The best snow sleds of 2024

Pros: Fast on most types of snow, fits adult and child, durable plastic body

Cons: Bottom scratches and loses slickness over time

The Slippery Racer Downhill XTreme Toboggan Snow Sled is a classic plastic toboggan shape with a few upgrades that make it the best sled we've found: cutout handles for a secure grip and easy carrying, a proprietary cold-resistant coating that helps prevent cracking and scratching, and durable construction using a sturdy-but-flexible plastic that can bend to 90 degrees without breaking.

The Slippery Racer toboggan is sized for adults at 48-inch long, and has a smooth and slick bottom, helping it to glide over all sorts of snow, from soft, fresh powder to heavier, wetter packed snow. The sled features a slight taper toward the front that increases its dynamic performance and helps accommodate a smaller rider during an adult-child tandem ride.

If you accidentally hit a rock or root during your ride, the sled can take the abuse without breaking and is backed by a year-long warranty.

Pros: Smooth and comfortable ride, supports up to 250 pounds, easy to store when not in use

Cons: Requires inflation prior to use, cannot be steered or controlled

At 47-inches in diameter, the A-DUDU Inflatable Snow Tube can hold riders up to 250 pounds and zip them down a snowy hill at great speed.

It's also one of the best sleds for kids riding in pairs, provided both are ready to share those handles. Even though snow tubes might be nearly impossible to control, they actually absorb many of the bumps and jumps along the way thanks to that huge cushion of air. 

The rugged PVC exterior of this tube resists tears and punctures and resists cracking even in temperatures as cold as negative 40 degrees. The tube inflates quickly by mouth or with an air pump and stays sealed shut thanks to a double-locking valve.

Inflatable snow tubes are also great for small spaces as they can easily be deflated and stored in a cabinet.

Pros: Steering bar controls direction, beautiful classic style, last for years

Cons: Rather expensive, greater risk of injury than with other sled types

The wood and steel Flexible Flyer Steel Runner Sled may look antiquated, but there's a reason they've been produced since the late 1880s: They flat-out work. While not suitable for use on fresh powdery snow, in the right conditions, this sled is as fast as almost any modern option while also allowing you to control your ride.

With a flexible steering bar at the front of the sled, you can steer right or left and enjoy the ideal route down, avoiding obstacles and people and hitting jumps and drifts, if that's your thing.

The sled is recommended for ages five and older and can accommodate smaller adults. I'd probably recommend you wait until the kids are a bit older than five, personally, as the chance for injury is a bit higher with this sled than with a plastic toboggan or inflated snow tube. Wood and steel just hurt more than plastic.

Pros: Works on most types of snow, built to last for years, suitable for a wide age range

Cons: Impossible to steer, may be too heavy for young kids

If you're ready to upgrade from the trash can lid, we love the lightweight but virtually indestructible Flexible Flyer Metal Snow Disc Saucer. Fun for kids and adults alike thanks to the simplicity and durability of its design, this powder-coated metal saucer sled can easily hold a small child or adult sitting cross-legged and can handle many, many runs.

It's 26 inches in diameter and, despite being made of metal, the saucer only weighs 6 pounds, so even a child can carry it back up the hill, but some younger children may find it a bit heavy.

You can't steer a saucer — that much is important to know going in — but they also tend to work well on all sorts of snow, from slush to ice to powder to those perfect large, downy flakes. While a runner sled bogs down on lighter, fluffier snow and a toboggan can sink into slushier snow under a larger rider's weight, this smooth disc will easily slip over all sorts of wintry precipitation.