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Tools:
The Slicer, the All-Season SledSkidding on Ice Under the Sun
| “I realized if the sled were able to go on snow, too, it would appeal to an even broader market.” — Scott Ireland |
Here’s why The Slicer should be part of TDmonthly’s Toy Frenzy! documentary, as told by the inventor.
The SLICER, The All-Season Sled, started as an idea about six years ago. I didn’t know anything about “ice blocking” until my oldest daughter came home from a church youth activity where they went sledding down a grassy hill sitting on a big block of ice. She told me how much fun it was, so when they held the same event the next summer, I arranged to come along.
It did look like a lot of fun — just as much fun as snow sledding, but without cold weather and heavy coats!
SLEDDING ON THIN ICE
However, I found there were a couple problems with ice blocking. First, it required a very thick and heavy block of ice. If the ice block was too thin, it usually broke apart on the first little bump that it hit, and the rider was finished sledding for the day. And if the ice block was thick enough to withstand the rigors of repeated sledding runs, it was very heavy and difficult to tug up the hill.
Furthermore, it took several days to freeze an adequately sized ice block, consuming most of mom’s freezer space in the process. Being the engineer that I am, I figured there had to be a better way.
HONEYCOMB GIVES STRENGTH
I realized that if the ice was formed around a thin grid (or structure of some sort), the grid would act like wire mesh or rebar that is put into wet concrete to give it strength when it solidifies. That was the same thinking behind the idea for the “IcerTM”, a special (patent-pending) mold that allows a relatively thin block of ice to be formed around a plastic, honeycomb grid.
The Icer grid prevents the thin ice block from breaking apart during ice blocking (or ice sledding), and it also provides a way for the ice to be easily attached to the bottom of a sled. And by sitting on a sled, as opposed to sitting on a melting block of ice, riders are able to eliminate the other problem with ice blocking — and that is the fact that ice blocking invariably leaves you with a very wet and cold butt!
SLICING THROUGH SNOW
I initially thought that we would create a special ice sled, but I realized if the sled were able to go on snow, too, it would appeal to an even broader market, as it could be used year round and in a variety of climates and conditions.
Thus, the genesis of the SLICER, The All-Season Sled — a snow sled that can be easily converted to one that slides on grass! In the winter you sled by putting the sled on the snow; and in the summer, you put ice on the sled!
Wholesale Price: (Log in to view) MSRP: $79.99Age Range: 4 and upSKU or Item #: 804879053675Launch Date: November 2007Gender: Boys And Girls
This sled combines the elements of snow sledding with ice blocking, allowing the sled to cruise down snow-covered hills in the wintertime and race down grass-covered hills during warmer months. On snow, the sled works like a typical snow sled; on grass, the sled requires attaching Icers to the bottom of the sled. The included Icers can provide an hour or two of sledding enjoyment, depending on temperature, humidity and use. Additional Icers can be purchased separately. "The Slicer is the only sled designed to work on both snow and grass," Scott Ireland of Ice Meister told TDmonthly. Launch date: November 10, 2007. ToyDirectory Product ID#: 15731 (added 10/12/2007) . AD
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