Little guys on sleds

[benjamingvsu]

I'm getting closer to being able to get my boys on a sled.


My oldest turns 3 in February - where should I be looking for gear at? This year will probably only be a bit of riding in the yard on a rental - I'm planning on buying myself a sled in the spring. He is small - less than 30 pounds, I can't seem to find any decent gloves or a helmet small enough.

Thinking further ahead that as soon as I get my own sled I should get them a 120, will a small 3.5 year old be able to handle it? I don't think I want to mess with the Kitty cat because it seems so much less capable and would be quickly outgrown, or should I just go that route for a couple years?

 

[spddmon]

my parents used hockey hellmit with a cage mask when i was small

 

[boritzer1234]

my parents used hockey hellmit with a cage mask when i was small

brrrr....my parents stock piled stocking caps for years and I think I wore about 5 and then the helmet.

 

[AKrider]

My oldest daughter first started riding a 120 around 2 yrs old. For riding gear, I bought her a full face MX helmet from JC Whitney. The smallest size was a little big, but a stocking hat took up the room. The best thing is the helmet was cheap, around $30 dollars and were decent quality for putting around. She used mittens since gloves are a pain the #*$&@ at that age to get them on and off their hands.

Here she is at about 2 1/2 yrs.

Here she is the next spring a year later. She's now 8 and I got her an Indy Lite 340 last spring. Pretty fun to go riding as she can now go along at a decent speed on trails. The 120's are only good for around the yard or really short trips from home. They don't have a lot of range either. I had to tow her 120 home more than once because it ran out of gas.

You are on the right track to stay away from a KittyKat. Those things can hardly go through any snow and are best used on hard pack. A kid will quickly out grow it. Aside from a helmet, my daughter just wore her normal winter gear. I later got her gloves, goggles and a small, plastic MX type chest protector and knee guards. I'm more concerned she wear the gear during the summer on her 4-wheeler than in the winter. The nice thing about the 120's are they last a long time and it has since been passed down to her brother. I'd only consider a Polaris or Arctic Cat 120 as the Ski-doo 120 is more of a toy and not as capable in going through the snow or through bumpy terrain. Plus their are way more mods for the Polaris and Cat!

 

[sherlock29]

I can't wait... My daughter is just under 1 1/2 yrs.. this winter she will have rides around the yard with mom and dad, but next winter i think she may be gettin the above!!! this summer she rode around with me on the wheeler and just laughed the entire time....

whne the wife was 9 months pregnant(2 weeks before we had her) we went on a 110km ride on the bikes.... (her idea) so the kid has had some early "lessons"...

As stated above.... the 120's are the way to go.... I know HJC sells a "youth" helmet, made for the 30+lb riders....

 

[Irv]

I'm getting closer to being able to get my boys on a sled.


My oldest turns 3 in February - where should I be looking for gear at? This year will probably only be a bit of riding in the yard on a rental - I'm planning on buying myself a sled in the spring. He is small - less than 30 pounds, I can't seem to find any decent gloves or a helmet small enough. Thinking further ahead that as soon as I get my own sled I should get them a 120, will a small 3.5 year old be able to handle it? I don't think I want to mess with the Kitty cat because it seems so much less capable and would be quickly outgrown, or should I just go that route for a couple years?

I started my son out on a Kitty Cat at age 3 and it fit the bill perfectly as I had a local park he could ride around in plus our yard.
The thing to remember is, they won't be sledding for long at that age, maybe an hour or 2 tops.

We put him in a regular sled helmet, (which you can find if you look hard enough) but also invest in a neck protector as you don't want their little necks supporting the weight of it and their own head at that age, especially if where you ride can get bumpy.

A regular snowmobile suit and mitts worked great but we didn't take him out if it was real cold, something you also have to be aware of is they are prone to frost bite at that age as their skin is not as tough as an older child/adult.

 

[dox06]

sled

Started my oldest boy on a 120 when he was three, started him racing msra / wsa when he was four. By the age of six he was racing 9 months out of the year, both straight line (psgdra) and sno-cross (wsa). He mother was ok with it until we put him on a mod sled for grass drags, a XC 120 with a Raptor Go-Cart motor, ported and polished. OH Yeah, saw 73 on a radar gun. That was a hoot!!.

Lived my race dreams through my boy, until he was 13. Got to meet and ride with all the pro riders. (the Great Blair Morgan, Jesse Strege, Tuker and Kirk Hibbard, Levi, and Chris Burandt.)

