Winters are about to start and it’s time to get on your boots and gloves, pick up your sled and head down that hill. The activity of sledding was developed way back in 1870 and since then it has been one of the most famous winter activities for people across the globe.

There’s a variety of warm clothes and accessories you will need. Some newly introduced fabrics are warm and light. These clothes are specially made for winter activities and sports purposes. The #1 item you’ll need is a warm and comfy jacket. Since you’ll be careening down a snowy hill, you might consider wearing your very thickest jacket, just so you have that extra padding against the snow, branches or anything else you might run into. Layering is also important, so wear multiple items of clothing under your jacket.

Similarly, you need to have the right kind of footwear. The shoes are very important for any winter sport or activity and sledding is no different. Good, strong snow boots or hiking boots that have good traction on them are a good choice. Your head and ears need to stay away from cold too and you can look for a warm monkey style cap or choose a separate hat and scarf with ear muffs. Also, don’t forget the socks! Consider extra thick, comfy, warm socks to go inside your boots. Or choose to wear two sets of socks.

Safety gear is essential for sledding, especially for smaller children. Never go down a hill where there are trees close by or you must maneuver between trees. Also, never sled head first down a hill. Many people are injured every year because they go head first down a hill and then end up running into a tree, rock or other sledder. In addition, don’t go sledding where there are too many other sledders close by or where there are other winter activities going on, like skiing or snowboarding, as you wouldn’t want to run into someone flying down the hill at high speeds on skis! Everyone who goes sledding should consider wearing a helmet. Specialized helmets for skiing and snowboarding are appropriate for sledding, so invest in one should you plan to go sledding every year.

You also need to take a few points into consideration when buying a sled. There are different sled sizes available for children as well as adults. The four most common types of sleds used are disks, toboggans, tubes and runner sleds. The kind of sled you want to buy depends on the kind of terrain where you are sledding. For children, disks are a good choice, because they are available in small sizes. However, never let small children go sledding without adult supervision. Older children might consider tubes or runner sleds, which are easy to use and control. Toboggans are a great choice for families.

While buying your own equipment may be more convenient, it’s also a lot more expensive. If you have never been skiing before, you may want to consider renting in case you find you don’t like it. You can always buy equipment the next time you go. Renting also makes it affordable for people who can’t spend hundreds of dollars to buy equipment. Plus, you won’t have to lug all the extra baggage on the plane or in the car. If you have children, you know how quickly kids can grow out of their clothes. When you rent, you don’t have to buy your kids new equipment every year or two when they grow out of the old stuff.

Once you’ve decided to rent equipment, you should make sure to reserve it well before you take your trip. This is especially important if you’re going during peak season. If you wait until you get there, you may have to do a lot of searching to find appropriate sizes and equipment. You definitely want to make reservations if you’re renting snowboarding equipment. Snowboarding has greatly increased in popularity and many stores haven’t caught up with demand.

You will probably have a choice of renting equipment at the mountain, or from other stores in the area. At certain resorts where there’s not much of a town you should probably rent at the mountain. At other resorts, you may have many other rental options. The benefit of renting elsewhere is that you’ll probably get a better price. If you’re only renting for one day, the mountain will probably be more convenient because you won’t have to carry equipment as far.

If you decide to rent at the mountain, you should arrive an hour before you plan to ski or snowboard. This will give you time to get your equipment and get fitted. If you rent elsewhere, it’s best to get the equipment the day before you go out. This way, you’ll be able to find other accommodations if they do not have the appropriate equipment. When you get there, you should be ready ahead of time with everyone’s shoe sizes, heights, and weights. While some people may want to fudge on their weight, you should be honest. The type of equipment you need depends on your weight. If you give the wrong weight, you may be risking your own safety.

When you get ready to sign the contract for your equipment, they will offer you insurance on the equipment. While your chance damaging the equipment is probably fairly low, it’s still a great idea. Cost for insurance is generally about a dollar a day. That’s 3 or 4 dollars per trip. Compare this to the hundreds of dollars you could pay to fix damage to skis or a snowboard. And that’s nothing compared to the cost if you completely ruin the equipment. You should also remember that it doesn’t take that much to damage equipment. A mountain is covered in snow when you ski on it, but under that snow are rocks and branches.