Comparison Sofia SS-01 vs Plast Kon Meteor 60

General type of sled.

In addition to the classic sleds and sleds, other, more specific types are now produced: tubing, wheelchair sleds, snow scooters, ice skates, plates. Each variety is described in more detail below.

- Sled. In this case, we mean a sled of one-piece construction - usually in the form of a “trough” with protrusions on the bottom that play the role of runners, or in the form of a seat that is a single unit with the runners. Most often, such sleds are made entirely of plastic. They are simple, compact, lightweight, and the most advanced models have brakes and even steering. On the other hand, in terms of strength and reliability, solid sleds are inferior to sleds, and the unevenness of the slide on such sleds is felt more strongly.

— Sled (sled). The sled has the most familiar design to many: it has a pair of separate narrow runners, above which there is a flat surface that acts as a seat. They can be made of plastic, wood or metal and have a maximum load that allows not only children, but also adults to ride; They are often equipped with a backrest and push handle, but you usually have to brake with your feet.

— Sledge (tubing). An inflatable structur...e for descending from mountains - usually in the form of a round “donut” with a depression in the middle. One of the advantages of tubing is excellent shock absorption: the soft shell effectively smoothes out unevenness on the trail. And for transportation and storage, the shell can be compactly rolled up. We also note that many tubes can be used even in the summer, while swimming. The main disadvantage of such models is poor handling: the design does not provide a steering wheel or brakes, and steering/braking with your feet can be difficult (although for some extreme sports enthusiasts this is an advantage). In addition, tubes are sensitive to punctures: although the shell is usually made quite strong, it can still be damaged by a sharp stone, ice, twig, etc.

- Sleigh and pushchair. A winter analogue of a regular baby pushchair: a baby seat mounted on runners. Many models come with a foot cover and rain cover for comfort, although completely open seats are also available. In any case, pushchair sleds are designed for quiet walks - just like their summer counterparts. And some of these models allow the runners to be replaced with wheels and used in the warm season (or in snowless winter).

- Snow scooter. The most “controllable” type of sled: a distinctive feature of snow scooters is the presence of a steering wheel that allows you to turn effectively. Most often, such models have separate runners, like in a sled. However, there are also snow scooters that are similar to solid sleds; They differ from solid sleds with steering control primarily in their higher maneuverability. An even more specific design option is a seat mounted on one wide ski and equipped with a handle for holding; There is no steering wheel as such in these snow scooters; turns are made by tilting and braking with your feet, and riding requires good coordination.

- Ice. The simplest type of sled is, in fact, a lining for the “fifth point”, complemented by a handle (handles) for easy holding. Ice boxes are extremely simple, inexpensive and take up minimal space, and also tolerate heavy weight well - some models have no load restrictions at all. On the other hand, there is practically no shock absorption in ice skates, so all the unevenness of the track will be felt as “brightly” as possible. In addition, such devices are not suitable for loose snow - they are designed for dense surfaces or ice. And ice boats are no different in handling: braking or turning can be difficult, and when moving, there is a high probability of turning sideways or even backwards.

- Plate. In fact, it is an analogue of the ice cube described above, with the same advantages and disadvantages. The main difference between the plates is their shape: round, usually with two handles on the sides.

— Back. Classic backrest — a device that provides additional support for the back and reduces the likelihood of falling backwards. The backs can have a different design, in some models they are made folding or removable — this is useful for those who like to sled lying down, head first. Also note that the height of the backrest can be different — sometimes it is purely symbolic; so if a full-fledged back is important to you, you should pay attention to the appearance of the selected sled.

— Steering. Steering usually takes the form of a separate ski, turned with a steering wheel. This feature is almost mandatory for snowshoes, it is also found in some one-piece sleds (see "Type"), but in other varieties it is practically not used. Note that the use of steering alone does not guarantee efficiency in corners — especially at high speed; so when manoeuvring, you often have to help the steering wheel with your feet.

— Towing cord. Cord designed to pull the sled behind you. Without such a cord, the sled would have to be pushed, carried on oneself or looked for a separate rope for them — all this is not very convenient. Most one-piece sleds, sleds and snowscooters are equipped with a tow cord (see "Type"), although there are many exceptions; in other types, this detail is almost never found.

— Winding the cord. Possibility to wind the towing cord p...rovided in the design (see above). This feature is found mainly among snow scooters (see "Type"), while the line is wound either on a special device on the front ski, or on a reel installed in the cord handle itself (after which the handle is attached to the same ski). Thus, in the "non-working" time, the rope does not get tangled under the runners, while it does not need to be additionally held.

— Pusher handle. A long handle attached to the back of the sled. It may take different forms; there are models where the handle is made flip or can be rearranged to a different position relative to the seat. However, anyway, the length and design of such a handle is designed so that an adult can easily push the sled in front of him without bending over. Among other things, the presence of a pusher handle is especially useful when transporting a child on a sled across the road: according to safety rules, this must be done by pushing the sled in front of you.

