G3 skins

[gavinski91]

Looking at picking up a set of G3 skins off of STP. Seemed to be priced pretty similarly across all three widths, but some lengths are only available in wider widths.

Are the tip connectors the same width on G3 skins regardless of the actual skin width? That appears to be the case but I wanted to be sure before I pulled the trigger. Can anyone confirm?

[plugboots]

OK, not criticizing, just wondering, don’t G3 skins suck?

[Foggy_Goggles]

OK, not criticizing, just wondering, don’t G3 skins suck?

They got better and BDs got worse so word on the street is they are similar these days. I'll let you know as I have a new pair.

[plugboots]

Cool. My latest BD skins are the lightest style which I like a lot, (I also understand their limitations though).

[XavierD]

Did G3 fix their glue in the last two years? I haven’t read any big changes and the old glue was the suck.

[Jongle]

I spoke with one of G3's RND guys at their outlet last year and he claimed they fixed the glue and it's no longer trash. The old glue was indeed very bad.

[nickel]

I got a new pair last year. full season of relatively extensive use. glue seems fine compared to previous generations mediocrity.

[Foggy_Goggles]

This is what I heard also.

[TG]

I spoke with one of G3's RND guys at their outlet last year and he claimed they fixed the glue and it's no longer trash. The old glue was indeed very bad.

if OP is buying from STP, likely it’s an older model and this might be a concern

[dschane]

I have 3 pairs and few complaints, esp. with tip/tail connecting systems and glue. Could use better traction in icy conditions, but couldn't we all. And the trimming tool is far superior to BD's re-purposed letter opener. I tried the Scala skins and personally think they're 99% hype.

[nickel]

I tried the Scala skins and personally think they're 99% hype.

I disagree. puts an end to snow creeping in between tip and skin which can begin the process of making a day more challenging. Even if every other claim is unfounded (which can fairly be called a matter of opinion) this alone is a worthwhile improvement.

[XavierD]

I solved the snow under skin issue by switching from g3 to BD.

[gregL]

G3 skins are fine, the glue is as good as anyone's, and the tip connectors are the same for various widths. I would get the widest you can, since they taper the tails too aggressively for my tastes and you'll cover more base at the tail of the ski if you just go 130mm or 145mm and cut them.

[XXX-er]

I got BD/Pomoca/G3 and the glue has all fucked up at some point then its 15$ to reglue with a tube of Gold label

[3PinGrin]

I haven't had any issues with the newer G3 skins, the old red based ones had some pretty thick, sticky glue that didn't seem as good as the new versions. I also have bought the re-branded Backcountry versions of G3 w/o issue. I did have a pair of BD mohair mix a few years back that weren't sticky enough but in general have always had very good luck with BD. It seems all the brands have good year ranges and bad where they don't quite get the chemistry right, and as XXX-er points out you can always reglue.

[pancake]

Looking at picking up a set of G3 skins off of STP. Seemed to be priced pretty similarly across all three widths, but some lengths are only available in wider widths.

Are the tip connectors the same width on G3 skins regardless of the actual skin width? That appears to be the case but I wanted to be sure before I pulled the trigger. Can anyone confirm?

To answer your question, yes the tips are the same.
Pull the trigger , you will be happy.

[3PinGrin]

gavinski,
One other thing to bear in mind with the newer G3 skins is that they run quite a bit shorter now than the older versions. The idea being that all that skin on the tail rocker is not providing much grip anyway. It's a little disconcerting when you first see it, but seems to work fine for me. There is a thread or two on the forums about this. If you think that will bother you though, you might want to step up one length.

one thread here: https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...kins-too-short

[nickel]

I was pretty convinced it would bother me but in the end it was quite the opposite. grip was fine and increased glide was noticeable. 196cm ski so all the way at the extreme of this effect.

[XXX-er]

What with the G3 tip hooks which work very well but allows no adjustment and the shortness of a G3 skin when you have to cut off the tail leash when it rips you can run out of tail leash length pretty easily

[nickel]

As a matter of curiosity, under what circumstances does one rip a tail leash? I have never had this happen over many years and much touring...

[XXX-er]

Abuse or SFT

I know G3 make replacement straps, Angle Parking ripped one and I fixed it for him, ended up on the last adjustment hole

so with a G3 skin you got tip hooks but there is no longer a tip loop so you lose adjustment on that end

Instead of a clip-in tail strap like on the original G3 skins the tail strap is laminated into the skin with a silly bump so to be able to mount the replacement strap kit you have to cut that bump off to make an already short skin even shorter

So just be aware the whole G3 system does not have alot of adjustment, might be an issue if you want to use the skin on more than one setup?

when you are buying G3 skins go long as you can

[burrito]

Reviving this thread to see if there are opinions out there on the different Alpinist+ models from this season, especially on the Universal vs. Grip models. I'm inclined to go with the Grip as I'm still a novice when it comes to skinning technique and think I would like the extra security, but I'm worried they're not glidey enough and would eventually become frustrating to use on longer days. Thoughts?

[I've seen black diamonds!]

^^^ You do any long flat approaches? If never get the ones that grip. If frequently you might want to go for glide. I hate skins that don't glide well. Feels like drag an anchor. But plenty of knowledgable, experienced folk want max grip at the expense of glide. Depends on where you ski and how often you reuse steep skin tracks (where max grip is useful).

[nickel]

who are these experienced reputable people? I have yet to meet anyone who even uses high traction other than novice split boarders. universal is as high traction as i could ever imagine using and even then it's mostly for the anti glopping properties of nylon in the spring.

All the technique you need to learn is weight heels not toes and if you need to use your highest riser your skin track is too steep unless there are no other options available for route selection. I hear the Wasatch can be like this.

[gregL]

I have yet to meet anyone who even uses high traction other than novice split boarders.

Agreed. G3 Universal nylon has plenty of grip once you learn proper weighting technique, which should take about a week. After that you'll wish you had better glide.