Build a person-pulled travois from two straight poles 3-4 m long and 5-7 cm thick at the butt, 40-50 cm apart where you hold them and 80-100 cm apart at the dragging end, with 3-4 cross-members in the rear half and a padded chest or hip harness. A fit person can drag 30-50 kg on flat or gently rolling ground, but the pull rises by about 28% on a 10% grade and 55% on a 20% one, so the load must drop on slopes.
Part of Sled & Travois Construction
A human-pulled travois is a pole frame towed by a harness on the puller’s shoulders or hips, carrying 30-50 kg on level ground.
Slopes Change The Pull Fast
The parent article says the numbers “drop sharply uphill”. Using the geometry from Travois Design, a 40 kg load on a flat surface has 28.6 kg on the ground and drags with friction of 0.5 × 28.6 = 14.3 kgf (assumed coefficient). On a slope of angle θ, the load also has a component of weight along the slope, W × sin θ, which the puller must supply:
| Grade | sin θ | Slope component of 40 kg | Total pull |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat | 0 | 0 | 14.3 kgf |
| 10% | 0.0995 | 40 × 0.0995 = 4.0 kgf | 18.3 kgf, 28% more |
| 20% | 0.196 | 40 × 0.196 = 7.8 kgf | 22.1 kgf, 55% more |
This is approximate, since the friction share changes slightly with the angle, but it shows the trend: a 20% grade needs more than half again as much pull. Cut the load on slopes, or make two trips.
The parent article gives the load limits: 30-50 kg on flat or gently rolling ground, 50-80 kg on smooth snow (Snow Conditions).
What You Need
- Two poles, straight, 3-4 m long, 5-7 cm across at the butt end
- 3-4 cross-members and a platform of small poles, branches or fabric
- A harness: a padded strap across the chest, or a hip belt that spreads the load
- Lashings (Materials & Lashing)
Method: Frame And Harness
Step 1: Cut the poles. Select two straight poles of 3-4 m and 5-7 cm at the butt.
Step 2: Lay the V. Place the butts 40-50 cm apart and splay the dragging ends to 80-100 cm.
Step 3: Lash cross-members 30-40 cm apart across the rear half.
Step 4: Lay the platform over the cross-members.
Step 5: Fit the harness. Attach a padded chest strap or hip belt at the pulling end so it spreads the load across the body.
Step 6: Test with a light load. Walk 100 m and adjust the strap height until the poles ride level and the weight sits on your hips or chest, not your hands.
Common Mistakes
- A narrow strap on the shoulders — it cuts in after an hour; use padding or a hip belt.
- Overloading beyond 50 kg on level ground — the limit is practical, not theoretical.
- No load reduction for slopes — see the table above.
Safety
A travois can overrun the puller on a descent
Going downhill the load pushes forward on the poles and into the back of the puller’s legs, and a harness that cannot be shed pulls the puller down with it. Use a harness you can release with one movement, never tie the strap round your body, keep the load low, and take descents slowly. For cold injuries on winter hauls, see Frostbite: Warm Water Soak Treatment and Hypothermia Recognition and Rewarming.
What’s Next
- Learn next: Horse & Dog Travois — scaling up to animal power
- Combine with: Materials & Lashing — poles and lashing