Sled & Travois Construction

Before the wheel, everything moved on sleds and travois. These are the simplest load-moving devices — two poles and a platform. No bearings, no axle, no wheel. They work on snow, ice, grass, mud, and rough ground where wheeled vehicles cannot go. In winter conditions or roadless terrain, they’re often the best option available.

Travois Design

A travois is two long poles forming a V-shape, with one end attached to the puller (human, horse, or dog) and the other ends dragging on the ground. A platform or net between the poles carries the load.

Human-Pulled Travois

Construction:

1. Select two straight poles, 3-4 m long, 5-7 cm diameter at the butt end
2. At the pulling end, the poles are close together (40-50 cm apart). They splay out to 80-100 cm at the dragging end.
3. Lash 3-4 cross-members between the poles in the rear half, spaced 30-40 cm apart
4. Lay a platform of small poles, branches, or fabric on the cross-members
5. At the pulling end, attach a shoulder harness — a padded strap across the chest, or a hip belt that distributes the load

Load capacity: A fit person can drag 30-50 kg on a travois over flat or gently rolling ground. On smooth snow, 50-80 kg is possible. Uphill, the numbers drop sharply.

Advantages over carrying:

• The ground supports most of the load weight — you only supply horizontal pulling force plus lifting the front end
• Less fatigue over long distances
• An injured person can be transported lying on the platform

Horse & Dog Travois

Native Americans used horse travois to move entire camps. The concept scales up:

Horse travois:

• Poles: 4-5 m long, 8-10 cm diameter
• The butt ends cross over the horse’s back, resting on a padded saddle or blanket
• A hitch strap around the horse’s chest prevents the poles from sliding backward
• Platform in the rear half carries 100-200 kg
• The dragging ends should be slightly flexible — rigid poles transmit every bump to the horse

Dog travois:

• Poles: 2-3 m, 3-4 cm diameter (light enough for a dog)
• Attach to a harness on the dog’s shoulders
• Load capacity: 15-25 kg per large dog

Materials & Lashing

Any straight, strong wood works for travois poles. Ideal species: ash, hickory, birch, spruce, pine. Green (live) wood is more flexible and less likely to snap than dry wood.

Lashing options:

• Wet rawhide: strongest when dry, shrinks drum-tight
• Cordage or paracord: reliable but may need retying
• Wire: salvaged baling wire or fencing wire, twisted tight
• Zip ties: surprisingly strong for light travois, but one-use

Hand-Pulled Sled

Basic Sled Construction

A sled differs from a travois in having distinct runners that ride on the surface, reducing friction.

Frame:

1. Two runners: hardwood boards or split logs, 150-200 cm long, 10-15 cm wide, 3-4 cm thick
2. Curve the front ends upward (steam-bend or soak and clamp over a form) — at least 15 cm of upturn to ride over obstacles
3. Connect runners with 3-4 cross-members at 30-40 cm spacing
4. Lay a plank or pole floor on the cross-members
5. Attach a pull rope or harness at the front of both runners

Dimensions for a utility sled:

• Length: 150-180 cm
• Width: 60-80 cm
• Runner height: low — 5-8 cm above ground
• Load capacity: 50-100 kg (human-pulled), 200-400 kg (horse-pulled)

Runner Design & Icing

Low friction is the entire point of runners. Optimize them:

• Smooth the bottom surface to glassy smoothness. Sand, scrape, and polish.
• Apply a coating: In freezing conditions, apply a thin layer of water to the runner bottom. It freezes into an ice shell — the lowest friction surface available. Reapply periodically.
• Shoeing: Metal strips (salvaged steel strapping, angle iron, or flat bar) screwed to the runner bottom resist wear and slide well on packed snow.
• Plastic runners: HDPE plastic from cutting boards or barrels, screwed to the bottom of wooden runners. Extremely low friction on snow.

Dog Sled Design

Dog sleds are the primary winter transport in cold climates. A team of 5-8 dogs pulls a loaded sled 30-50 km per day through conditions where no other transport works.

