FOOTGEAR.
This is a very important part of a ski-runner’s outfit, and too much attention cannot be paid to it. Nevertheless, nothing is commoner in Switzerland than to see the early efforts of beginners enormously handicapped by unsuitable boots. English ladies, particularly, seem to find it difficult to make up their minds to spend the necessary amount of money on a suitable pair, and usually appear in thin, high-heeled shoes covered by “gouties.” But the acme of thoughtlessness was in our experience achieved by a man who went out in patent-leather boots and openwork silk socks! The consequences were, of course, frost-bite, and he narrowly escaped losing a few toes.
A strongly made, waterproof, low-heeled boot is a necessity, and with most modern bindings the sole should be not less than half an inch thick. It should be roomy enough to permit of at least three pairs of extra thick socks being worn, and there should be plenty of room for the toes to “waggle.” With bindings such as Huitfeldt’s it is better not to have the toe cut too square, for a more or less wedge-shaped end fits better into the toe-irons. In order to resist the pressure of the toe-strap it is best to have the leather extra thick in front. The boot should fit fairly tightly round the ankle and instep, for reasonable firmness at this point does not interfere with the circulation, and is of value in preventing sprained ankles and chafed heels. With Ellefsen’s binding, where there are no straps across that part of the foot, this is of special importance. Nothing is gained by wearing a sloppy sort of boot and subsequently imprisoning the foot in tight and narrow straps. The strain of moving the ski has to be borne somewhere, and it is best to distribute it evenly where it is least felt. In order to prevent the heel straps slipping down it is strongly advisable with all the bindings mentioned above (except the Lilienfeld) to have a small strong strap and buckle sewn to the heel of the boots. The buckle should point upwards, and should be fixed quite close. The end of the strap then points downwards, and is useful as a sort of shoehorn for pulling on the binding.
For Switzerland we would advise the addition of a few nails to the sole of the boot. They prevent any slipping about on icy places round the house, and they make all the difference to one’s happiness in climbing on foot over a pass, or the last few yards of some rocky and icy summit. They are not, however, to be recommended in Norway, where nobody wears them. Not but what there is plenty of ice round the hotels and sanatoria there, but in that country custom is everything, and it is better to bear with a bump or two than to offend.
In the Black Forest ski boots are often made of dog or calf skin, with the hair left on outside. An inner coating of hair is often added, but this we think is a mistake, as it is difficult to dry after use. The exterior coating of hair is, however, a great protection against cold. It wears out in course of time, and then the thing to do is to follow the classical example of the King of the Jews and buy another pair.
Arctic explorers and others who go to very cold places are unanimous as to the virtues of outside hair, and various devices exist to enable the runner to fix a covering of it over his ordinary boots. These inventions are, however, apt to be too bulky, or to fill up with snow, or to be cut by a nailed boot, and we cannot recommend any we have seen. A very simple plan is, however, to nail a piece of skin (or canvas-covered felt) to the ski in front of the foot, and to pass it between the toe-strap and the boot. It should be wide enough and long enough to cover the toes, but not, of course, so wide as to project and act as a brake. This little dodge helps to keep the toes warm, not only by the extra covering which it affords, but also by distributing the pressure of the toe-strap over a greater surface; it also to some extent prevents snow collecting under the toes and forming an uncomfortable lump there.
Boots should be greased now and again, but in moderation, for excessive greasing is said to cause cold feet. The boots should be warmed (with hot water or otherwise) before the grease is applied. Castor oil is excellent for this purpose.
The best kind of socks to wear are very thick ones made of goat’s hair; but nowadays they are difficult to get. In Norway so-called “Ragge Sokker” are no longer made of pure material, and the modern imitation is harsh and uncomfortable. Thick woollen socks known as “Ladder” are now largely used, and a pair of these over a good ordinary sock are sufficient for most purposes. It is, however, always advisable to take a dry pair in one’s rucksack, for, however waterproof one’s boots may be, a considerable amount of moisture always accumulates inside them. This is due to the condensation of perspiration against the cold outer surface of the boot, and is most dangerous in very cold weather, when the leather freezes and its pores are choked by ice. When this occurs the toe-straps should be loosed and the toes should be kept moving. Frost-bite is very insidious, and is frequently quite unnoticed by the sufferer till he reaches home and it is too late. The consequences may be very serious, and it is impossible to be too much on one’s guard.
From the above it will be seen that there is plenty of room for improvement in the ski-runner’s footgear. We recommend a thick under-sock, a pair of good “Ladder,” a stout boot, fitting well about the ankle, but with plenty of room at the toes, and a piece of skin covering the toes and held in position by the toe strap. But, all the same, we frequently suffer from cold feet, and we wish somebody would invent something better.