A competition skeleton sled typically weighs between about 35 and 45 kilograms, depending on whether it’s set up for women’s or men’s events.

Basic weight range

  • For men, common regulations cap the sled’s own weight at around 43–45 kg.
  • For women, the sled limit is usually around 35–38 kg.
  • These limits are for the sled alone, not counting the athlete.

In practice, many elite sleds are built lighter than the maximum, and athletes may add ballast to reach optimal combined weight within the rules.

Combined weight rules

  • Men’s combined weight (sled + athlete + gear) is typically limited to about 115–120 kg, depending on the rule set.
  • Women’s combined weight limit is usually around 92–102 kg.

Those combined limits are why you’ll see strict sled weight caps: the sled can’t be too heavy, or bigger athletes would be pushed over the maximum allowed total.

Real‑world example

Former and current skeleton athletes discussing their gear often mention sleds in roughly the 20–30 kg range for very light, specialized builds, which is below the maximum but still strong enough to handle the g‑forces of a full run. This gives teams flexibility to tune total weight by adding ballast while staying under the combined limits.