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 also being produced nowadays: tubings, sleds, wheelchairs, snow scooters, ice cubes, plates. Each variety is described in more detail below.

— Sanki. In this case, we mean a sled of a one-piece design — usually in the form of a "trough" with protrusions on the bottom, playing the role of skids, or in the form of a seat, which is a single unit with skids. Most often, these sleds are made entirely of plastic. They are simple, compact, light weight, while 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.

— Sledge (sled). Sledges of the most familiar design to many: they have a pair of separate narrow runners, above which there is a flat surface that plays the role of 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; often equipped with a backrest, a pusher handle, but you usually have to slow down with your feet.

— Sledge (tubing). An...inflatable structure for descending from the mountains — usually in the form of a round "donut" with a recess in the middle. One of the advantages of tubing is excellent cushioning: the soft shell effectively smooths out the bumps in the track. And for transport and storage, the shell can be folded compactly. Also note that many tubings can be used even in summer, while swimming. The main disadvantage of such models can be called poor handling: the steering wheel and brakes are not provided for in the design, and it can be difficult to control / brake with your feet (although for some extreme lovers this moment is an advantage). In addition, tubings are sensitive to punctures: although the casing is usually made quite strong, it can still be damaged by a sharp stone, ice, knot, etc.

— Sled-carriage. Winter analogue of a regular baby stroller: a baby seat mounted on skids. Many models come with a footmuff and rain cover for comfort, although there are also fully open seats. Anyway, wheelchair sleds are designed for quiet walks — like, in fact, their summer counterparts. And some of these models allow the replacement of skids with wheels and use in the warm season (or in snowless winters).

— Snowmobile. The most “controlled” type of sled: a distinctive feature of snow scooters is the presence of a steering wheel that allows you to effectively turn. Most often, such models have separate skids, as in a sled. However, there are also snow scooters similar to solid sleds; they differ from one-piece sleds with steering control primarily in their higher manoeuvrability. 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 such snowscooters, turns are carried out by tilting and braking with your feet, and good coordination is required for riding.

— Glacier. The simplest kind of sled, in fact, is a lining for the “fifth point”, supplemented by a handle (handles) for ease of holding. Ledyanki are extremely simple, inexpensive and take up a minimum of space, besides, they carry a lot of weight well — some models have no load restrictions at all. On the other hand, there is practically no depreciation in ice floes, so that all the bumps in the track will be felt as “brightly” as possible. In addition, such devices are not well suited for loose snow — they are designed for a dense surface or ice. Yes, and the controllability of ice rinks does not differ: it can be difficult to slow down or turn, and when moving, it is likely to turn sideways or even back forward.

— 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 the sled.

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

— Plastic. Plastic has a low price, weighs less and “cools” hands than metal, its properties allow you to give the sled a variety of shapes and colours, and its 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 tend to crack, especially in severe frost.

— Tree. Wood is most pleasant to the touch in cold weather and looks good, but the production of solid wood sleds involves certain difficulties, ranging from shaping the runners to the desired shape and ending with special processing to achieve the required strength. That is why 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 the metal is its strength — the greatest among all materials for modern sleds: it easily survives heavy loads and almost does not lose its properties in the cold. At the same time, the metal has...a lot of weight and greatly “cools” the hands and other parts of the body when touched in the cold (up to 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 planks). 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. much less cold.

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