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Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Winter Camping and Activities :: Pro Exped Sled
 
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wvevans
11/10/2014 01:10PM
 
I found A Paris Pro Exped sled (orange one) on Amazon for $30.00 . Is this not a $60.00 sled thought ? Is this not the sled alot of you guys have been using ? Ace has one for $60.00 but it appears they went to selling the Knock off maybe. I could be wrong on that. Am I way off in thinking this is half price right now ?

http://www.amazon.com/ERAPRO-PARIS-60x20x6-Exped-Sled/dp/B000YD6J30/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415645587&sr=8-1&keywords=paris+sled
 
NotLight
11/10/2014 03:01PM
 
True Value handles the Paris Expedition sled, and I think it is normally about $35 or so.


The "competitor" is the EMSCO beast, which is $40-60 or so. Ace hardware sells that one. I thought I bought my EMSCO for like $20 eons ago at Fleet Farm - not sure why the inflation.

I think both Ace and True Value have free ship to store, which may make them cheaper than amazon.



 
NotLight
11/10/2014 03:34PM
 

Here is a picture of both side by side, vs. a 205cm pair of skis. Yes, the EMSCO is about 6" longer.


I am not a sled expert. I like the EMSCO because it is more squared off giving a bit more useful area at the ends, and seems to have a nicer and more gradual slope at the front of the sled. But it may be that the Paris has better plastic? I really don't know - the Paris must be popular for a reason....







 
SevenofNine
11/11/2014 07:12AM
 
I have a version of EMSCO sled I bought from Target years ago and like it. Decent sled that takes some punishment and hauls quite a bit of gear.
 
wvevans
11/10/2014 03:15PM
 
I just looked again. Your right NL. Ace has the Emsco for $46.99. True Value has the Paris Expd for $37.99 and Amazon has the Paris Expd for $30.00 a piece if you get two sleds plus shipping unless your a prime customer. Then it ships for free. looks like the emsco is 6 inches longer than the paris ?
 
Merlin
11/11/2014 12:23PM
 
Unfortunately not amazon prime eligible... No free shipping.
 
ArrowheadPaddler
11/12/2014 09:41PM
 
quote PINETREE: "quote Doughboy12: "quote tonyyarusso: "quote Doughboy12: "If I were choosing a lake sled this would be it, and if I were choosing a trail sled it is and would be the Paris."
Is the difference because of the length, or other aspects? I'm curious about this assessment - and glad to hear it, since mine does get used on trails."





My experiance with MY Emsco was that on my "test" trip (not deep in the BWCAW) I had the sled "scurry" down a hill and into a hidden stump. Now mind you this was about a 4' drop at about a 30 degree angle so it wasn't like I bombed it down hill. Well the front edge shattered. (The temps were around 10f-15f.) So I took it back and promptly ordered "what everyone else in the group had."
I did love that sled and to this day I wish it didn't happen that way but it did and I couldn't take that chance.
I have read on here that other people have nary a problem with them so maybe it was just a bad one...IDK."






The new Emsco are a hunk of junk,they shatter very easy. They changed plastic and material. The old ones you could not break."



Agreed. My brother had this sled. I pulled my kids in it for literally 20 yards before the plastic fell to pieces in the front of the sled. It wasn't even close to the abuse a sled would receive on a camping trip.
 
NotLight
11/13/2014 10:51AM
 
I've had three of the EMSCO's. I'm guessing the vintages to be about 2004 and 2011. They've taken a lot of abuse sledding, even in the very cold, and they never cracked. But then, stored in the garage with a bit of weight in them, both of the older ones eventually cracked over time under very little stress. So perhaps the plastic does not age well?


But if you are only pulling less than 50lbs, I still think these would be ok - even if old. To me it does not make sense to get a more rugged and heavy sled if you are not pulling much. If you are pulling 100lbs, you might want something else, or you might stack two sleds and screw in some kind or reinforcing plate where pull rope attaches.



 
PINETREE
11/14/2014 06:33PM
 
My vintage orange sleds are like 25 years old and they have even hauled close to 180 pound deer in them over logs etc. and they are still like new(3 of those sleds). Got a new one it cracked just looking at it. My nephew cracked about 3 new ones.
 
Doughboy12
11/14/2014 09:25AM
 
quote NotLight: "...or you might stack two sleds and screw in some kind or reinforcing plate where pull rope attaches.



"



If you were going to do that you may as well just split up your gear and pull a sled train...that would spread the weight out more and be easier to pull, if you were doing across the lake and easy trail stuff.
I was thinking of doing just that this year up at Sawbill.
 
Pinetree
12/24/2016 08:26PM
 
Its time again

sled
 
OldFingers57
12/26/2016 08:36AM
 
I can't believe you guys are paying that much for either a EMSCO or Paris sled. I got an EMSCO for $20 a couple of years back. I think Dicks had them this year for around $30.
 
