sledder

Athlete who practices the skeleton. The sledder wears an aerodynamic suit; extra protection may be worn on the elbow and other vulnerable areas.

chin guard

Hard piece that is attached to the helmet to protect the chin if it hits the ice.

crash helmet

Rigid piece of equipment designed to protect the head; crash helmet visors and chin guards are mandatory.

skeleton

Steel or fiberglass sled that is mounted on movable runners; the sledder steers the skeleton by transferring body weight from side to side.

cleated shoes

Shoes whose sole contains small cleats to provide good traction on the ice during the push start.