Traditional Toboggan History

The history of Northern Toboggan Co is itself rooted in the history of our Traditional Toboggan and the history of the people who rely on these sleds. Our northern customers are people who live and work on the land. These folks face the harshest winter environments in North America as a matter of lifestyle. For hundreds of years, wooden toboggans have been their means of travel and freighting, whether they are trapping, hunting, mushing or freighting supplies below the tree line and across the barren lands. These oak board toboggans aren’t a luxury good -- rather, they are a basic necessity. With a hardy sled, these people are able to live and to thrive on the land.

Some traditions can become outdated; fading as they are surpassed by newer technologies, but this is not the case with our northern customers. They report that plastic or even fiberglass sleds simply do not withstand the elements like wooden sleds. Often, other sleds won’t last a single season. Our traditional wood toboggans continue to perform over the course of many seasons. They become a part of the far north lifestyle and part of the family through their service and longevity. Oh, and they follow a snow machine with elegance to boot!

Despite our traditional roots, we have discovered in over twenty years in business that there are many places where the Traditional Toboggan can find use, even beyond intense on-the-land lifestyles. Many of our customers throughout the northern regions of the United States enjoy towing their cabin supplies on our beautiful Fully Rigged Toboggan. Others find that their grandchildren love the feeling of standing on the back, holding tight while they overlook the cur or the wintry trail that grandma or grandpa pull them on. Like a new Labrador puppy waddling around the park, we have found that a wooden toboggan full of kids will put a smile on anyone’s face. 

No matter how you choose to use your Traditional Toboggan, we guarantee that it was made in Northern Minnesota, in our family shop, by a man committed to world class craftsmanship.