| Once you have decided to learn how to ski you must | | | | types with fingers are the smartest although in very |
| turn your attention to the most important matter for | | | | cold weather, well-lined leather ski gloves are more |
| beginners, advanced pupils and "big shots" alike - the | | | | comfortable and suit their purpose better. Even when |
| equipment. The smallest mistake in your equipment | | | | it is warm you should never take off your gloves for |
| or bad advice when buying it may mean all the | | | | the descent. The slightest fall can lead to very |
| difference between pleasure and misery, success or | | | | unpleasant grazes on your hands caused by brittle |
| failure. | | | | snow or hidden rocks. |
| Clothing | | | | The Skis |
| The best advice I can give is that you should | | | | The shape of skis in the past few years has been |
| combine chic with utility. Unfortunately a great deal | | | | greatly standardized. The very broad types have |
| that appears chic serves no useful purpose but, on | | | | fallen out of favor. The skis on sale today are usually |
| the other hand, to be practical does not necessarily | | | | a combination model, a composite type which has |
| mean that you must be inelegant. | | | | developed from the slalom ski and the special downhill |
| Let us start from the feet upwards. The boots must | | | | ski used in competitions. |
| fit as though the feet had been poured into them. | | | | The measurements of this model range at the tips |
| When you buy a pair, try them on wearing a pair of | | | | between 8.6 cm. and 9 cm, in the centre between 7 |
| thick and a pair of thin socks. Most boots give a little | | | | cm. and 7.4 cm, and at the heel between 7.8 cm. and |
| in the course of time, particularly those made of raw | | | | 8.2 cm. Skis for ladies and children should be in |
| hide. For racing they must be secured so tightly that | | | | proportion to their height and, above all, have plenty |
| on reaching the goal they must immediately be | | | | of elasticity. The shorter skis are usually far too rigid. |
| unfastened. Let me say at once that a pair of ski | | | | The so-called short skis, which are very broad, I can |
| boots can never be a comfortable pair of ballroom | | | | really only recommend to elderly people (over sixty). |
| slippers. | | | | The Bindings |
| It is absolutely essential that the foot sit firmly in the | | | | Just as important as good boots and good skis is the |
| boot so that one has a firm stance. How could the | | | | connection of the body via the boot to the ski. |
| body obtain a firm contact with the ski if there were | | | | Everything that goes on in your brain, every reaction |
| any play in the boot? Today it is taken for granted | | | | must travel this course as swift as lightning and the |
| that you wear long, tapering trousers which prevent | | | | binding must therefore remain firm. Downhill skiers |
| the snow from getting in the boots far better than | | | | today use special long straps in order to secure their |
| the outmoded plus-fours. An important question | | | | boots even more firmly. They may be of use but |
| today is whether to choose gaberdine or nylon. In | | | | personally I have never found that they made much |
| recent years I have found nylon to be excellent. This | | | | difference and, as a normal skier, you will find that a |
| material complies with all the demands of the | | | | simple binding which helps you to have a good heel |
| fashion-conscious ladies. | | | | grip will be sufficient. |
| For the upper part of the body, apart from a warm | | | | Today there are also safety cables and levers so |
| vest, a pullover and an anorak or windcheater are | | | | that when falling forwards, in other words under |
| essential. It is advisable when going on a tour to | | | | excess pressure which your Achilles tendon and |
| wear these garments since when the weather | | | | muscles can no longer bear, you can come out of |
| changes it is far better to have too much clothing | | | | the binding. |
| than too little. Gloves must never be forgotten. The | | | | Now you have the equipment, you are ready to ski! |