We were looking for rides which would give us as smooth a passage down the slope as possible (iStock/The Independent)
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Okay, so it’s been several years since the Beast from the East sent us all scrambling for old toboggans and makeshift sledges so that the family could make the most of the white stuff. Unless you’re lucky enough to live in the Highlands, snow isn’t something we have to worry about too much, but it always pays to be prepared so that the next time we’re blizzard-bound you can get out in the fresh fall before the kids from the local primary school turn everything to slush.
We were looking for rides that would give us as smooth a passage down the slope as possible, even over the lumps and bumps of ground that haven’t seen as much snowfall.
It was essential that everything we tested was easy to control and, of course, stopped as quickly as possible so we didn’t end up in the undergrowth.
We’re also assuming that your local sledging spot doesn’t have its own dedicated chair lift to get you back to the top, so a good sledge should be as lightweight as possible to ensure making the trudge back up isn’t too much of a chore.
As we’ve alluded to in the introduction (we don’t live in the Highlands) finding the right conditions with which to test sledges and toboggans can be a little problematic in the UK, which is why we took to the local snow park to see how they all performed on the white stuff.
We tested all the products with different riders on board (both adults and children) and the criteria for a positive review was simple – if we ended up at the bottom, still sitting on the sledge or toboggan with a big smile on our faces, they were in.
This metre-long board is perfect for both kids and adults. You can either lay down on the board, hanging on to the guide rope, or ride it like a snowboard, while still keeping your hands on the reins and the board under control. The Axiski was very malleable down the slope, so it was able to ride over plenty of rough terrain without damaging the board – the company proudly boasts on its website that it has only had three breakages, out of the tens of thousands of boards sold. There are moulded grips that will keep you grounded and the upturned outer edges are curved, similar to a snowboard’s, which really adds to the manoeuvrability and steering of the board.
Super lightweight, it’s easy to get back up the hill to repeat your run, and the added bonus is that the Axiski’s inverted runners means it can also be used on sand and even frosty grass – so you don’t have to wait for a blizzard to get out there and start having fun.
This robust board takes some skill to get the hang of but can give kids (and adults) an insight into how much fun it can be to get down the slope whilst remaining vertical.
We never felt like we were battling with the board and that it was constantly trying to get away from us, which is exactly what you need when you go from sitting to standing for the first time.
The snowskate is also designed to be used as a sledge, with a hollowed-out central section where you can put your hands to guide it downhill. However, the most fun is to be had when you find your feet with directional runners on the underside that keep the snowskate agile and a strong hand strap that means the board is always under control.
Fantastic build quality means we were never worried about it breaking and at only 1.5kg it’s easy to tuck under your arm as you head back up the slope for another run.
This sit-down sledge can be a little tricky to get the hang of, but it’s really worthpersevering because the yooner is a load of fun to ride. In fact, the yooner is becoming so popular on the slopes of the French Alps (where it’s made) that it even has a dedicated tribe of riders that call themselves “yoonigans”.
With a belt that ties around the waist to keep you connected to the machine you can control it by putting your uphill hand to the side, and to stop all you have to do is put your hand behind you for the yooner to swing around in a gentle motion. Once you get more confident you can link turns by putting alternate hands behind you, while always keeping one hand on the stirrup for total control. At just under 3kg, the yooner is easy to just pick up and get back up to the top again to repeat the fun.
Yamaha has long had a name in the petrol-powered snowmobile market, but for those of us who don’t live in the Yukon there is an option to jump on this steel -framed carbon copy that relies purely on gravity. There’s bags of manoeuvrability and stability with two long rear skids, and this combines with a steerable front ski that gives really good control, even as you gather momentum downhill. You can slow your descent with a foot-operated snow brake that was very effective so that you don’t need to worry about younger riders getting out of control and ending up in trouble. The viper offers a comfortable ride too, with rubber grips on the handles and a nicely moulded seat. There’s also a towing system, with a retractable cable into the front ski, which allows for easy pulling back to the top.
Anyone who has been downhill on an inner tube before knows how quickly they build up speed, and the sonic snow tube will definitely not disappoint those who really like to bomb down at a breakneck pace. The sonic comes in two sizes (regular and extra large) with the regular being the best bet for children who are going solo, although the extra large is a good option if an adult is riding along.
If you have ridden an inner tube before, you might also remember that your fun was often cut short by rocks and branches hidden in the snow, which ripped through the rubber and rendered the tube useless. However, the sonic is incredibly durable, with the semi-rigid rubber on the underside absorbing the relief of the slope superbly. The moulded handles add control, giving you the option to swing left and right without it ever feeling like you’re going to tip the tube over. You’re still reliant on your wellies to bring you to a controlled stop, but there’s a built-in tow strap so you can pull the tube behind you back to the top.
Just a few steps up from the humble metal tray, the hot sheet offers no-frills fun with its spade-like design, which is actually surprisingly manoeuvrable once you’re sat down and moving at speed. The sledge is made from HDPE plastic, which is durable and cold resistant – you can even repurpose it as a shovel for a spot of snowman building.
Obviously, if it’s comfort you’re after then the hot sheet is not for you, and you certainly feel very “connected” to the slope and every bump and ridge on the way down, so some well-padded trousers are a must. However, it is quick, easy to control for children and it’s no effort to carry with you back to the top.
Suitable for three years plus, this sit-on-top sledge won’t take up much room in the garage over the summer, but will offer a very efficient sledging experience over the winter with its compact design that resembles a saddle and stirrup.
Once you’re off and sledging, you just need to lift your feet up on the non-slip pedals either side of the handle and you can move left and right by shifting your balance using the central handle, which will also keep you in the non-slip seat.
At only 2kg, it’s easy to carry around using the stirrup as a makeshift carry handle.
We were a little nervous about getting on board a sledge called the aAbyss – but by the time we were halfway down we realised how manoeuvrable the sledge was, even at speed.
The “horn” design of the extended runners makes for effortless steering, by either pulling or pushing on the horns, and the runners also mean that the sled takes next to no time to get up to speed.
The high-quality ash wood that the sledge is made from means that it’s a very robust piece of kit that will be able to take plenty of knocks without needing running repairs. We also found the abyss very comfortable thanks to the strapped seat, which absorbed the ups and downs of the slope.
The davos sledge featured in our previous round-up and has made it in again, because it’s still one of the best designs if you want to get down a slope comfortably and efficiently.
Super workmanship and build quality means that even when we got airborne a couple of times we never had to worry about turning the sledge into kindling when we touched down.
The two runners are studded with iron which makes the davos slower than many of the other rides that we tested, but this is what makes it particularly suitable for younger riders.
The traditional toboggan design is great because it combines speed with durability and is as good over hard-packed, almost icy, snow as it is travelling over the softer stuff. However, it can be cumbersome, whether you’re walking to the slope or packing it away in a car boot. That’s what makes the VidaXL a particularly innovative product, because its design allows the sledge to be broken down flat after releasing the safety lock. However, this doesn’t compromise how secure and stable the Vida XL is on the slope and the metal runners mean it glides quickly over all textures of snow, but is still easy to control with the pull cord which doubles as a tow rope when you’re on your way back up.
Combining speed with plenty of control, the design of the Axiski MKII means that you don’t have to spend the whole snow day sitting down and can also get a taste of what it’s like to snowboard. Robust plastic and a well-thought-out design means that it won’t end up in the sledge graveyard at the bottom of the slope and will be ready to run for plenty of winters to come.
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