr Sled- Two configurations possible. The first uses our backing plate with the channels in the front. The second uses a custom backing plate from 3/4″ wide aluminum with the channels on top.

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Wilderness Engineering sled– using our backing plate and channel set to attach our poles.

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Older Siglin pulk from Northern Sled works– using a custom backing plate and our channel set.

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Beast Tobaggan from Emsco– using a custom backing plate and our channel set.

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Childs wooden sled– using longer wood screws with our channel set.

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Paris 48″ toboggan– using our backing plate and channel set.

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Do you make wheels for Summer or Tundra Pulking?

We are often asked about putting wheels on a pulk. It certainly has been done but we haven’t tried because without too much danger of falling- solid metal poles would work better for a wheeled pulk.

Three other options for summer pulking:

1. Using the extremely durable Northern Sled works UHMW sleds.

2. Using a wheeled multi use baby carrier or a modified canoe portage cart.

3. Using the Dixon Roller Pac

When would a toboggan be used?

Some winter travelers prefer the traditional toboggan design over skipulks. These designs allow for extremely large loads. Because the toboggans are long and narrow, the gear can be very stable and the width works well for snow shoe tracks. These systems are popular in the Boreal Forest, Canadian Shield and Quetico. They are not as good for cross country skiing or for hilly terrain. We have included one of the best sites for gear toboggans we know of: Black River Sleds (Plastic HDPE)

What other winter camping gear is available?

Grand Shelters / Ice Box Igloo Tool

Igloos make the most comfortable and longest lasting winter wilderness shelters. They are our favorite winter shelter when we are in the mountains. Check out this great tool for making igloos: (picture coming soon)

Four Dog Stove

If you are looking for a well crafted heat source for your tent, look to Four Dog Stoves for the answer. Four Dog builds light weight titanium and metal stoves as well as a small titanium bushcooker if you are a weight conscious traveler. Check out their website for more gear and wilderness skills information.

Empire Canvas Crafted Winter Parkas and Anoraks

Ed used to be called the “Cotton Cop” by friends for his diligence in keeping cotton out of his friends winter wardrobe. Then he was schooled in the use of cotton and other traditional fabrics in the outer layer of winter garments by the teachings of Bill Mason, and more directly from Kevin Kinney of Empire Canvas. Check out his incredibly crafted outer garments.

Snow Trekker Tents

We are experienced in all the styles of winter camping from snow trenches and quinzees to tarps. Each has its good points. Winter cold tent camping leaves a lot to be desired but hot tent camping offers the benefit of a hot evening to recuperate from the brutal cold, and most importantly to dry your clothing layers. For the best in hot tenting- you have to check out Snow Trekker Tents.

What’s the difference between the Harness Bottom and the Hip Belt?

We offer three styles of harnesses for Paris and Snowclipper pulks:  the Hip Belt, Harness Bottom and Full Harness.  Most of the components (foam/ cover/ pole attachment system) are the same. The biggest difference between the Hip Belt and Harness Bottom is in the buckles that are added. The Hip Belt with Day Pack Attachments is our simplest hip belt.  Use it if you always pull your pulk with some kind of backpack or if your system will be used by many different people like a rental operation. This harness has straps that allow you to attach the harness to any backpack or hydration system.

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These straps also help prevent the hip belt from sliding down your butt and give your shoulders the chance to help with the pull a little.

The Harness Bottom is the most versatile choice.  It comes standard with detachable leg loops which are popular with those who prefer to help keep the belt from riding up off their hips onto their waist (especially women).  On this harness we have replaced the day pack attachment straps with four buckles that can be used to attach our shoulder straps (or to make your own).  These top buckles also make it quite easy to create your own custom strap to go from the harness to your day pack.

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Why can’t you estimate my shipping at checkout?

Our pulks are irregular and oversized. To give you the best shipping rates, we have to call in to various carriers for estimates. It’s worth it, we promise! It ends up saving our customers nearly 50% on shipping costs.

Can I just order parts?

We sell nearly all the items that you need to build pulk poles, except the proprietary pole couplers. Other than couplers and the fiberglass wands, the parts needed to build poles will be found in the channel sets and emergency parts packs.

Note: We are unable to sell any of our pulk sleds by themselves except to existing customers who have purchased a system from us and need to replace or upgrade an old or damaged sled.