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Comment by speedgoose | Hacker News Reader

I am not Norwegian, but I live in Norway and I do as the Norwegians do. If many neighbours go skiing, I can go skiing. The temperature reached -30C around Oslo this month and the absence of skiers in the Marka was a clear indication that I could stay home without feeling bad about it.

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Haha, I approve!

I was actually one of those in Marka. The problem wasn't really getting cold. It was that cold snow doesn't compress to a form, it just gets really crunchy. So even in fresh tracks the snow is still somewhat "loose", and there is really no glide at all. The sound just makes lots of noise for each movement, but you get no speed.

I haven't tested how it is with the new non-fluorocarbon glide waxes, but definitely with the old stuff the very cold snow was a killer for stripping wax out of the base. Probably would do wonders with a fresh round of Swix TS5B melted on the glide portion of a cleaned sole, then wait 10 minutes and reheat the wax for extra durability. Then sikling and light brushing with the medium bronze. And just some VP30 over base binder for grip.

My impression is that fluor mainly shined in wet or dirty conditions, and weren't that big of a deal in colder temps other than durability. At least I've had problems with -20 snow all my life, so even before the prohibition, heh.

Maaaybe TS would make a difference, but no way I'm shelling out that kind of money for a normal day in the mountains. Mostly using PS6 as a base, and then perhaps something more specific for the daily conditions if warmer, but seldom anything more fancy than PS, maybe HS for a long trip.

That’s interesting. It was very cold snow for a while but I haven’t tried when it was super cold. I may try next time this happens to satisfy my curiosity. The snow is much faster since a few days.

Come up to the Yukon!

The colder it gets the more people are out. I rode my bike to work every day of the year, plenty of times past -40.

Friends were advised not to go running at -55C (-67F) because it can freeze your lungs. So they went walking instead.

There are breathing help for that, feels like a cold summers day. Well, that's what the article is about after all so I guess you guys know about it :-)

That sounds very cold for biking. Do you use studded tires or winter tires for bikes? Isn’t frostbite a major concern?

I studded my own tires by putting screws through from the inside out.

Frostbite can be a problem if you stand still or if it's really windy, but usually not something to really worry about. Not only did I ride to work every day for 3 years, I also went for a walk every single day at lunchtime to get sun on my face. Walking, outside, past -40C is really no problem. The days the wind was blowing from the north and the windchill was past -65C were a different story.

"I do as the Norwegians do"

Yeah... About that. How's well are you walking on ice? (Also an immigrant)

I'm in Trondheim and it's been wonderfully covered in ice. I watch kids run on it while I resign to slipping spikes onto my shoes just to stay upright. (I don't ski, but I have made sure to go out into the weather like "normal")

I’m originally from the Alps, so I had experience with snow, ice, and skiing before immigrating to Norway. However, I do not have the same balance and skills as the average Norwegian regarding Nordic skiing or moving on ice.

Without spikes, I walk on ice like a penguin and I struggle. I have no shame about using spikes, it’s magic and also a lot safer.

I am Norwegian, and I use (running) shoes with ice spikes when conditions are icy, even though I'm just going to the store.

Currently I'm happy with Icebug shoes; https://icebug.com/no/shoe-finder?usage-area=running&terrain...

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