Cascade Sled Dog Club

Toboggan Sleds have a bed that is mounted directly to the runners. These beds are usually made out of plastic, which allows them to skim over deeper snow. Toboggans also have a lower center of gravity, and are built to be a bit more rugged. This makes them less flexible and more challenging to steer, but allows them to carry heavier loads.

A basket sled has a flat bed base that is mounted above the two runners. Basket sleds are usually lighter than toboggan sleds, and therefore more popular for racing or smaller teams, but they are best suited for well packed and groomed trails.

Kick Sleds are smaller and lighter than a full-sized dog sled and were originally designed to be ‘kick-propelled’ by a person. While a dog can be attached to a kick sled, there is no where to attach a claw brake, drag mat or snow hook, which means braking power is seriously limited. Kick sled runners also aren’t as long, so they tend to be squirrely at high speeds.

These are the race cars of the dog sleds. Built to corner fast and handle high speeds, these sleds are built out of light weight materials. They truly ‘drive’ instead of simply providing a ride to stand on, but are expensive and have a sharp learning curve.

A key piece of equipment when running a dog sled, the hook allows you to ‘hook’ down your team and untangle a dog or let the team rest. 2 hooks are recommended for most teams, because they allow the sled to be turned if needed. Snow hooks are incredibly important but can be very dangerous if improperly secured. Always work with a mentor to determine how to use a snow hook safely.

This brake can be used to stop the team so the snow hook can be set. Different versions of this braking system exist, but they cannot be added to a kick sled.

A variation on the bar brake, this is a different style of brake that serves a similar function of slowing the team to a stop so the snow hook can be set if needed. It is typical for sleds used for smaller teams, but can be swapped out to a bar brake as needed.

The drag mat allows for the team to be slowed down without becoming unbalanced by lifting your foot to depress a claw or bar brake. Drag mats can also be stowed in an upright position when not in use. A used up snowmobile track can also be used instead of a drag mat system.