Ever heard of a Kicksled?
(And would you like to build one?)
Kicksleds are likely a Swedish invention, and have been around for a century or more in the Scandinavian countries and Finland. In Canada, however, they are almost unheard of. Not any more! The Meadow Lake Woodlanders will lead the way to a bright new kick-sledding future!
Commercially-built kicksleds are lightweight, and usually fold for storage. Here is a sample, in the picture on the right:
Basically a chair on runners, they look like a cross between a dog sled and a scooter. They aren't meant for heavy loads, but are a quick, maneuverable means of getting around on packed trails, city streets and parks. Scoot down to the store for a few bags of groceries, or load up the toddler and go for a jog!
The Woodlanders JFW club inherited a large number of assorted used skis (large, small, cross-country, downhill). Most were not suitable for their original purpose, but the club was loathe to throw them out. What to do? Build kicksleds, of course!
Step 1: Look for a model. Luckily, our friend Bridget has her very own genuine Finnish kicksled. She and her family brought it over one evening to demonstrate. We took careful measurements, and tried it out!
Step 2: Experiment with prototypes. We build a couple of rough-and-ready mock-ups, just for ideas.
Step 3: Turn the club loose! Each family was given a challenge: Take a pair of skis, and build something fast and fun.
The results have been inspiring, and cover a wide spectrum of approaches, such as:
- Simple but effective: Bolt a Coleman chair to a pair of skis (bonus: folds for storage!)
- Basic joinery: Build a rigid frame out of 2x2s, use the fabric from an old camp chair as the seat
- Rustic: An impressive willow chair on skis
- Elaborate: Bentwood chair, attached to skis using the original bindings
We hope this catches on, and we will certainly us our new sleds a lot this winter. We also have lots of old skis left - many more kicksleds to come!
