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The traditional toboggan is made of bound, parallel wood slats, all bent forward at the front to form a sideways 'J' shape. A thin rope is run through the top of the loop to provide steering. The frontmost rider places her feet in the loop and sits on the flat bed; any others sit behind her and grasp the waist of the person before them.
A typical modern design, often called a Snoracer, consists of a plastic seat bound to a tubular metal frame; this is then bound to two plastic side runners, and a front 'ski' connected to a steering wheel.
Perhaps the simplest form is a sheet of flexible plastic, about 2 mm thick and 1m square, with holes on the front edge as handles. The handles are grasped and the sheet pulled back over the legs, to form a flexible smooth conveyance.
In the U.S. Southern states, a "toboggan" can also refer to the type of hat known as a tuque.