60-Second Expert: How to Manage Your Climbing Skins

by steve casimiro on March 12, 2010 · 6 comments

6 responses

There are few pieces of gear that better illustrate the saying “sometimes you eat the bear, sometimes the bear eats you” than climbing skins. These amazing devices stick to the bottom of your skis–they have a directional nap, like an animal’s fur, that allows the ski to slide forward (uphill) but not backward–and enable you to ascend backcountry slopes. Take care of your skins and they’ll provide happy access to the joys of powder. Neglect them and they’ll slip off your skis, flap around, and drive you insane with frustration. This episode of 60-Second Expert explains how to take care of them–and tip the odds away from the bear and toward you.

Want more 60-Second Expert Tips?
How to make a skiing kick turn.

How to dry your ski boots.

Tagged as: knowledge base, skiing, tips

{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }

Bill Kerig March 12, 2010 at 17:23: Good presentation, Steve. Cheers, BK
Ben Oldread March 16, 2010 at 05:04: Those skins are designed to be secured to the tip and tail of the ski before they are adhered to the base, in essence “strung like a bow”. The elastic property of the tail piece provides equal tension of the whole skin over the length of the ski. If you secure the tip, adhere, then fasten the clip, the skin is not tensioned equally. In this case the clip either does not have enough tension and is easily kicked off, or too much tension on just the clip and elastic assembly which defeats the purpose of this ground breaking skin design.
Max March 17, 2010 at 12:03: So Steve, which is the right way to fit these skins? Maybe we need an updated video?
steve casimiro March 18, 2010 at 11:55: My policy to approve all comments whether I agree or not, unless they’re just plain rude or spam. On this matter, perhaps I should give a call to my pals at Black Diamond for their official position–and perhaps I should have done so before spouting off–but I stand by the video. In my experience, that’s what works. I’m currently in Norway for a week of ski touring, using those skins, those skis, and that method, spending all day on them, and I haven’t the slightest problem. They stick perfectly, don’t come off, don’t collect snow between ski and skin, and get me to the top without issue.

Anyone else have thoughts on skin care? Agree/disagree? Have tricks of your own that you want to share?
Max March 18, 2010 at 22:04: Hi Steve

It is great that you share the 60sec video tips with everyone. So keep them coming. Also good to see you stay in touch when out ski touring – that’s commitment!
JonnyA March 30, 2010 at 08:42: I’ve doing it the way you described for years, and it works great. Strung like a bow,,,humm, I’ll give it a try, you never know.