Skyllermarks Långfärdsskridskor

Safety on Ice

Nordic skating is an exhilarating sport and when the sun is shining over mirror-smooth ice, it's easy to forget there's an awful lot of water down below.

Help! Do you mean you can fall in?

Take it easy! Nordic skating is a safe sport. With company and the right equipment, you can go out on the ice with no worries.

Safety rules for Nordic Skating:

1. Never skate alone. Always go out with others so that you can help if someone falls in. Someone in the group should be able to “read ice” so you can avoid thin ice and tricky situations. With a sharp ice pole, you will learn to feel how thick the ice is and judge whether it is safe to skate on.

2. Everyone in the group should have a whistle to blow if they fall in or see someone else get in trouble on the ice. Knee and arm protectors will protect your body if you fall on your face.

3. Everyone must have ice claws pulled up high under the chin so they are easy to get at and do not hit you in the face if you fall. Everyone should also have a backpack with at least a waist strap and preferably also a groin strap. Packed with a complete change of clothes (and a yummy lunch!) in waterproof bags, the backpack functions as a life vest in the water. If you have your ice claw and backpack, you will in most cases be able to get yourself out of a hole in the ice without help. Always turn around and face the direction you came from. The ice was strong enough to hold you up to that point and it should hold so that you can pull yourself out.

4. The easiest way to get out of a hole is to be towed out with a lifeline. It is not easy to throw accurately, so both the person in the water and those who are still on the ice may need to throw their lifelines. For that reason, it is imperative that everyone in the group has their own lifeline attached to their backpacks where they are easy to get at. It is a good idea to practice throwing and improve your accuracy before an accident ever happens.


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Safety on Ice Nordic skating is an exhilarating sport and when the sun is shining over mirror-smooth ice, it's easy to forget there's an awful lot of water down below. Help! Do you mean you can fall in? Take it easy! Nordic skating is a safe sport. With company and the right equipment, you can go out on the ice with no worries. Safety rules for Nordic Skating: 1. Never skate alone. Always go out with others so that you can help if someone falls in. Someone in the group should be able to “read ice” so you can avoid thin ice and tricky situations. With a sharp ice pole, you will learn to feel how thick the ice is and judge whether it is safe to skate on. 2. Everyone in the group should have a whistle to blow if they fall in or see someone else get in trouble on the ice. Knee and arm protectors will protect your body if you fall on your face. 3. Everyone must have ice claws pulled up high under the chin so they are easy to get at and do not hit you in the face if you fall. Everyone should also have a backpack with at least a waist strap and preferably also a groin strap. Packed with a complete change of clothes (and a yummy lunch!) in waterproof bags, the backpack functions as a life vest in the water. If you have your ice claw and backpack, you will in most cases be able to get yourself out of a hole in the ice without help. Always turn around and face the direction you came from. The ice was strong enough to hold you up to that point and it should hold so that you can pull yourself out. 4. The easiest way to get out of a hole is to be towed out with a lifeline. It is not easy to throw accurately, so both the person in the water and those who are still on the ice may need to throw their lifelines. For that reason, it is imperative that everyone in the group has their own lifeline attached to their backpacks where they are easy to get at. It is a good idea to practice throwing and improve your accuracy before an accident ever happens.