Pomoca Free Pro 2.0 experience

[rfconroy]

Fresh razor blade or Xacto knife, way more precise than the cutters the skin companies include

Agreed - the BD offset process with the Pomoca skins is a better method than the tool that comes with G3 or Pomoca skins.

[XXX-er]

Fresh razor blade or Xacto knife, way more precise than the cutters the skin companies include

I agree ^^ shifting the skin and using an olfa box cutter makes a cleaner edge than the G3 tool

on the other hand I watched a roomie who should not be allowed to own tools trim his skins without fucking them up so in that sense the tool does work

the pomocas i do own were lazer cut for Dynafit Stokes and Denali, good skins and thats about as light as i think skins should be in the interest of durability

[Cocximus]

Fuck it, it's time to get this off my chest. With my first skins, I tried the BD method. I fucked up big time. I offset the cut side and cut it again. Since then, I always had good results with the G3 cutter. The skis I cut the pomocas for had serrated edges. I suspect that is what contributed to the poor cut.

Any suggestions on how to do the offset method? Remember, I only want to shave 1 mm on each side. I am pretty clutzy at keeping the blade angle steady. Should I install the skins with the offset and clamp the skis facing down on a 2x4 to get a more exact cut?

Are OLFA all that? I see most drywallers use them, that's a serious endorsement. Too bad it would mess with my milwaukee red serenity. What about blades? I have the general purpose milwaukee blades, and they suck. The tip breaks off with light use. It looks like there are some blade options at HD:

1. OLFA ultra sharp heavy duty

2. Milwaukee drywall "up to 2x sharper"

3. Dewalt carbide (really?) edge

[XXX-er]

Fuck it, it's time to get this off my chest. With my first skins, I tried the BD method. I fucked up big time. I offset the cut side and cut it again. Since then, I always had good results with the G3 cutter. The skis I cut the pomocas for had serrated edges. I suspect that is what contributed to the poor cut.

Any suggestions on how to do the offset method? Remember, I only want to shave 1 mm on each side. I am pretty clutzy at keeping the blade angle steady. Should I install the skins with the offset and clamp the skis facing down on a 2x4 to get a more exact cut?

Are OLFA all that? I see most drywallers use them, that's a serious endorsement. Too bad it would mess with my milwaukee red serenity. What about blades? I have the general purpose milwaukee blades, and they suck. The tip breaks off with light use. It looks like there are some blade options at HD:

1. OLFA ultra sharp heavy duty

2. Milwaukee drywall "up to 2x sharper"

3. Dewalt carbide (really?) edge

hard to beat an olfa knife IME/IMO use a fresh blade you can always snap a new blade in the middle of the job

if I read your post correctly you did 2 cuts on the same side so then you don't really need to take 1mm off each side, just cut a 2mm slice off the side you misteakenly did't cut ??

I would glue the skin to the base where i want the cut ( measure twice cut once !! ) with the ski base/ plush pointing upwards on my ski jig the glue should hold it well enough for the cut and its possible to shave off very skinny pieces

hold the olfa knife as close to 90degree from base as possible hard/ against the ski edge and make the cut pushing theolfa downwards, you probably won't be able to make one big cut so do the cut making a series of short strokes d pushing towards the edge with an olfa knife

[Cocximus]

The double offset fuckup was a long time ago on different skins.

[dschane]

Any updates on free 2.0’s? Holding up? Shit grip? Shit glide?

I have a year in with the Climb Free 2.0s (orange) and Climb Pro-S Glide (minty green). Very happy with both. The Free 2.0s have amazing grip but little glide. The Pro-S Glides have the best compromise of grip/glide of any skin I've used, at least for maritime snow conditions. I agree that the tips and tails are chintzy, which is annoying for a $200 product. Zero issues with the glue. Super easy to pull apart in all conditions, and they hold up well in the very cold and especially in the wet spring.

