“Oh boy, your life’s going to change,” everybody said upon learning the news of my wife’s pregnancy. Life did change, but certain activities, like skiing, just became more interesting. We found a way to keep skiing with a baby, literally, in tow. We bought a pulk. Now that both of my kids have outgrown it, I realize it was an awesome purchase.

A pulk is a sled for pulling gear behind you while you travel over the snow. There are manufacturers that make pulks specifically for kids and some that have kits that turn joggers into ski trailers. They’re great for bringing your kids on winter trips and better than the high center of gravity you get with your child in a backpack.

Whatever brand you buy, a good pulk has these three features: a good point of attachment to the skier, a sturdy connection from skier to pulk, and a fully enclosed area specifically designed for seating children.

Once you decide on a model that suits you, heed some of the lessons we learned over the past seven winters:

Insulate your child from the floor. Our model had insulation between the child seat and the floor of the sled but it still got cold for the tyke unless we added a few quilts and blankets to sit on. These acted as shock absorbers, too.

Dress your child in lots of layers. Children have smaller bodies that are harder to keep cool or warm. Gauging their comfort level in a pulk is extra hard since they’re simply riding while you’re getting warm hauling them. Check the kids often, especially if they’re too young to clearly communicate their discomfort, and adjust their layers as necessary.

Be gentle on groomed trails. We took our pulk to smooth skating trails, not classic ones. Some models have ski runners, but our flat-bottomed pulk would’ve destroyed a groomed classic trail. Plus, I found that freestyle skiing, gives a smoother ride to my little passenger than diagonal striding.

Give up on “getting a workout” and just have fun. Early on, I thought the pulk was my ticket to being a ski racer while fulfilling my parental duties. Now I know all that mattered was that we were all left smiling in the snow. Sometimes hot chocolate is more important than a few more kilometers. If my “little coach” wants to make a snowman instead of riding some more, then, by gosh, it’s time for a snowman!

Leave them wanting more. I was the first one to say, “Well, it’s time to go home.” When the protests began, I promised another trip soon. Pick manageable routes with lots of chances to abort and get out while they’re still having a good time. Don’t be the guy five miles from the car with your kid screaming so hard he’s melting the pulk’s plastic.

Some of my greatest memories are of skiing in places like the Uintahs in Utah, Sun Valley in Idaho, Boulder Lake just north of Duluth, and the Onion River Road along the North Shore. I was gliding over the snow with my whole family in those places. Maybe you know how to bring toddlers without a pulk, but I sure don’t.

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