Broken-smashed Gear: Tips for packing and travelling with gear

[Sharkbait22]

Anyone have tips on how to prevent damage to gear while towing gear behind a sled?  I have a 2 man flipover and gear just takes a beating.  I'm typically travelling about 20mph to cover ~10 miles per day (big lake).  I move a lot to find fish.  Some days the ice is smooth (no problem) and other days it's bumpy, and depending on the light and snow, the bumps can't be seen!  I have my sonar and auger (Digger mount) on the back of my snowmobile so they are fine, its the gear in the flip that's the problem. Anyone have a reasonable solution? Thanks

[Fishwacker1]

Rubbermaid containers with pick and pluck foam. Modify for your needs with different sizes and shapes for your gear.

If you have the cash go pelican cases.

[JonPerry]

7 gallon pail, milk crate, hard sided rod case, etc. I let the terrain dictate my speed. If it's rough on my stuff I slow down.

[Kov619]

Bungee it down  or even slow down a little less damaging at lower speeds....I would think....if things are broken what time did you save,,,,,

[aquarium234]

Walmart adjustable flat bungee cords, lock that stuff in tight

[Bucket Rump]

I use a Johnson Cargo Rack and carry pretty much everything on it - auger and minnow cooler get strapped to the framework of the rack.  My heater, propane, lure boxes, flasher, food/beverages, etc. get stuffed into a large tote that fits on the rack itself and my rod box gets bungeed to the top of the tote.  Flip shanty is towed as empty as possible connected to the hitch on the JCR.  Have even been able to bungee my Quickfish 3i to the rack and go without towing anything.

[lefty2053]

You could try a cargo net in the sled. Anchor it in different areas to hold things tight.

[matzilla]

this is exactly why a lot of guys are decking their sleds and building individual storage compartments for everything

[Huntindave]

Anyone have tips on how to prevent damage to gear while towing gear behind a sled?  I have a 2 man flipover and gear just takes a beating.  I'm typically travelling about 20mph to cover ~10 miles per day (big lake).  Anyone have a reasonable solution? Thanks

I find my typical speed to around 13 MPH.   Your present travel time for 10 miles, at 20MPH, is 30 minutes.  Dropping to 13 MPH would result in a 45 minutes travel time.  Sounds better than busting up your gear.

[SLAYERFISH]

I find my typical speed to around 13 MPH.   Your present travel time for 10 miles, at 20MPH, is 30 minutes.  Dropping to 13 MPH would result in a 45 minutes travel time.  Sounds better than busting up your gear.

When I fished more with a sled jeez I be cruisin at 40-60 mph on the ice. Broke quite a few rods till I smartened up and slowed down a little.

Although I started wrapping my rods in a thick blanket and bungeed everything down real tight. Then I speeded up again and everything was fine.

[mudchuck]

Buy an eagle claw rod locker, or equivalent, probably need to strap the rod locker to your ATV, will keep the rods/reels form being smashed up, the rest of your gear, depending what that is, strap it all in and have a cover on your sled.

[Huntindave]

When I fished more with a sled jeez I be cruisin at 40-60 mph on the ice. Broke quite a few rods till I smartened up and slowed down a little.

Although I started wrapping my rods in a thick blanket and bungeed everything down real tight. Then I speeded up again and everything was fine.

To OP stated that he "moved around a lot" and "traveled 10 miles per day".  How much time spent wrapping everything up several times a day, versus a bit more time spent traveling spot to spot?  Heck if I'm only traveling a few yards or even a few hundred yards at a time, I don't even do any "packing".  Just flip the shelter open, propped open against the rear pole and go. 

[dunnhuntin]

I cover a lot of miles some days and usually run 20-45mph or more depending on conditions. EVERYTHING has a dedicated place in my sleigh. Rods go in sleeves then in a hard case, or in PVC tubes under the lid. Auger is mounted in rubber kolpin gun grips on the top lid of my sleigh and strapped down with bungees. My hub shelter is strapped inside on the right, heater, extra gas cans, and folding stools strapped on the left. Flasher and minnow bucket both slide into 5 gallon pails that are screwed to the sleigh. I have several compartments and milk crates inside my sleigh that everything fits into so it doesn't move. Even my pliers and rod holders have hangers to keep thwm from moving. Things get broken when they slide around and crash into other things in the sleigh. The more rigidly your stuff is held in, the less likely you are to break it.

[Sharkbait22]

Thanks for the replies and ideas.