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PedSled®, a new invention by Michael Webb, B.S.M.E., UT-Austing, is a device for alpine snow descending. It is ridden similarly to a snowboard, but uses two skis to engage the snow rather than a single board. Its aim is to improve performance while reducing fatigue of the skier.

Iglide® J bearings from igus® Inc. are used in the control linkage for axially controlled motions. The bearing is small and lightweight, yet strong enough to handle the rigorous abuse of skiing and the harsh, cold, wet conditions.

To enable the skis to follow the contours of the terrain, additional degrees of freedom are required. Igubal spherical bearings from igus enable the PedSled to maintain the parallel function while still allowing for non-parallel alignment of the skis.

Webb sees many benefits from using iglide and igubal such as, their ability to withstand the wet environment, their low profile providing ample room to use a large diameter aluminum tube while still delivering enough stiffness and strength, their lightweight feature that maximizes maneuverability and their low-cost that enables a competitive price point in the marketplace.