Each skeleton athlete races with a specialized sled, helmet, skin-tight race suit, and shoes embedded with hundreds of steel spikes. There’s no steering wheel or brake lever — just the athlete, lying face down, guiding the sled by shifting their body weight through subtle head, shoulder, or knee movements.

To ensure fairness, the IBSF requires all runners to be made from identical steel stock provided by an approved supplier. While athletes can cut and shape the runners to suit a specific track, the steel must remain uncoated and untreated.

A skeleton sled is built to be strong, light, and aerodynamic. At its core is a steel chassis that provides structure. Covering the frame is a fiberglass cowling, which helps reduce air drag. Protective bumpers are included to absorb some of the shocks during rough rides. But the real stars of the sled are the runners — two polished strips of solid steel that make direct contact with the ice. They determine how the sled grips or glides and are chosen based on weather and track conditions. Some are better suited to warm ice; others are ideal in colder climates. Athletes and technicians carefully select and shape their runners for each race, but the material itself must come from an IBSF-approved supplier to ensure fairness.

The start is critical in skeleton. Athletes sprint alongside their sled before diving on. To get a solid grip on the ice, they wear shoes with steel spikes — at least 300 per shoe. Each spike can be no longer than 5 millimeters, with a maximum diameter of 1.5 millimeters. These shoes help generate speed off the line, which often decides the race.

All athletes must wear a helmet. It must fully cover the head and is designed to reduce drag and protect in case of a crash. Some helmets have face shields or visors, and most are made from lightweight, impact-resistant materials like carbon fiber or polycarbonate.

Skeleton suits are built for one purpose: speed. Unlike in bobsled, the athlete’s body fully is exposed during the run and reducing surface resistance is critical. The skin-tight suits are made from slick, aerodynamic materials similar to those used in cycling or speed skating. They minimize drag and allow air to flow smoothly over the athlete’s body during a run. Custom fits are common, and many suits are optimized based on wind tunnel testing. 

There’s no mandatory armor in skeleton, but some athletes choose to wear light padding in areas prone to impact, like the shoulders, elbows, or hips. The trade-off is weight. The IBSF sets maximum weight limits for both the sled alone and the sled with the athlete and equipment combined, so every ounce counts. Most racers prioritize speed and control, keeping extra padding to a minimum.

Runners affect how much friction the sled has with the ice. The choice of runner, based on track and weather, can change how fast a sled moves or how well it handles. The sled’s shape and the athlete’s position affect aerodynamics. Suits, helmets, and sled design all contribute to minimizing drag and maximizing control.

At the same time, helmets and bumpers help protect the athlete during high-speed impacts. But because weight strictly is regulated, any extra gear has to be carefully considered.

For men, the sled can weigh no more than 43 kg (95 lbs) on its own, and the combined weight with the athlete and gear cannot exceed 115 kg (254 lbs). For women, the limits are 35 kg (77 lbs) and 92 kg (203 lbs). Sleds must be between 800mm (31.5 inches) and 1200 mm (47 inches) in length, and 80mm (3 inches) to 200 mm (7.8 inches) in height.

Runners must be made of uncoated, solid steel and can’t be chemically treated or heated before the race. Their temperature must be within 4°C of a reference runner that’s exposed to the open air an hour before competition. Only a shared, official cleaning solution can be used to wipe runners before a run.

No steering or braking devices are allowed. Athletes must use the same sled for all heats unless it's damaged and the jury approves a replacement. Ballast can be added to meet the weight limit — but only to the sled, not the athlete.

Shoes must meet strict rules for spikes, and helmets are required at all times on the track.