[XXX-er]

OK

in any case what I posted was how I make the cut using an olfa knife with the ski edge as a guide for the blade

olfa makes a cleaner cut than the G3 tool otoh that G3 tool is pretty fool proof

clean is nice but that edge gets walked on anyhow so I dunno how clean the cut needs to be ?

[rfconroy]

OK

in any case what I posted was how I make the cut using an olfa knife with the ski edge as a guide for the blade

olfa makes a cleaner cut than the G3 tool otoh that G3 tool is pretty fool proof

clean is nice but that edge gets walked on anyhow so I dunno how clean the cut needs to be ?

Nah, you wanna get yourself a rusty toe knife

[XXX-er]

obviously buddy ^^ should not be allowed to own tools

[twoturn]

I have about 30 days on the S Glides. They glide and grip fairly well.
Tip cap covering the stitching popped off somewhere recently. At some point I will replace the tip attachments with some G3’s.

Glue has held up so far. I have been thinking abouy the Free 2.0’s or the Voile’s for my giant skis. Still uncertain about grip though.

[Dromond]

Has anyone found the newer Pomoca tail clip to have a super narrow opening and generally be a PITA to clip onto the tail of the ski compared to the older ones? Have you tried modified it by shaving away some material to make it easier?

[rfconroy]

Has anyone found the newer Pomoca tail clip to have a super narrow opening and generally be a PITA to clip onto the tail of the ski compared to the older ones? Have you tried modified it by shaving away some material to make it easier?

How new we talking here?

you sure its not the thickness of a different ski? <- I've definitely heard about that before, not a different clip opening.

[Daywalker]

Has anyone found the newer Pomoca tail clip to have a super narrow opening and generally be a PITA to clip onto the tail of the ski compared to the older ones? Have you tried modified it by shaving away some material to make it easier?

Yes, 100% agree. I think the change happened in skins in last 1-2 seasons. I have 2 pair from ~4 years back and bought the closeout Blizzard branded ones from SaC that are last seasons (?). All have a better tail clip, thicker plastic and wider opening. The skins I got this year (both Free Pro 2.0 and S-Glide) have shittier tail clips as you described. And, to be clear, original clips weren't great but at least fit over my touring skis.

In case you were thinking it, the in-stock replacement tail clips that SkiMoCo has are the new shittier ones as well.

[frorider]

Yes the clips got thinner. But also the newer ones use a more UV resistant plastic. So far they’ve been working well for me for 2 seasons. Shrug.

[riff]

Agreed, they don’t seem to cam over as well but they do slide up from the side just fine.


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[teamdirt]

Skins r great, ive got several used 50-70 days a season for 3+ years….. of note pack an extra tip clip in ur emergency kit. Might b nice addition when u really want to tell someone to go f themselves!

[kootenayskier]

I did last season on the Pro S Glides. The tip and tail attachments aren’t as easy to use, as solid (the tails seem more like kids toys than professional equipment) or as snow proof as G3s, but they’re adequate. The balance of grip and glide was the best I’ve experienced. Perfection. The glue seemed fine, handling big days lapping pow in cold temps, until it wasn’t. By the end of the season it was leaving glue residue on my bases. My warranty experience with Dynafit/Salewa USA was a long and painful ordeal, but I got them replaced by Fall. I initially thought I’d sell them and go back to G3s, but then I needed some skins, so I cut them to my skis and am trying again. If I trusted they were going to last more than a season I’d replace the tail attachments with G3s.

Pretty much identical experience second time around. Pomoca glue was “gummy” leaving residue on my bases after ~ 30 days of use this season. Renewing them by ironing them with parchment paper seems to have worked for now.

[kevino]

Do you have a good link or description for that renewal process? My wife and my skins both made that change quickly

[kootenayskier]

Do you have a good link or description for that renewal process? My wife and my skins both made that change quickly

There are multiple videos and articles on the web, but this is as good as any: https://offpistemag.com/climbing-ski...e-and-renewal/

[Falcon3]

Pretty much identical experience second time around. Pomoca glue was “gummy” leaving residue on my bases after ~ 30 days of use this season. Renewing them by ironing them with parchment paper seems to have worked for now.

