January 13, 2001


What's a good cross-country ski trailer?

Can you tell me who distributes good quality cross-country ski pulks (tow behind trailers)? I am hoping to get my little guy to start to ski, but when he gets tired or bored I would like to get some exercise in myself and would like to tow him behind me.

— Diane Macqueen Nelson, British Colombia

At the very least, you always can purchase a $8 plastic sled, rig a harness with some nylon webbing, and have a perfectly adequate haul rig. Of course, that's probably best for fairly flat terrain -— control isn't the strong suit of such a setup, and I suppose you're not terribly keen on watching your kid skid off the trail and whack into a tree.

For a high-end rig, Mountainsmith's Expedition sled is absolutely ideal: It utilizes rigid traces, for better control, and is made of polyethylene for stiffness, with aluminum runners that track well on snow or ice. Plus, it has an optional "kid kit" that includes a seat and windscreen. The Expedition is not cheap: $450 U.S. for the sled, plus another $96 for the kid kit.

There is one other option. A company based in Colorado, called Ridge Runner, makes a child-specific pulk. It too has rigid traces and a hard plastic shell with runners, and comes with child seat and windscreen installed. Price is pretty reasonable at $250 U.S. You can find the company and sled info at http://www.bewellnet.com/ridgerunner/