PINETREE
11/11/2014 07:44PM
 
quote wvevans: "I found A Paris Pro Exped sled (orange one) on Amazon for $30.00 . Is this not a $60.00 sled thought ? Is this not the sled alot of you guys have been using ? Ace has one for $60.00 but it appears they went to selling the Knock off maybe. I could be wrong on that. Am I way off in thinking this is half price right now ?
sled"

 
tonyyarusso
11/11/2014 04:41PM
 
quote Doughboy12: "If I were choosing a lake sled this would be it, and if I were choosing a trail sled it is and would be the Paris."
Is the difference because of the length, or other aspects? I'm curious about this assessment - and glad to hear it, since mine does get used on trails.
 
wvevans
11/11/2014 06:45PM
 
Yes !! Me too. Id love here your reasons or anyone elses for choosing one over the other for different types of trips..
 
Doughboy12
11/12/2014 08:20AM
 
quote tonyyarusso: "quote Doughboy12: "If I were choosing a lake sled this would be it, and if I were choosing a trail sled it is and would be the Paris."
Is the difference because of the length, or other aspects? I'm curious about this assessment - and glad to hear it, since mine does get used on trails."



My experiance with MY Emsco was that on my "test" trip (not deep in the BWCAW) I had the sled "scurry" down a hill and into a hidden stump. Now mind you this was about a 4' drop at about a 30 degree angle so it wasn't like I bombed it down hill. Well the front edge shattered. (The temps were around 10f-15f.) So I took it back and promptly ordered "what everyone else in the group had."
I did love that sled and to this day I wish it didn't happen that way but it did and I couldn't take that chance.
I have read on here that other people have nary a problem with them so maybe it was just a bad one...IDK.
 
wvevans
11/12/2014 12:53PM
 
I like that
 
PINETREE
11/12/2014 04:55PM
 
quote Doughboy12: "quote tonyyarusso: "quote Doughboy12: "If I were choosing a lake sled this would be it, and if I were choosing a trail sled it is and would be the Paris."
Is the difference because of the length, or other aspects? I'm curious about this assessment - and glad to hear it, since mine does get used on trails."




My experiance with MY Emsco was that on my "test" trip (not deep in the BWCAW) I had the sled "scurry" down a hill and into a hidden stump. Now mind you this was about a 4' drop at about a 30 degree angle so it wasn't like I bombed it down hill. Well the front edge shattered. (The temps were around 10f-15f.) So I took it back and promptly ordered "what everyone else in the group had."
I did love that sled and to this day I wish it didn't happen that way but it did and I couldn't take that chance.
I have read on here that other people have nary a problem with them so maybe it was just a bad one...IDK."





The new Emsco are a hunk of junk,they shatter very easy. They changed plastic and material. The old ones you could not break.
 
tonyyarusso
11/11/2014 11:56AM
 
quote NotLight: "But it may be that the Paris has better plastic?
"

Based on owning a Paris and seeing how the edge of the Emsco is kinda wavy in that picture, this must be it. The Paris plastic is seriously beefy.


It's probably minor, but the slightly pointed front of the Paris can also be nice in certain conditions.
 
Stik8481
11/12/2014 10:19AM
 
Have any of you used this sled?


I am going on my first true winter camping trip in the BWCA this Jan. Just looking for Ideas Viking Deer drag sled
 
Mnpat
11/11/2014 07:14PM
 
trim the sides on the emsco beast to keep it from plowing snow.
I usually leave an inch from the top corner.
The beast is my preferred sled and i have both. It is more stable, has a better front angle and holds more gear.

The front lip on the paris gets caught on logs on the trail. The front nose angle is to steep for soft snow and causes it to plow.
Its to small for overnight camping loads with fishing gear.



 
Doughboy12
11/11/2014 12:33PM
 
I have had both...the EMSCO was a bit more brittle but I liked the size and "features" much better. Others have reported no problems with it.
If I were choosing a lake sled this would be it, and if I were choosing a trail sled it is and would be the Paris.
 
wvevans
11/11/2014 03:09PM
 
quote Doughboy12: " Not Amazon Prime eligble." Thanks. Darn...I should have Figured .
 
Doughboy12
11/12/2014 12:39PM
 
Should work just fine...
 
BigZig
11/12/2014 01:02PM
 
I've used the deer drag sled. Rigged it with solid fiberglass poles instead of rope. Works fine.
 
Doughboy12
11/13/2014 08:44AM
 
quote ArrowheadPaddler: "quote PINETREE: "quote Doughboy12: "quote tonyyarusso: "quote Doughboy12: "If I were choosing a lake sled this would be it, and if I were choosing a trail sled it is and would be the Paris."
Is the difference because of the length, or other aspects? I'm curious about this assessment - and glad to hear it, since mine does get used on trails."






My experiance with MY Emsco was that on my "test" trip (not deep in the BWCAW) I had the sled "scurry" down a hill and into a hidden stump. Now mind you this was about a 4' drop at about a 30 degree angle so it wasn't like I bombed it down hill. Well the front edge shattered. (The temps were around 10f-15f.) So I took it back and promptly ordered "what everyone else in the group had."
I did love that sled and to this day I wish it didn't happen that way but it did and I couldn't take that chance.
I have read on here that other people have nary a problem with them so maybe it was just a bad one...IDK."







The new Emsco are a hunk of junk,they shatter very easy. They changed plastic and material. The old ones you could not break."




Agreed. My brother had this sled. I pulled my kids in it for literally 20 yards before the plastic fell to pieces in the front of the sled. It wasn't even close to the abuse a sled would receive on a camping trip."



I have been vindicated...lol