Well mine are now at 27 days and doing this exact same thing. I have babied these things- always hung up away from heat immediately to dry, no heat sources near them, etc. Bummer. I sent in a warranty request and I'll try the iron method to see if I can get through this season.

[Cocximus]

I heat them with the heat gun. Parchment paper and iron is pussyfooting. G3/BD can take full heat. The glue melts and bubbles humidity out. A putty knife cam be used to spread and smooth the glue. Pomocas are fine with low heat setting on the heat gun. The glue "sweats" and gets glossy. I am terrible with my skins. I forget them in my bag and top box all the time. I revived them countless times. The parchment paper and iron don't really allow whatever's fucking the glue to evaporate.

Does anyone know who makes the black crows glue?

[Dromond]

Yes, 100% agree. I think the change happened in skins in last 1-2 seasons. I have 2 pair from ~4 years back and bought the closeout Blizzard branded ones from SaC that are last seasons (?). All have a better tail clip, thicker plastic and wider opening. The skins I got this year (both Free Pro 2.0 and S-Glide) have shittier tail clips as you described. And, to be clear, original clips weren't great but at least fit over my touring skis.

In case you were thinking it, the in-stock replacement tail clips that SkiMoCo has are the new shittier ones as well.

Thanks for the tip - I already looked at the Skimo ones and wasn’t sure. Well perhaps the new ones are more durable.

How new we talking here?

you sure its not the thickness of a different ski? <- I've definitely heard about that before, not a different clip opening.

I have a pair of the old and new ones - they are decidedly different. Maybe the designers wanted to have a tighter fit especially on thinner ski tails, but I find it a bit more cumbersome to use.

[kootenayskier]

I heat them with the heat gun. Parchment paper and iron is pussyfooting. G3/BD can take full heat. The glue melts and bubbles humidity out. A putty knife cam be used to spread and smooth the glue. Pomocas are fine with low heat setting on the heat gun. The glue "sweats" and gets glossy. I am terrible with my skins. I forget them in my bag and top box all the time. I revived them countless times. The parchment paper and iron don't really allow whatever's fucking the glue to evaporate.

Does anyone know who makes the black crows glue?

I’ve tried the direct hot iron on glue method with previous pairs of G3s, which does create satisfying bubbling, and works to smear the glue back over bare patches. But while it definitely works to renew the appearance of the glue, I found that the glue issues (glue sticking to ski bases and pulling off the backing material) very soon persisted, and that it was only a very temporary fix. I recall (but can’t find the reference) reading that the glue is temperature sensitive, so I’m theorizing that by using the parchment paper, and a medium setting on the iron, the glue will maintain its integrity longer. Time will tell.

[LeeLau]

I’ve tried the direct hot iron on glue method with previous pairs of G3s, which does create satisfying bubbling, and works to smear the glue back over bare patches. But while it definitely works to renew the appearance of the glue, I found that the glue issues (glue sticking to ski bases and pulling off the backing material) very soon persisted, and that it was only a very temporary fix. I recall (but can’t find the reference) reading that the glue is temperature sensitive, so I’m theorizing that by using the parchment paper, and a medium setting on the iron, the glue will maintain its integrity longer. Time will tell.

After doing what you do with glue I then store them in the freezer for a couple of days. It seems to work and resurrect the glue

[bennymac]

Has anyone found the newer Pomoca tail clip to have a super narrow opening and generally be a PITA to clip onto the tail of the ski compared to the older ones? Have you tried modified it by shaving away some material to make it easier?

I too find attaching the clip to the side of the tail (with no tension on the rubber strap) and then sliding the clip along the edge to the tail saves me from having to cam the plastic tip over - which can be finicky in gloves and makes me worry about breaking the plastic - especially when it’s cold out.

I also carry a spare plastic pomoca clip in my pack