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.
OTHER CLOTHES.
Other clothes are of minor importance. Remember that the season and the snow are cold, that the latter melts, that the exercise is at times very violent, and then you are not likely to try wading trousers or an umbrella. The best clothes for ski-runners are, perhaps, knickerbockers and a double-breasted jacket. Choose a material of smooth texture, for woolly stuffs catch the snow, which soon forms into icy lumps, betraying the novice and melting unpleasantly in a warm room. All openings at the neck, sleeves, knees, and ankles must have an arrangement to fit closely to keep out the snow, which is apt to find its way in, especially in the earlier stages of practice. Let the cap, or soft felt hat, be provided with flaps, to protect the ears in a sharp breeze. The so-called St. Moritz cap is excellently adapted to the purpose. Thick woollen gloves, long enough to reach high above the wrist, are indispensable, and a second pair ought to be in the pocket as a change, for wet gloves in a cold wind are the surest road to frost-bite. Puttees are probably the best means to shut the top of the boot and to cover the stockings. Some sort of wind-jacket is necessary in the Norwegian mountains and elsewhere where strong winds prevail. A capital one is in use in Austria. It is made of very thin oil-silk in the form of a sort of smock-frock, with a hood at the back for the head. It weighs almost nothing, and is warmer than any sweater. With this and a pair of trousers of the same material one may laugh at the most biting wind that ever blew, and the dangers of a night out become greatly minimised.
ACCESSORIES.
The Rücksack—Norwegian Rypesæk—came originally from the Tyrol, and is by far the best means of carrying things. It should be made of stout waterproof canvas, and should be provided with broad shoulder-straps. We advise the novice to buy as good a one as he can afford; he will find it useful for other things besides ski-running.