Sled Frame Construction

A proper dog sled is a flexible frame, not a rigid box:

1. Runners: Two hardwood or laminated strips, 200-250 cm long, curved up at the front
2. Stanchions: Vertical pieces connecting the runners to the top rail, 4-6 pairs spaced along the length. These are lashed (not nailed or bolted) so the frame can flex over rough terrain.
3. Top rail: Two horizontal rails running the length of the sled, connecting the stanchion tops. This is the cargo platform.
4. Brush bow: A curved piece at the front connecting the runner tips — protects the sled from impacts with trees and snow banks
5. Handlebar: An upright bar at the rear for the driver to hold and steer. Also serves as the brake mount.
6. Brake: A toothed metal bar or sharpened claw that drops between the runners when the driver steps on it, digging into the snow

The key principle: The entire frame should flex and twist. Lashed joints absorb impacts that would crack a rigid frame. Traditional sleds use no nails — everything is lashed with rawhide or cord.

Harness & Gang Line

Fan hitch (Inuit style):

• Each dog has its own trace line radiating from the sled like a fan
• Dogs spread out, finding the best footing individually
• Best for open terrain (sea ice, tundra) where there are no trees to snag on

Tandem hitch (more common):

• A central gang line runs from the sled forward
• Dogs are clipped to the gang line in pairs, one on each side
• A lead dog (or pair) runs at the front
• Better for trails through trees and narrow paths

Each dog wears a padded harness that distributes pulling force across the chest and shoulders — same principle as a horse collar harness.

Dog Team Training

Dog team training is specialized. Key principles:

• Lead dogs must be intelligent, confident, and responsive to voice commands (haw/gee/whoa). Not every dog is lead material.
• Team dogs need to pull steadily and not fight. Matching temperaments matters.
• Start young dogs by running them in harness alongside experienced dogs
• Commands are the same as draft animal commands: haw (left), gee (right), whoa (stop), hike (go)
• A team of 5 sled dogs eats 1.5-2.5 kg of high-fat food per day each during working season — feeding a team is a significant resource commitment

Terrain & Technique

Snow Conditions

• Fresh powder: Deep and slow. Break trail ahead of the sled with snowshoes.
• Packed snow: Ideal. Ice runners glide effortlessly.
• Icy crust: Fast but hard to control. Use the brake on downhills.
• Spring slush: Wet snow clumps on runners. Travel early morning when the surface is frozen.

Non-Snow Dragging

Sleds and travois work on surfaces other than snow:

• Wet grass: Surprisingly low friction. Sleds glide well on dewy meadows.
• Mud: High friction, but a travois still easier than carrying. Widen the runners to prevent sinking.
• Sand: Difficult. Widen runners dramatically or switch to a travois.
• Smooth rock: Works if runners are padded or shod with rubber.

For regular non-snow hauling over distance, a wheeled cart is almost always better. Sleds and travois excel for seasonal use, rough terrain, and expedient construction.

Maintenance & Storage

Seasonal Care

Wooden sleds and travois deteriorate rapidly if neglected:

• After each use: Clean mud, ice, and debris from runners. Wipe metal fittings to prevent rust. Hang the sled off the ground if possible — contact with damp earth promotes rot.
• Before storage: Inspect all lashing. Replace any that shows fraying or stretching. Tighten all joints. Apply a coat of linseed oil or pine tar to all wooden surfaces.
• Runner maintenance: Re-smooth runner bottoms with sandpaper before each season. If using metal shoes, check for loose screws and bent strips.
• Rawhide lashing: Rawhide loosens when wet and tightens when dry. If your sled uses rawhide, store it in a dry place and re-tighten after the first cold-weather use of the season.

Repair in the Field

Common failures and quick fixes:

• Broken travois pole: Splice a shorter branch alongside the break using lashing. Reduce load for the remainder of the trip.
• Cracked sled runner: Lash a splint (a flat board or thick branch) alongside the crack. Drill a hole at the crack tip if possible to stop it spreading.
• Loose lashing: Retie immediately. Carry extra cordage on every trip — 10 m of paracord weighs almost nothing.
• Detached cross-member: Re-lash on the spot. If the cross-member is broken, cut a replacement from the nearest suitable branch.

Choosing Between Sled, Travois, and Wheel

A quick decision guide:

Condition	Best option
Snow on the ground	Sled
No road, forest floor	Travois
Rough trail, no snow	Travois
Any usable road or track	Cart/wagon
Crossing open meadow (wet)	Sled or travois
Emergency evacuation of injured	Travois (fastest to build)
Long-distance winter freight	Dog sled

The travois is the fastest load-carrier to build from scratch — 30 minutes with an axe and some cordage. Keep this in mind when you need to move something heavy and have nothing prepared.