Your Introductìon to Skiing for Winter '66

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31080, 8 June 1966, Page 14

Your Introductìon to Skiing for Winter '66

WHERE you will find the widest selection of tried and true Ski Equipment and Skiwear. • A staff of active and experienced Skiers are ready to guide the beginner and advise the enthusiast.

• We are happy to sell but only what is right for you.

• Genuine advice is yours without obligation.

• You are invited to visit as a friend and fellow Skier. • A complete Service Department supports our guarantee of satisfaction.

• For Ski-ing at its pleasurable best you can choose the finest in Ski Equipment and Skiwear.

• We wish you all the joys of Ski-ing in '66.

Boom In Fashions And Equipment

The surest way to judge the increasing popularity of a sport is to assess the increasing time and money spent on fringe manifestations of it; and ski-ing’s progress can be best gauged by the increasing importance placed on the correct dress of participants.

Ski fashions have become a major item of interest and expenditure in the life of a keen skier, and have achieved a prominence rivalled only by consideration of the merits of the different types of equipment.

In fact, few sports place as much importance on fashion as skiing. Overseas, ski fashion parades are growing in frequency and importance and a major item for the fashion houses during the summer and autumn. This trend is making itself felt in New Zealand also. Warmth is the major consideration, although New Zealand has an advantage over Europe and North America in this respect—its winter climate is not as cold as their’s.

But warmth is still the most important item, especially if you take the sport seriously. How to combine warmth and fashion has long plagued designers and manufacturers of ski wear, although most men do not object to looking bulky to ensure warmth.

Now the problem has been overcome and most outfits are warm as well as looking chic. But not all jackets are warm enough to permit long periods on the slopes.

“Ski clothes for women generally fall' into two categories,” said one fashion coordinator. “There are those that are warm and practical for the serious skier and those that are attractive but not so practical, for the ‘snow bunnies.’ ”

Such items as the furry hood done up at the chin look attractive but do not provide enough freedom of movement or span of vision for the serious skier.

But even the most dedicated sportsmen and sportswomen like to be fashionable and in Europe during the recent winter this meant they were wearing one of four colours —black, navy blue, burgandy or forest green. The men mostly wore navy blue but the women preferred burgandy.

Nylon jackets are attracting increasing interest overseas but knitted wear is again likely to predominate in New Zealand. With slacks, the stretch fabrics still lead, al-

though knickers with mad leggings are making inroads into the market overseas. Stretch slacks are very slimming but tend to bind a bit and for this reason men, especially, are turning to knickers. Women have been more reluctant to do so. As long as ski-ing continues to grow in popularity, ski fashions will grow in importance and complexity, ft is a rapidly growing business.

Of greater importance is equipment, but this is a field of lightening changes rather than rapid growth. There is little new in the way of equipment for this winter, although there are new models of most of the standard skis and fittings.

Until a new type of ski or binding appears on the market, the present features are likely to remain. There are many variations of equipment, but only a few standard types that do not appear to have been altered for the coming winter.

“MACPfiC”

Tramping and Mountain Packs at Snowline ALPINE BURRO: Straight sided tubular metal frame. The most popular pack for any purpose. Waterproof extension. £7/5/SUPER BURRO. Same as Alpine with extra pockets and gussets. £lO/5/Tanker Models 25/- extra. STANDARD: Bergen £B/2/6 LADIES: Smaller model of Standard Bergen £6/18/6 TASMAN: De Luxe heavy canvas pack. Waterproof extension bag. Outside pockets and ice axe holders. £9/13/6 SKI-TOW BELTS. Webbing belt, complete with clip. .... 39/6 Padded canvas belt complete, 60/-