(downhill) Sled talk

[Jay H]

As opposed to "nordic" sleds for gear hauling, I guess we can have downhill sledding versus nordic sledding..

Anybody try this:

http://www.backcountry.com/store/ALP0106/c1/s50/sale/Hamax-Hot-Sheet-Sled.html

Check out the table on the right table for "Steering mechanism"

Jay

 

[cbcbd]

Looks cute

What I've been really wanting to try out this year is one of these:

http://www.madriverrocket.com/

Watch some of the videos on the site. This sled is insane!! I also wonder how good it could be for hauling gear.

 

[Quietman]

This is from their website

Rocket Pulk

 

[Halite]

Looks cute

What I've been really wanting to try out this year is one of these:

http://www.madriverrocket.com/

Watch some of the videos on the site. This sled is insane!! I also wonder how good it could be for hauling gear.

Jay, I guess if I'm going shovel sledding I'll just use a shovel since it can do double duty in camp. I did enjoy the "steering mechanism" in the product description. Truth in advertising!

I finally got a chance to try out our Mad River Rocket on Sunday after the big snow dump. I took it out our backyard, which is a quick, steep, rocky pitch down to a river. As the sled run got smoothed out after the first runs, the sled would go insanely fast. I found myself going through the same focus preparation I would before a really gnarly tree run on tele skis. The sled is quite maneuverable, once you get comfortable with the body english required to steer.

I think the Mad River Rocket would make a good gear hauling sled with a set of poles and a harness. My one complaint about its design is that the plastic nuts and bolts used to hold the harness come unscrewed too easily and then get lost. I had to quickly snap in a biner to replace one and wouldn't trust the other for any backcountry trip.

 

[Pat R]

Looks cute

What I've been really wanting to try out this year is one of these:

http://www.madriverrocket.com/

Watch some of the videos on the site. This sled is insane!! I also wonder how good it could be for hauling gear.

Found this article Sledding in ADK Sports and Fitness about that Mad River sled. Sounds like it could be a fun time on the way down from a mountain!

 

[Jay H]

I've seen the Mad River Rocket posted in other sled threads, but it's also way more expensive that the plastic shovel thing... I wouldn't mind getting a sled this end-of-winter season, it just looks fun. Cheapest I've seen the Rocket in an informal google search was $75 for the killer B one..

Jay

 

[Tom Rankin]

... but it's also way more expensive that the plastic shovel thing...

If you mean a SnowClaw, they are very light and cheap, but I'm not sure they are the best thing for sledding. I tried one a few times w/o much success. There was a thread I started on them a while back. Still haven't decided to junk it, but it requires just the right type of snow. I just don't know what type that is yet!

 

[Jay H]

Nope Tom, I mean the $6 shovel replacement I posted in the original post. I looked at it cause it was cheap...

jay

 

[cbcbd]

Quietman, thanks for the link - I eventually found it when browsing their site.

Cheapest I've seen the Rocket in an informal google search was $75 for the killer B one..

EMS has them now for $49
http://www.ems.com/catalog/product_...older_id=2534374302641801&bmUID=1140014071236


...and with Halite's positive experience... I think I might just have to get one!

 

[Jay H]

..and the link says it is no longer in stock. Perhaps locally?

Jay

 

[skiguy]

Looks cute

What I've been really wanting to try out this year is one of these:

http://www.madriverrocket.com/

Watch some of the videos on the site. This sled is insane!! I also wonder how good it could be for hauling gear.

I have posted about the Mad River Rocket before. It actually was originally called the Mad River Pocket Rocket. I first bought mine back in the mid to late 80's and still use it. At the time Mad River made their own preassembled towing bar and harness similar to the one on their site you can now make yourself.
They also made a cover with load straps.
I have had good luck using it as a hauling sled, better than a sled toy. You really need the right snow conditions for sledding for it to work well..5-10' of powder is best. On hard packed surfaces it's a suicide mission.
The best thing that I like about the Mad River sled is it's weight. It is very light and much cheaper than most traditional hauling sleds. For the money this is a good way to go.

 

[AdkWiley]

..and the link says it is no longer in stock. Perhaps locally?

Jay

I was at EMS in placid yesterday and they had a Mad river rocket out in the store. The other night on the news they did a peice on a few sleeders in vermont using the mad river rocket. Showed them doing back country and goin off big rocky cliffs, and goin in and out between trees. Also showed them flying over jumps and doing backflips in their own back yard! Deff seems like a fun sled, I'll have to try one out one of these days.

 

[cbcbd]

..and the link says it is no longer in stock. Perhaps locally?

It looks like they don't have it at the distribution center anymore...
On the website, below the Add To Cart button, there is a link to check availability at the stores for a Quick Pickup. You can add 3 stores to your list and see if they have them there. Or you can also just call any store and ask them to do a look up and see which store has it - You can call that store and have them ship it to your house.

-Doug