Nordic Cab Explorer
For our ski and skate plans in Canada and Europe, we were looking for a way to take all our equipment with us. For a skiing adventure, pulling a pulk (a sled) behind us was the most logical option, but we wouldn't be able to skate on the road with that. We knew that Thule has a children's bicycle trailer that you can use to ski, but it is not suitable for carrying luggage. Eventually we found Nordic Cab, a Norwegian family business that makes a multi-trailer that fully met our needs, the Nordic Cab Explorer. In the meantime we have cycled, skied and skated with the trailer and we will soon be leaving for a long trip on the skates through the north of Europe.
- (+) Multi trailer
- The Explorer is a real multi-trailer. It is designed to do as many outdoor activities as possible. It is a bicycle trailer, you can use it as a stroller for walking and running, for skiing in the winter, hiking in the mountains and skating. Not only the activities are diverse, but also the function of the trailer. The main goal is a transport trailer for children, but the Explorer is also suitable as a bagage cart or to take your dog with you. We only use the Explorer as a bagage cart and have no experience how the trailer works as a trailer for children.
- (+) Robust and sturdy
- Our Explorer has more than 2,000 kilometers on the clock and still works perfectly. We've cycled through the snow and on dirt roads, and we've skied 1,000 miles in difficult terrain. The parts feel very robust and sturdy. The transfer of the rigid aluminum posts from the harness to the body is done via a flexible plastic connection. Our trailer was loaded with 50 kilograms of equipment while skiing and the plastic connection sometimes bent a lot during a descent, but did not budge, impressive.
- (+) Skis
- You can easily switch the Explorer wheels to two skis to go over the snow in winter. The skis made of sturdy plastic with a large sliding surface. As a result, the trailer floats excellently on deep snow and is still fast on a groomed trail. The skis can tip around the attachment point which makes the trailer very stable on an uneven landscape. We never had the feeling that the trailer would tip over.
- (+) Skis to wheels
- On our skiing adventure, we often had to do small parts on a paved road (for example a bridge over a river), or go into villages for resupply. It is very useful how quickly you can change the skis and wheels, and we have used it a lot. Of course, the wheels are extra weight on a skiing adventure, but in our case they were absolutely necessary.
- (+) Click system
- No screwdriver is required to use the trailer. The skis and wheels are changed with a handy click system on the ski and the wheel. The aluminum bars are sometimes a bit inconvenient to slide into the trailer for one person, but the system works well and is very sturdy.
We attach the wheels on top of the skis (if they don't fit inside the trailer anymore)
- (+/-) Harness mounting system
- You can clip the harness rods to a ring of the hip belt. The mounting is easy, but you often get a forward or back shock because there is a delay on this system. This is not a problem on flat surfaces, but a descent with skis over bumpy terrain is a bit more challenging.
- (-) Rain cover
- You can cover the bagage cart with a rain cover. This is only water-repellent, but not waterproof, which we find a disadvantage. Nordic Cab has indicated that it should become a waterproof cover in future models.
Our conclusion
At first we regretted not using a classic pulk (like the polar explorers), but soon we saw all the benefits of the Explorer and are very happy with it. For now we will continue to use the trailer as a luggage cart, but who knows if we will use for children in the future.
Curious about what we took with us during our winter trip on The Route Blanche and how we organized our belongings? You can read it all in our packing list for a winter adventure.
On the Nordic Cab website you will find all the technical information about the Explorer.
