Sleds & Snow Toys – Not Just For Kids

The first snowfall brings out the kid in all of us. Growing up in Wisconsin, sledding was as common winter activity as ice fishing and packing into the pub to root for the Packers.
My aunts and uncles would get totally carried away with finding the fastest sled and they would spray Pledge on the bottom of their saucers – they swore it made them go faster. Pledge was way better than wax. As a kid it was hard to get a turn at the sled, and that is why now as an adult I just love sleds and snow toys.

The following sleds and snow toys aren’t just for kids. Pass a wintry weekend day by seeing how many housemates you an pack on an old school toboggan or challenge the neighbor kids to a race with your new super speedy steel saucer. At a total loss for gift ideas for that hard to shop person on your gift list? Why not give them the gift of winter fun with all the tools they need to make a killer snow shelter and perhaps a snow fling thing so they can defend it.

6-Foot Toboggans

Go sledding old school style with Mountain Boy Sledworks 6-Foot Toboggan. Large enough to carry four adults, the toboggan is beautifully crafted with solid wood planks and hand-carved willow crosspieces. Make sure to wax for best performance although the sled will easily fly down the hill right out of the box. Handmade and built to last, the Mountain Boy Toboggan is a sled you can pass down from generation to generation.

Steel Saucers

Forget those plastic saucers, steel saucers go faster. With a super-slick bottom surface, the Flexible Flyer Steel Saucer glides quickly down the hill. Steel saucers also cut through fresh snow easier and they give your butt a bit more protection when you go sailing over rocks or ice chunks. Steel saucers will be more durable and last longer than their plastic versions.

Kick Sleds

Kick sledding is a blast – a totally underappreciated winter activity. A kick sled is essentially a chair on top of a pair of metal runners. The driver propels the sled forward by kicking backwards with one foot while standing on the other runner and holding onto the handles. The passenger on the chair seat simply enjoys the ride. The Mountain Boy Sledworks Silverton Kicksled is a work of art. This heriloom-style sled is handcrafted with American white ash and the runners are made from highly flexible tempered steel so it will last through the ages.

Snow Blocks

Sometimes building a snow fort by hand just doesn’t cut it and that’s why you need the Flexible Flyer Snow Block. Just pack snow into the block, turn it upside down, and you have a strong building block for your fort or igloo. Fun for kids and adults alike, you can build some seriously cool snow forts with snow blocks. To make sure you have the most impressive fort in the neighborhood you might want to go for the Snow Castle Package.

How to Build an Igloo: And Other Snow Shelters

Now that you have the ultimate snow block maker, you can learn how to construct an impenetrable snow shelter with the How To Build an Igloo book. This book is the real deal; it takes you step-by-step through the process of building a range of snow structures, whether for winter fun or for real protection in the backcountry. Written by a research engineer, How To Build an Igloo not only walks you through the process of constructing snow shelters, but also explains the science behind the snow.

Snowball Makers

Defend you’re snow fort with perfectly round snowballs made easily with the Flexible Flyer Snowball Maker. Designed to make the perfect snowball in just one second, the Snowball Maker will help you stockpile snowballs before a big showdown in just minutes. All you need to do is pull the handles apart, stick the snowball maker in the snow, and push the handles together to create a perfectly round and compact snowball. Best thing about this snowball maker is that it packs the snow down light and soft so it is more for fun than for a downright war.

Snow Flinging Thing

Pulverize your neighbors with a Snofling. The Snofling lets you throw snowballs farther than you can than with your arm alone. A great tool for kids and adults that usually lose snowball fights, the Snofling creates snowballs without getting your hands cold and wet. It also has a horn at the end in case you want to warn your enemies of an impending attack.
Got any other ideas? What is your favorite adult snow toy?