Cross Country Skis, Jacket, and Clothing
Skiing is unlike any other sensation and it is pursued by millions of people throughout the world. Compared with other sports skiing requires much more equipment such as ski boots, ski jackets and ski clothing. This is mainly due to the extreme environment and nature of the sport. It is very easy to achieve high speeds and even easier to crash in the epic garage sale of equipment and clothing.
The word ‘ski’ actually comes from the Nordic word for a ‘stick of wood’ and for thousands of years that is all it was. Another interesting fact about the word ski is that it is written and pronounced the same way in almost every language and is also used as a verb. The oldest skis were found in Russia and have been dated to over 8,000 years ago. The design of the ski hints at a long practice of building skis and riding on them, a skill that many modern men and women are still unable to perform.
It wasn’t until the late 1800s that a ‘safe’ binding was invented which allowed for people to ski without risking their lives as much. This invention is credited to Sondre Norheim who also developed a shorter, more flexible ski that could easily be turned in soft conditions. It is more likely that he didn’t invent anything, he merely popularized an already existing form of travel as a form of recreation. Skiing has been used by the Norwegian military for over five hundred years. There also isn’t much written about Norheim until the 1930s, after his death, when he was used to promote the winter Olympics. Nevertheless he is still an inspiration for many European skiers.
Getting to an area that was suitable to ski proved to be the most difficult part for this sport. Lots of snow is needed and it is much easier and more fun to go downhill than uphill. The first ski resorts shuttled passengers up to the top of ridges and mountains on trains and on ore cars used for mining. The first ski lifts were actually modified aerial ore transporters but instead of valuable rock being transported downhill inside, people with skis were delivered to the top of mountains.
Technological innovations to ski gear have continually made skiing more enjoyable, easier to learn, and easier to access. There are roads and busses to every major ski resort and many are close to airports which greatly influence tourism. It has evolved into a multi-billion dollar industry that stimulates many other seemingly unrelated industries including real estate.
Skiing today is enjoyed in areas where there isn’t even snow. They look like giant warehouses turned at an angle and they are located in the desert and other locations that boast year round temperatures well above freezing. Inside they have lifts, different runs and even jumps and half pipes. Skis can go forwards and backwards and everyday a new trick is invented and mastered. People are even riding on various terrain features that would never be found on a mountain such as rails, boxes and stairs designed just for jibbing.
Even with snowboards taking the popularity vote for snow sports, all true athletes know that skiing will always be the funnest way to fly down a mountain.
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