— Handles for holding. Special handles for which the rider can hold on while driving. Provide additional safety by reducing the risk of being thrown out of the sled when pushed, tilted or sharply turned; also simplify the implementation of some manoeuvres, in particular, the same turns. And in some models, the handles also control the brakes (see below for more details) — in particular, it is this design that is used in sleds with steering, where the rider mainly holds on to the steering wheel and ordinary fixed handles are not needed.

— Brake. A special device for braking — usually based on stops that, when the brake is pressed, go down and “plow” the snow, slowing down the movement. Both handles for holding and pedals under the rider's feet can be responsible for controlling such stops. Note that the effectiveness of the brakes is not always sufficient — sometimes (especially at high speeds) they have to help with their feet. On the other hand, the brake stops are usually made bilateral and can also be used as a replacement or addition to the steering: when the brake is pressed on one side, the sled begins to turn in that direction.

— Depreciation system. Shock mitigation system that compensates for shocks while driving; especially useful on small bumps that can cause noticeable vibrations. Snow scooters are mainly equipped with shock absorption (see "Type"), and it is usually installed only on the central, steering ski, since it is on the steering wheel that the vibrations are most felt. In addition, this function is found in some wheelchair sleds.

— Foldable design. The ability to fold the sled — for example, for transportation in the boot of a car or for storage between seasons: compactly folded sleds in such cases are much more convenient than unfolded ones. On the other hand, additional nodes and moving parts somewhat reduce strength and can become loose with frequent unfolding / folding; Yes, and this feature also affects the cost.

— Seat belt. A special belt that fixes the rider in the sled and reduces the risk of "flying out of the saddle" — for example, on a pothole or during a sudden stop. This feature is highly desirable if you plan to carry small children in the sled who are not yet very confident in their balance. However, models of the older age group can also be equipped with a belt, with a maximum load of 60 kg and above.

— Compartment for things. A special compartment or bag in which you can put some things — for example, a warmer hat or a thermos of tea. The volume of such "boots" in the sled is small, but they still help to unload pockets or bags.

— Anti-slip seat. A seat with a special covering which interferes with sliding. This provides additional safety: the risk of the rider slipping off the seat is reduced. Anti-slip coating is especially relevant given the popularity of clothing made from synthetic materials, many of which are prone to slip.

— Wheels for transportation. Additional small wheels make it easier to move the sled on the floor, asphalt and other surfaces without snow. The specific design of such wheels may be different: in some models, they are installed at the rear of the skids and to move the sledge on wheels, you need to “put it on its hind legs”; in others, folding wheels are used, lowered if necessary, etc. Anyway, this feature makes it much easier to move the sled over short distances in the absence of snow or ice.

The maximum load allowed for this model, in other words, the maximum weight that the sled can carry without consequences. It is highly undesirable to exceed this load: even if the structure does not break immediately, it can happen at any time, and with a high probability — at speed. And ideally, it is desirable to have a weight margin of at least 10-15 kg — this will give an additional guarantee in case of unforeseen situations.

The main material used in the construction of sleds.

Modern sleds can be made from one material (plastic, metal, wood) or from several - usually metal with wood or metal with plastic. Here's a more detailed description of each option:

- Plastic. Plastic has a low price, weighs less and is “cooler” than metal, its properties allow sleds to be given a variety of shapes and colors, and the strength is quite sufficient for most cases. This has made it one of the most popular materials for all types of modern sleds. At the same time, inexpensive plastic models have low impact resistance and are prone to cracking, especially in severe frost.

- Tree. Wood is the most pleasant to the touch in cold weather and looks good, but making an all-wood sled involves certain difficulties, from giving the runners the desired shape to special processing to achieve the necessary strength. Therefore, such sleds are very rare and mostly belong to the premium class; much more often wood is used in combination with metal (see below).

- Metal. The main advantage of metal is its strength - the greatest among all materials for modern sleds: it can easily withstand heavy loads and almost does not lose its properties in the cold. At the same time, metal has a lot of weight and very “colds” hands...and other parts of the body when touched in the cold (even freezing if touched with bare hands). Therefore, all-metal sleds are very rare, and even there the seat is made of fabric - usually metal is combined with other materials (see below).

— Metal/wood. In such sleds, the runners and frame are usually made of metal, and the seat is made of wood (most often from wooden slats). This allows you to combine the advantages of both materials at a low cost: metal gives the structure the necessary strength, and wood provides comfort to the rider, because It's much less cold.

— Metal/plastic. The structures are completely similar to the metal-wood ones (see above), with the same basic features, only the wood in this case is replaced by plastic.