How to Modify a Plastic Sled

The little plastic sleds seen in the front of grocery stores and hardware stores have more than one use. These snow flyers are often altered and converted into fully functioning backcountry ski-touring pulks. Pulks are sleds that are modified to haul gear and goods for ski-tourers on their backcountry excursions. Modify a plastic sled with a few extra materials and time.

Things You'll Need

  • Plastic strips, 2 inches in width, 4 feet long
  • Outdoor epoxy
  • 8mm nylon cord
  • Alpine waist harness
  • Metal grommets
  • Blue tarp
  • Bungee cords
  • Carabiner
  • 1.5-foot piece of 2-inch diameter PVC tube
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Instructions

    • 1

      Turn the sled upside down. Apply a generous coating of the outdoor epoxy to the edges of the sled bottom and on one side of the plastic strips. Apply the strips with the epoxy to the bottom of the sled to turn them in to snow runners. Let the epoxy dry.

    • 2

      Flip the sled back over. Go to the front of the sled and look for two metal grommets-- small metal circles/holes, going through the plastic on the lip of the sled. If so, push the extra grommets from the materials list into these holes to reinforce the metal grommet strength.

    • 3

      Thread the nylon cord through the grommets and then pull the extra nylon cord so each end is equal in length and you have 6 feet on both sides.

    • 4

      Slide the PVC tube onto the end of one side of the nylon cord. Tie the cord together using a prussik knot. Move the PVC tube to the middle of the nylon cord so that the PVC tube becomes a handle on the cord.

    • 5

      Thread bungee cords through the small metal grommets on the outer edge of the sled. Place your needed gear and supplies into the sled and then cover it with the blue tarp. Use the bungee cords to secure the gear and tarp in the sled.

    • 6

      Put on your climbing harness when ready to ski tour. Attach the PVC handle to the harness via a locking carabiner--a metal D-clip with a closeable gate. Turn the gate to the right until closed, then turn one quarter turn to the left.