Please help me out selecting my 1st skins :)

[snowsprite]

Hi, I have alpine trekkers on the way (thanks Duderino! check is in the mail today :) ) and now I need some skins.

I'm looking @ the stuff on www.climbingskinsdirect.com (http://www.climbingskinsdirect.com). I can get either simple skins or tip and tail skins.

Which do you think would be better for a noob? The difference is $10, so it's not about price. Which would be more effective/easier to use?

Thank you!
Sprite

[Bluebird]

Sprite,

check this thread out if you haven't already, http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=74045

FYI, totem pole in ludlow has some sts ascensions that are probably on sale at this point. (at least they did last week)

[MadMatt]

I just got my first pair from REI. I bought them there because they have the BCA low fat skins on sale for $75. Came with a trim kit. Check their website. I ordered them there.

[telemike]

sprite - the skins from CSD look good, and they are a good price - last I looked they were sold out, so I bought BD instead, but I'd like to try a pair of their skins

You are probably better off going with the simple skins, and adding a tip and tail kit later if you think you need it.

The rubber stretchy thing for the tip has gone the way of the dodo bird lately, and CSD seem to be the only ones selling them any more. As most old folks here will tell you, they can be a pain in the ass. They are easier to kick off the tip that other set-up's.

I have both BlackDiamond Clip-Fix system and STS system, and I like both. People that tell you the Clip-Fix sucks haven't set them up properly (not tight enough).

oh, yeah, and congratulations, by the way. Good on you for getting your hike on. You are going to love it!

[corn dog]

Ditto to the rubber stretchy things sucking, they kick off easily and they break. With skins that fat you won't need the tail attachment either. If you find you want something eventually you can just whip up some kind of home brew attachment anyway. I'll be buying the simples once they are back in stock.

[telemike]

Still out of stock... (https://www.climbingskinsdirect.com/prodConUS.html)

Sorry, but we are out of stock! If you place an order, we will not charge your card until we are able to ship your skins. Our new material should be arriving soon.

I would look for something else on sale if you are trying to get skins soon Sprite...

[Pow4Brains]

Sprite - I bought a pair of these but only have a couple of days on them, so the jury's still out. I would recommend the tip and tail attachment. They are lightweight and have good grip. Yes the tip attachment is old school, but it works well.

[snowsprite]

Actually the 115 wide tip ones (tip and tail) are in stock right now...

Sprite


Still out of stock... (https://www.climbingskinsdirect.com/prodConUS.html)

Sorry, but we are out of stock! If you place an order, we will not charge your card until we are able to ship your skins. Our new material should be arriving soon.

I would look for something else on sale if you are trying to get skins soon Sprite...

[Conundrum]

I'm a fan of BDs. Either Clipfix or STS, and either Ascension or Glidelite. I had bad experiences with G3s but they were they old ones. I guess their new skins are much better. I would avoid Lowfats. I haven't heard of anyone having a good experience with those.

[telemike]

Actually the 115 wide tip ones (tip and tail) are in stock right now...

Sprite

well, then, you are stoked

and I should have looked a bit more carefully

[Professor Chaos]

Enjoy the trekkers Sprite. I could have thrown in my skin for free but if your looking for 115 then they probably wouldnt have worked (mine are shaped to 189 Seths).

As far as the skin go, as others have mentioned the rubber strap at the back isnt the greatest and can unclip often, but you just need to fit them a bit tighter and it works fine. I dont dont find BDs STS clips that bad (mine are Accensions w. STS) but there are better out there especially concerning the afore mentioned rubber end strap.

The tip and tail ones look really good, in fact if they shipped to Canada I would have gladly gotten them over the BDs. They sound like the equivalent of Accensions and the tail clip looks like it wouldnt budge. I assume they wouldnt work great with twins, but if fit properly Im sure it would.

[dk_alaskan]

I have had 4 pairs of clipfix skins. my biggest gripe about them is if your tail on the opposite ski happens to hit the metal cam, they pop loose. Other than this, they are my fav skin and the next pair i buy will be yet another. The glidelites i have heard people have issues with them staying affixed securely to the ski. The lowfats i have heard the same about. You didn't tell us what size, but i assume you have 115+ since you mentioned that CSR had them in stock. What ever skin you choose, i HIGHLY recommend buying the waffle plastic to put in between the glue sides when you fold them over to store in their pouch (BD includes this, don't know if the other companies do). W/O this, especially in the monster wide sizes, you will have a lot of difficulty pulling them apart.

[snowsprite]

Thanks for the advice!

I do have 115 waist skis btw.

And I do think I am likely going to order the ones from CSR.

Can't wait to try these out w/ my new-used trekkers! Hoping that will be @ Tuckerman's sometime in May.
:)
Sprite

[hemas]

I do have 115 waist skis btw.

Do the skis have a lot of sidecut? And are you also planning on skinning in any other form of snow than blower pow?

If the answer is yes, I'd get skins that are ~5mm narrower than the tail of the ski and then cut to shape.

"Straight" skis suck, if the snow is hard or your skis have even marginal sidecut...

http://users.tkk.fi/~hmatilai/Pics/Lyngen/slides/22.%20Mayby%20this%20had%20something%20to%20do%20w ith%20it.jpg

And since the straight skins sucked, this is what we did:
http://users.tkk.fi/~hmatilai/Pics/Lyngen/slides/108.%20Satu's%20aggro-spliced%20skins,%20seem%20to%20match%20up%20really %20wel.jpg

[corn dog]

On powder plusses and treckers I don't think sidehilling steep ice is really going to be happening anyway ;) 115 skins will be fine.

[danhikeski]

pick up the simple kit, if they don't work out so well, get the tip loops from black diamond or G3, whomever. Pick up the cheat sheets, too, to save the glue. Wider (120+) BD skins will have a strip of fabric 1/2" wide down the center to help with removal, you could use electrical tape down the center to help on the climbingskinsdirect ones...

[hemas]

On powder plusses and treckers I don't think sidehilling steep ice is really going to be happening anyway ;) 115 skins will be fine.

True... But I do tour on my Sanouks (though, no Tour Wreckers, but your reg. tele-binders), and straight skins are still a problem.


Oh, and as a good advice, if you feel like the glide ain't good enough... a strip of ducktape in the center of the skin will enhance the glide and you'll still have the drip where you need it (ie. near the edges).