Hey Experts,

I've finally got a hold of a few pieces of 1/4" UHMW and am trying to weigh pros and cons of doing the full pull over front to form the full "U" vs. doing a sloped bend. It seams there are benefits to both. Any experience with either or would be much appreciated.

Vader

I put a curve on mine. Honestly I just like the look better. I don’t think it functionally has to curve back 180°. The tips of skis don’t. I did try to keep the curl sort of minimal and small though, as the more you curl the less packing space you get. I do use the space under the curl for packing gear.

I put a curve in mine... just a bit more than jaywalker is showing. My soft-sided cooler fits well in the there.

It looks cool and I have a Badger swoosh W decal on it.

I’ve made 5 different sleds like you’re making. Only one has had a big curl. IMO it’s a waste of sled real estate. They have such good flotation it’s not really necessary. I’m happy with a six inch curve(1/3 curl?).

I see the full curve being more beneficial if/when the sled runs into your ankles.

If you have a rope attached to the front that is 3 ft. longer than the sled you can guide it down hills following it. Just don’t run over your rope. After a few hills you’ll get the hang of it.

Thanks for your help everyone. It sounds like you've helped me confirm that a slight rise over the last 6 inches should do just fine for my needs.

Do any of you taper down your sled to make turning easier or do you think leaving it at a flat 16 inches wide the whole way is the best way to go?

I did put a slight taper on both the front and back (its longer in the back). I had read that it might make it slightly easier to turn, but I remember that issue being disputed back when wintertrekking.com was around. I also knew that I was going to put my medium Kni-Co stove on the last section, so did not need for it to be full width anyway - its only about 13 inches or less packed up. I also put my second to last wood cross bar (another design aspect some people argue is not needed) in a spot to specifically fit the stove in.