Tuesday, November 12, 2024

Equipment notes (6): "liable to sag and let in cold air"

Alpine outfitting advice from the mid-1930s.

Shirts—Shirts for mountaineering should be made of a material that has been well shrunk. The best stuff, such as viyella, should not be heavy; two shirts that are of medium weight are more useful than a single thick one. In crowded huts at night it is unwise to hang up a coat or waistcoat with money in it; a pocket in the shirt, with a flap to button, is therefore convenient.


Sweaters—For extra clothing during halts or bivouacs there is nothing better than Shetland sweaters. The kind made in the shape of a waistcoat is inferior to the sweater type, as it is liable to sag and to let in cold air at the opening in front. Several Shetland sweaters can be carried on a big expedition, especially if there is to be any question of sleeping out. A woollen scarf, too, is most convenient and can be used in various ways. It should be wide and long, so that it can partly fulfil the functions of a plaid.

Stockings.—The perfect stockings for climbing are hand-knitted and must not be at all tight. The coarse goat’s-hair socks used by skiers are excellent for high ascents. It is remarkable that warmth from the foot will condense outside these socks, and even form ice, while the foot remains dry and warm inside; one pair of ordinary socks as well as stockings can be worn underneath them.

References

Chapter Three “Equipment” by C F Meade in The Lonsdale Library of Sports, Games and Pastimes, Volume XVIII, Mountaineering, London: Seeley Service & Co, 1934. 

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