Spring may have arrived, but it's not time to put away the winter gear yet. There are still lots of opportunities for snowshoeing, shinny and tobogganing.

And for those who like to do their sledding fast, Michael Edwards, the director of strategic initiatives at Science East in Fredericton, has some science-based tips on how beat your friends down the hill.

Recipe for a fast run

First, you need lots of snow.

Then, you need to make yourself as aerodynamic as possible.

Just look at how they do it at the Olympics, Edwards said.

"They don't sit up on those things, they lie down, they wear Spandex suits, basically those are the things you have to do."

Yes, Spandex.

"Spandex suit is vital."

Edwards says making yourself as aerodynamic as possible — a la Olympic skeleton athlete Dave Greszczyszyn — is one way to get down the hill fast. And, if you dare, wear Spandex. (Adam Pretty/Bongarts/Getty Images)

Inner tubes are the fastest

Then, you need a fast sled.

The old, heavy, wooden toboggans tend to cut too far into the snow and will slow you down, Edwards said.

"We want something that's going to stay on top of the snow, so something with a flat bottom, nice and smooth, so a lot of the new plastics ones are really good for that."

But, Edwards added, inner tubes go even faster than plastic sleds, at least according to research he's seen in the U.S.

Reduce friction

The smoother the bottom of your sled, and the smoother the snow, the better.

"If you want to go super fast, icy surfaces are better, but you have less control," he said. "Old snow tends to smooth off over time especially if there's more people sliding on it."

Zero is the best temperature

As the sled goes down the hill, it generates heat, which produces a very thin layer of water between the sled and snow. That layer of water increases your speed because it acts as a buffer between the two surfaces.

That's why 0 C is the best temperature to go sledding, Edwards said.

"If it's much warmer than that, there's going to be more melting. And if it's much colder than that, you don't get enough melting."

A secret ingredient

It helps to apply something to the bottom.

Ski wax is expensive, but candle wax, WD40 and — if you don't mind leaving yellow snow in your wake — even cooking oil can do the trick, Edwards said.

But Edwards's favourite? Onion powder.

He said one theory is that the onion powder acts like little ball bearing between the bottom of the sled and snow surface, but "a more scientific and more plausible thing is that it acts as a water repellant."

Sled somewhere safe

OK, this might not make you go faster, but Edwards said safety is the No. 1 thing to consider when sledding.

"If there's anything at the bottom of the hill that you could potentially hit, that's not good. So make sure you play safe."