Blitzen Sled

Despite being a lightweight plastic sled, the Blitzen from Paris Company felt "very sturdy" to our tester-mom. Her 3-year-old son, Logan, loved that he could pull the sled up the hill on his own with its tow-rope, but its braking and maneuvering system was difficult for his little hands to manipulate. Older kids will get more use and fun out of this sled.

Age: 8+
Retail Price: $17.99
Available at: sportunlimitedinc.com

Avalanche Saucer Sled

Ari, 10, said the Avalanche Saucer Sled by Paris Company is best for light snow because it takes longer than other sleds to pick up speed. But he loved the saucer's "spinning" effect, and for about 13 bucks, it's a great value for guaranteed snow-day fun.

Age: 5+
Retail Price: $12.95
Available at: snowspeeders.com

Mega Snow Runner Sled

What this toboggan-style runner lacks in frills it makes up for in fun. Our Web designer, Laura, tried out the Mega Snow Runner with her fiancé and reports, "Oh, man. It was awesome."

The sled worked well in light snow and picked up speed even when there wasn't a steep incline. With only two side handles as its steering system, it's slightly challenging to keep the Mega Snow Runner in a straight line, but that's also part of the fun.

Age: 6+
Retail Price: $20
Available at: amazon.com

Lucky Bums Foam Sled

Sophie, 7 years old, had a blast with this super-lightweight, all-foam sled but also said kids should use caution when riding it down a steep hill, because "This sled is very fast." It's a flat sled with a slick finish and graphic design, which makes it cool enough for tween kids (outfitted in a proper helmet, of course.) It has a simple design and construction, but the Lucky Bums Foam Sled has held up remarkably well so far this winter.

Age: 6+
Retail Price: $39
Available at: amazon.com