sledge pull cord

The traditional wooden sledge

Sledges were first used as long ago as 7000BC, not for recreation or sport but simply to drag loads too heavy to carry. First pulled by humans, later by cattle and not always on snow either but along ground and the grassy steppes for instance in what is now Russia.
Native Americans used them to transport hunting catches and to move through the snow when the paths were inaccessible.
That is where the name Toboggan comes from, the natives of Canada used to name their sledges “tobakun”.

The difference between a toboggan and a sledge (also called sled (American) or sleigh (a large sledge)) is that a toboggan normally does not have any runners but has a flat bottom to slide on in contrast to the sledge which usually does sit on runners.
In the late 1800’s sledging became a recreational sport and today it has been adopted to even be used in Olympic sports such as the bobsled and skeleton race.

These days sledges are mass produced from plastic but we at Cloggies Toys stick to the traditional wooden sledges (sometimes referred to as Davos sledges).
These are made using old techniques to steam bend the wood into shape but also fully tested for safety to modern standards. Our lovely German build wooden sledges are made to last and are robust enough to carry one adult and a child.

We also supply wooden backrests so your younger child can safely sit back and enjoy being pulled along and our lovely wooden handled pull ropes are available separately as well.

A traditional wooden sledge is an investment and with proper care will last many generations!

Our sledges can be pre-ordered or look on our website or in the shop for the current models available, starting from £79.99.