Winter Sled Best Design DIY

Anyone has good designs for homemade human powered sled's?

I'm looking to built something that has good control while sleding downhile
but can allso carry lots of stuff.

Not sure....

What I have done is take a cheap kids plastic sled, and then cut plywood to form a box inside the sled. To keep it in place I just screwed it in places through the plastic using screws with fender washers on them (wide flat washers). This enabled me to haul stuff without it spilling out as much. For me, the sled was for snowshoeing, yet kept me from toting a backpack.

To keep the sled from sliding over the tails of my snowshoes while going down hill, I put a "hitch" on it. What I did was get two hinges and screwed one on the sled and a length of board, probably 3 inches wide and 5 feet long, on the front of the sled where the rope normally would be tied. Then I put another hinge on the other end of the hitch. This went to a short block of wood. in that block of wood, I drilled four holes and put loops of loose fitting rope through it.

In use, I take the hitch, with the block of wood with loops on it, and attach it to my belt in the very back on my pants. In this way I have my hands for balance, and my belt pulls the sled. With the solid board between the front of the sled and my belt loop, when I go down hill, the sled does not ride on top of my snowshoe tails, and on up hills, the belt loop and hitch, pull the sled...all without me using my hands. The two hinges allow the hitch (long, thin board) to pivot over hills, depressions and the like. It really works well because it is all hands free, and saves my shoulders from having a heavy pack on it.

Thanks Travis for the insight!

Just made this easy model.
My goal was a fun sled to slide with but that can carry mucho stuffs
and will last numerous years.

Side lumber is spruce, plywood in back and maple & birch for small reinforcing pieces.
Bottom is made with what they call arena plastic at the hardware store because thats what
is used at Hockey rinks for the boards.

I had some left over from a dory boat project.
(I had reinforced the pine bottom with plywood false bottom and this plastic so I can land on rocky shores.)
This stuff is hard, strong and slippery.
I can push my 500 lbs dory boat on rocks even if it has heavy load, 500lbs+. (rocks must be somewhat level)
I had bought 4'x8' for 150$CAN, so on the expensive side, if I hadn't had left over pieces, would of tried to reporpuse plastic sheet
elsewheres.

Dimensions are 25''x40''
25'' is maybe a bit wide...
Its not too heavy but defenetly a bit heavier than an all plastic sled, but I'm tired replacing brooken ones every other year.

Gave her a try, slides very well with good control.
Angle on back makes for a comfy ride.
Could maybe ride 2 but a bit tight or romantic?
Skids on bottom are essential for control.
Ropes on side is for bungying stuff and I allso put rope handles.
Hole in back on plywood is for carry stuff that is longer then sled (40'').
Wood will receive a mix of Hemp Oil/Diluant/Pine Tar.
Linseed oil would work just as good and would be cheaper, I use Hemp Seed Oil because a good friend
makes and sells it, and I get it free.
This preservative is used a lot in traditionnal boat building and the wood will eventually become black.

Sheets recieved screws every 2 1/2''.
Notice how I countersunk the screws on the platic,
this is essential!
You don't want the scews popping out, that will slow you down
and will rip out the screws!

For now I just put a rope for pulling but Travis's idea of putting a hitch is great!
I have tried one before and makes pulling on uneven terrain a breeze.
The one I tried, the builder had repurpose backpack straps that go around the waist.
The backpack was cut out, only the straps were used for the hitch.