Snowsled

Description - Weight : 1.5 Kgs

A 'rigid' hauling system should be unrestricted in the vertical plane and virtually rigid in the horizontal plane, so that the pulk follows and responds to the hauler. It should also be able to twist to a varying degree.

This allows the pulk to move up and down and twist over very rough snow surfaces without any undue stress and strain being focussed at any particular point in the system. Pulk attachment plates - the black plates bolted at the front of the pulk, are also flexible to absorb stresses, which are further reduced by allowing the shaft poles and cross-tube to rotate with respect to each other when the system twists.

Shaft tubes are kept parallel by the cross tube and black plastic T-brackets at either end are held against the shaft tubes by Velcro ‘One-wrap’ hook and loop fastening straps. Remember to check that these wraps are tight at the start of the day's hauling. A loop of white cord holds the black T-brackets onto the cross tube, whilst allowing it to rotate.

When attaching the hauling shaft to the pulk, the front end of the attachment plates point upwards and are bolted onto the outside of the pulk with bolt heads on the inside, lock-nuts on the outside. Don't forget the washers on each side

There is also a 'stabiliser' strap just in front of the pulk. This is to prevent the black pulk plates from unduly bending outwards.

Components are 'handed'

When first unwrapped, the two hauling tubes on either side are matched - they are left and right handed. When assembled and in the hauling position, check that, a) the button clips are uppermost and b) at the haulers end, that the white mouldings on the tubes have the flat side against the harness plates, so that the harness pins easily pass through the holes (see shaft fitting instructions)

Packing

When packing to travel, or at the end of an expedition, unbolt the attachment plates from the pulk and split the shaft at the button clips. The cross-tube can also be removed, so that all the tubes can be packed neatly together.

 

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Description

When travel is over mainly flat terrain, then ropes are appropriate. Those supplied are 8 mm polypropylene, joined in the centre by a 8 mm shock cord loop and a loose nylon loop. To fully extend the nylon loop requires a force of around 20Kgs., though this can be adjusted by shortening or extending the nylon loop. If a greater force than this is required then it is recommended to use two shock cord loops. The rope assembly is about 2.5 m long between hauler and pulk.

Ropes are attached at the waistbelt by a loop and karabiner (not supplied).