Equipment Section by H

Equipment Section By H. Bruce Carnall The Equipment Section is an Open Forum wherein the lalesl and besl in ski equipment is impartially reviewed. While much of the modern ski equipment is developed and made in Europe, it may be obtained through our adverlisers. - EDIToR BEGINNERS It is evident that the Equipment Section is equipment without excessive cost; and those often used as' a Buyer's Guide for the novice. who want a suitable outfit atthe lowest possible The first part is therefore devoted to the begin- outlay. It is also assumed that beginners de- ner with the hope that it will make it easier to sire equipment that will be satisfactory when choose proper equipment. Ski-ing demands they become more proficient and that they are proper equipment from the outset to aid begin- interested in receiving full value for their ex- ners to master the technique, and every possible penditures. For simplicity, the recommenda- safety device to prevent accidents. There are tions are tabulated and further information three financial classes of beginners: those who concerning most of the items will be found)n do not consider cost; those who demand proper the Equipment Section. SKIS THE BEST-AT ANY COST. I THE BEST-REASONABLY. I THE MOST-FOR THE LEAST. Hickory. Hickory,ImportedAsh, Birch, Maple. Birch, Maple, (flat-top models). For length, reach as high as possible with your fingers: the tip of the ski should just reach your wrist. Choose rather light and flexible skis with less arch than usual and beware of very narrow, very wide, and very heavy models. EDGES Composition (bakelite, fibre, etc.), I None. I None. LIGNOSTONE. Metal edges are positively not recommended until the various turns are mastered and it is usually better to slightly round the ski edge (especially at the heel and upturn) to facilitate turning. BINDINGS Toe irons with worm-gear adjust Adjustable toe Irons (ALPINA, HUITFELDT for mortised skis and in ment (SILVER - KING, UNITAS, CHALET, EZEFIX, GEZE STAND expensive CHALET, EZEFIX, M.E., ALPINA-PRECISION, etc.) for pre ARD, TRAIL BLAZER, WED GE TRAIL BLAZER, WEDGE-LOCK, etc. ference, and KANDAHAR-type heel LOCK, etc.). The heel attachments for un mortised skis. Satisfactory attachments to be used only at the should be removable and, for toe irons can be made from steel touring position until the various additional safety and convenience, right angles and used with turns are completely learned. use BILDSTEIN SPRING - HEEL - ordinary heel-attachments. Make certain that there is a CLAMPS. touring position giving true hori zontal pull. For preference, use bindings "lith toe straps and fit the toe irons exactly so that the toe of the boot protrudes only about one-half inch and so that there is absolutely no lateral movement of the heel. BOOTS Austrian, German, Swiss, (MUSSAK, I Canadian-made boots of European I Strong, rather stiff and heavy boots WIESS - BLAU, BALLY, RAKOV- design (VON, HANNES SCHNEIDER, of simple but correct design for SKY, RIEKER .. etc.). GARMISCH, etc.) ski-ing. Proper ski boots are essential for safety and comfort; fit them snugly over one :eair of heavy and one pair of light socks as they will stretch with use-especia1l1 where they lace. The heel must be held so that it does not move within the boot. Nailed boots, as used in climbmg, are not recommended. Oil, which softens and makes leather spongy, should not be used but a combined dubbin and leather food will preserve and. waterproof the boots. Special ski-boot trees should be used to preserve the shape of the boots. 86 CANADIAN SKI YEAR BOOK, 1937 STICKS THE BEST-AT ANY COST. THE BEST-REASONABLY. THE MOST-FOR THE LEAST. TANGVALD steel or cellulose-covered Tonkin Cane with leather or fabric Tonkin cane, bamboo, VON spruce; tonkin cane with rubber (RAKOV- grips and wide hand-loops. without special grip but with SKY) or leather grips. wide hand-loop. Never use a single ski stick, always use two or none. Insist upon a wide hand loop (1 in.). Sticks should be light, well balanced, and strong, with a light snow ring. For length: with the point on the floor, the top should pass easily under the armpit. Longer sticks are unwieldy. Trousers: CLOTHING Closely-woven serge or gaberdine with zipper pockets and zipper closing. Ordinary trousers of smooth mater GRENFELL CLOTH, and similar materials, are not recommended for trousers. ial, or overalls-but not breeches. Jacket: Short jacket and longer parka of I Fairly long jacket. with detachable I Windbreaker, old trench coat with GRENFELL CLOTH, ADIRONDACK parka hood, of GRENFELL CLOTH, the bottom cut off, loose-fitting POPLIN or similar material. ADIRONDACK POPLIN, etc. suit coat, etc. Trousers and jacket of smooth, closely-woven materials through which wind will not drive and to which snow will not adhere. Blanket Cloth and similar woolly