WELCOME TO
NORTHWIND SLEDS


Northwind Sleds is a small family business located in Gallatin Gateway,Montana. Owner Kenny Hess is the main sled builder and design specialist. Wife Lori does paint work, bookkeeping and advertising. Son Josh makes the basic parts such as stantions, plastic brushbows and basket slats.
Located near Bozeman, we are lucky to be surrounded by the prime dog running areas of Lincoln, Seeley Lake and West Yellowstone. This mountainous and rugged terrain was the testing grounds for our first sleds. As a racer with 20 plus years of experience, Kenny was looking for a sled that could hold up. His day job as a timber framer led directly to the mortise and tenon construction of a top quality wood dog sled. A season of dog touring proved that tourists could break anything on the market. Kenny created a sled that was virtually indestructible and became the traditional wood sled pictured in the foreground.
This would become the basis for all our models. Over the last 10 years, with the help Doug Swingley and other musher friends, many more types of sleds evolved. Improvements for strength at stress points have been made. Camber and flexibility have been added to some models. Toboggans, modified toboggans, sprint sleds, and sit down sleds are now offered. Northwind is dedicated to constant improvement and refinement. We are open to what you, the musher, wants and needs.

Traditional wood sled:
 This sled is for people that prefer and like an all wood sled. Touring owners appreciate this model. It is extremely durable and has the look that is admired for its craftsmanship. It can come in the longer 3 stantion model for carrying riders, or in the shorter, sleeker, light weight model for smaller or sprint teams.
These sleds have laminated runners, side rails and handle bar. The laminated brushbow can be replaced with a plastic one for a little extra "crashability". Laminating our layers of wood with epoxy and using carbon fiber in between each laminate, has been tested to be ten times stronger than wood alone.





Melanie Shirilla, Wyoming race 2002 Champion




Kenny & Lori Hess
12260 Glacier Mountain Lane
Bozeman, Montana 59718
406-763-4440



Last update: February 22nd, 2003.




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