In climates like Scandinavia when winter arrives it seems to come with a vengeance and those long spring and summer days which can be cheap north face jackets outlet surprisingly hot become just a memory.

Even at the southern tip of Norway in the nation's capital city of Oslo there is all day and night sunshine in mid-summer and all day and night darkness in mid-winter.

In such a climate there are two very distinct types of clothing and in mid-winter it is very rare to see men or women outside without a fur hat and warm winter boots.

High in the Austrian Alps one bright sunny summer day I was reprimanded severely by the guide for http://www.northfacedownsale.com not wearing gloves and covering every part of my body. When I told him not to be so daft and that it was about thirty degrees centigrade so there was nothing wrong with my shirt and shorts he told me to go back to the hotel.

The sin I had committed was not listening to the natives. He was of course correct in sending me back when the hotel manager explained that the guide's concern was the fact that at a high altitude and with brilliant sunshine north face down jackets additionally being reflected of a glacier there was no UV protection and the rebuff was for my own safety.

So it is in Scandinavia that men and women wear boots for the very sound reason that shoes end too near to the ground and freezing ice and snow has a habit of getting in with uncomfortable results.

Just walking on the pavement with dry powdery ice and snow can be a problem with cars rushing by and even without at first realising it there will be minute slivers of ice running inside the shoe.

Winter boots can vary greatly in material and design but the main purpose is to keep the feet and lower leg dry and war. To this effect it is usual for most models having a fur lining. The warmest type of lining comes from the hardiest cold weather mammals so although the politically correct brigade do not like it this means seal skin.

Eskimos always wear sealskin boots as these are without doubt the finest material to keep out the wet and cold. The second best option is the caribou boot as this animal also survives freezing cold conditions.

In the UK there is rarely the need for extreme cold weather boots and leather and wool are the most common natural materials. As long as the boot is comfortable and totally waterproof with a good warm lining then the job is done.

It seems extraordinary that these two natural northface jackets animal products have remained for thousands of years as the best protection for feet and lower legs. Despite the invention of so many synthetic materials the oldest and most natural always wins hands down.

The same can be said about cotton which is still the best material for shirts, bed linen and many other items of clothing by a long way.