FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Payment ?? Arctic Star Dog Sleds accepts personal checks with ID, VISA, Mastercard and Discover credit/debit cards. Cash payment on sleds will receive a 5 % discount. Please call us with your credit card info for the best security.
Shipping ?? Shipping sleds is an expensive option. We must now ship sleds in wooden crates and shipping costs include both weight and size of the crate.We can obtain a shipping estimate using your zip code.
Arctic Star makes frequent trips from Pennsylvania to the New England area, as well as traveling to events in Ohio, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Michigan, and as far west as Wisconsin. We'll be happy to meet you and deliver a sled on our way.
SLED TERMS DEFINED
Basket ??
All of the wooden pieces of Arctic Star sleds ( except the Rising Star) are joined together using mortise and tenon joints. Then the sled is hand tied together using nylon. This nylon webbing is the sled's basket.
Brake - Claw or Bar ? ?
All models of Arctic Star Dog Sleds, with the exception of the Rising Star, come with a bar brake as standard outfitting. The Rising Star model comes standard with a "claw brake" . We do offer an upgrade to a bar brake on Rising Stars. A claw brake works for smaller teams, but many mushers prefer the larger, stronger ( and easier to use) bar brake. There are photos of both the claw and bar brake on the Colors & Other Options page of this website.
Pro-Bridle ?
The sled bridle is the rope system under the sled which connects the dog team to the sled. Ideally, it contains shock cord. Except for the Rising Star mode, all Arctic Star Dog Sleds have a pro-bridle which uses the stanchions. It is constructed of 16 strand poly and features 3/8" shock cord with brake attachment.
Runners ?? and what is QCR ????
Wooden runners are typically laminated (several piece of wood glued & compressed together to make it stronger) Most runners are 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick. The front of the runner is curved upward to allow it to slide over the snow and get over objects .Most runners are also cambered, as skis are.
The bottom of the runners of the Rising Star model are fitted with UHMW (ultra-high molecular weight) screw-on plastic. All other Arctic Star models have QCR mounted on the runner bottoms.
QCR stands for quick change runners. A slender aluminum rail is mounted on the runner underside. Interchangeable plastic is slid onto the aluminum rails.
Stanchions ? ?
The stanchions are the vertical pieces rising up from the runners. The number of stanchions varies depending on the style of the sled. Racing sleds typically have only two stanchions which allow more flexibility. Traditional sleds have three stanchions on each side.