Definately start your kids young, not only for the great times they will have but all the times you will have with them!!!!!!

 

[Rockmeister]

Had mine on a Kitty Kat when she was about 5.
(The 120s were not available then.)

The guys in the above posts are right on!
They won't ride all that long and just around the yard etc.

They & You will love the experience!

Mine (She is 18) can now ride with me in Michigan and keep up, no problem!

Rock

 

[monte1214]

I'm getting closer to being able to get my boys on a sled.


My oldest turns 3 in February - where should I be looking for gear at? This year will probably only be a bit of riding in the yard on a rental - I'm planning on buying myself a sled in the spring. He is small - less than 30 pounds, I can't seem to find any decent gloves or a helmet small enough. Thinking further ahead that as soon as I get my own sled I should get them a 120, will a small 3.5 year old be able to handle it? I don't think I want to mess with the Kitty cat because it seems so much less capable and would be quickly outgrown, or should I just go that route for a couple years?

I started my son out on a Kitty Cat at age 3 and it fit the bill perfectly as I had a local park he could ride around in plus our yard.
The thing to remember is, they won't be sledding for long at that age, maybe an hour or 2 tops.

We put him in a regular sled helmet, (which you can find if you look hard enough) but also invest in a neck protector as you don't want their little necks supporting the weight of it and their own head at that age, especially if where you ride can get bumpy.

A regular snowmobile suit and mitts worked great but we didn't take him out if it was real cold, something you also have to be aware of is they are prone to frost bite at that age as their skin is not as tough as an older child/adult.

- Love the jacket bud!!!
- I have one just like it!!!

 

[dansranger]

I would stay away from the ski doo. The carburetor does not like ethenol gas and I usually have to take it to the dealer every season and have him use the ultrasonic cleaner on it. I would try a sno scoot if I did it over again.

I bought HJC youth helmets for my kids.

 

[new4stroker]

My boy is 3 now and loves to ride with me. He started at about 18 months old. He sits in front of me by the tank and it works great. As for gear the regular snowsuit works great, There are kids helmets out there but we do the following with the 3 and 8 year old. XXS and and XS adult helmets are the best. Full face in my opinion. Put toque and hood on as dressing them to head outside and then helmet fits over hood. no way they get cold in this set up.

 

[Irv]

My boy is 3 now and loves to ride with me. He started at about 18 months old. He sits in front of me by the tank and it works great. As for gear the regular snowsuit works great, There are kids helmets out there but we do the following with the 3 and 8 year old. XXS and and XS adult helmets are the best. Full face in my opinion. Put toque and hood on as dressing them to head outside and then helmet fits over hood. no way they get cold in this set up.

Too each their own but that is something I would try to avoid, having my son sit in front of me.

If your on private property that is one thing but if your out on the trails where other sleds are coming at you, well then you can imagine who is going to get it the worst injury wise. JMO

 

[new4stroker]

My boy is 3 now and loves to ride with me. He started at about 18 months old. He sits in front of me by the tank and it works great. As for gear the regular snowsuit works great, There are kids helmets out there but we do the following with the 3 and 8 year old. XXS and and XS adult helmets are the best. Full face in my opinion. Put toque and hood on as dressing them to head outside and then helmet fits over hood. no way they get cold in this set up.

Too each their own but that is something I would try to avoid, having my son sit in front of me.

If your on private property that is one thing but if your out on the trails where other sleds are coming at you, well then you can imagine who is going to get it the worst injury wise. JMO

He does not come on trail rides. This is on the lakes and in fields.

 

[Irv]

My boy is 3 now and loves to ride with me. He started at about 18 months old. He sits in front of me by the tank and it works great. As for gear the regular snowsuit works great, There are kids helmets out there but we do the following with the 3 and 8 year old. XXS and and XS adult helmets are the best. Full face in my opinion. Put toque and hood on as dressing them to head outside and then helmet fits over hood. no way they get cold in this set up.

Too each their own but that is something I would try to avoid, having my son sit in front of me.

If your on private property that is one thing but if your out on the trails where other sleds are coming at you, well then you can imagine who is going to get it the worst injury wise. JMO

He does not come on trail rides. This is on the lakes and in fields.

 

[new4stroker]

Different but similar? This is my first rear exhaust 4 stroke. The older kids love being pulled behind in the fields on a sled. Is this rear exhaust going to cause any issues with towing the kids?