Abstract: A portable drive for coaction with a band is provided with a motor driven drive roller for transporting the drive along the band. The drive roller with coacting structure for maintaining operative coaction with the band are settable to two main positions, viz, an operative and a neutral position, the band in the neutral position running freely while the drive roller with coacting structure being cantilevered so that the band can be freely taken aside for disengagement of the band from the drive, or for inserting the band from the side over the drive roller to coact therewith after resetting to the operative position. The inventive drive is primarily intended to be attachable to a skier allowing him to be towed up a hill along a band which is anchored at its upper end to a tree, for example.