materials are not so good. Mitts: Horsehide or GRENFELL CLOTH with leather-faced palms and thumb. The I \Vorking mitts of leather or canvas lining should be removable for easy drying. with removable linings. Mitts are important as beginners ofte n spend much of their time buried in snow. Coloured sheepskin mitts run and s.tain as well as soaking up the snow water, and wear out rapidly. Woollen mitts are advised as a lining for other mitts. Hat: The most satisfactory head-gear seems to be the Norwegian-type of ski cap, or the knitted or ear-warmer, ei.ther with the top knitted in or left open as is usually the case. For extremely cold and windy weather, nothing Will take the place of a parka hood worn over a woollen cap. - GENERAL Do not make the mistake of wearing heavy clothing which impedes movement but rather wear light wind and showerproof garments which do not overheat the body when exercising and yet prevent you from getting wet and cold. Always remember that several thin layers of clothing are much warmer than a single thick layer. TROCKEN-WOOL is very highly recommended for all knitted goods (sweaters, mitts, stockings, ear bands, etc.) WAX To preserve and waterproof the ski wood. have a base wax applied and use a simple and reli:tble surface wax at all times for climbing and running. This will save a great deal of effort in climbing hills and will make downhill running steadier and turning ,easier. Always use ski wax to help you both uphill and downhill. ' Skis in fin~ncing the expensive moulds and forms but it should be possible to make a satisfactory The tremendous popularity of ski-ing has pair of skis by hand for experimental purposes. made such great demands on the available sup I shall be glad to receive observatious and opi ply of suitable ski woods---especially hickroy nions of those who have considered this problem that manufacturers are finding it increasingly The average skis are not flexible over the en difficult to obtain sa tisfactory rna terial. This has tire length, becoming increasingly stiff towards resulted in many skiers preferring good sound the centre, with no bend under the foot ash, birch and maple, to indifferent hickory. plate; so that even with the whole weight of Canadian ash, of the right grade, is be the body on one ski, it is often impossible to coming more and more difficult to obtain but completely flatten out the camber under the much of the European ash is suitable. Unless binding. While very supple to very stiff skis are some synthetic-material ski is soon produced, available, yet because the centre portion is nearly birch and maple from the Canadian north may always stiff and unbending, the difference in ultimately supplant hickory for most skiers. flexibility is towards the end of the ski. This While skis of solid wood have in the past is a great disadvantage. proved most satisfactory, wood is not the ideal Too flexible skis are not suited to high speed material because it breaks, splits, warps, twists, on hard snow, while stiff skis ride badly over and wears rapidly. As a result and because irregular terrain. Therefore the ideal ski is of wood is not uniform, manufacturers are looking medium flexibility; but this compromise is not for a substitute. Metal skis and skis with metal wholly successful because the flexibility is not running-surfaces have obvious disadvantages uniform over the whole length of the ski. and the ski of the future will undoubtedly be In the past, uniform flexibility has not been made of some synthetic material and possibly so important but with modern technique and reinforced with metal edges moulded in during high-speed ski-ing, it is a decided advantage. '" the manufacturing process. From a manufac Mr. Thor Tangvald, a Norwegian by birth, and turing point of view, the difficulty seems to be an experienced skier, now has produced a ski, CANADIAN SKI YEAR BOOK, 1937 87 designed especially for modern ski-ing technique, SPLITKEIN skis are available with LIGNO and one uniformly flexible over the entire STONE edges built in during manufacture. length. Having tested this new design most LIGNOSTONE is a special impregnated beech thoroughly last season, he states that it follows wood material that was developed as a substi the irregularities of the slope like a flexible ski tute for metal during the War. It is hard, and yet, like a stiff ski, holds perfectly, without rather stiff, and resists chipping and bruising. vibrations, on hard snow and in high speed LIGNOSTONE does not make as sharp an edge as turns. In combining the advantages of both steel, of course, and most skiers may prefer to flexible and stiff models, the new TANGVALD apply a metal edge or to use a MARIUS ERICK design should prove a great advance in ski SEN edge in combination with the LTGNOSTONE.

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