Generally, the better the grip, the worse the glide, and vice versa. Shop for Pomoca Ski Skins at REI - FREE SHIPPING With $50 minimum purchase. Ski crampon or booting in spikes are options but Id rather stay on the skins as both of those are slower. Goal is reduced weight and enhanced glide. I also like to stash skins in my jacket, so personally, G3s Alpinist series doesnt really have a role in my quiver. All we really need skins for is traction or grip. Im not even sure how it happened, but at the top of a mellow, straightforward skin track, I reached back and part of the system was missing so that the little metal hook was just hanging loosely off the tail of the skin and could no longer be used to cam and attach. It seems most problematic when the snow is cold and dry. For my wider skis, Id opt for the Pomoca Free Pro 2.0, primarily just due to its width / length options, and because its even more packable (though it doesnt offer quite as good of glide). If you run a pair of Pomocas long enough the plastic bits (both the tail clip and the tip loop connector) will break. The tip pieces seem just about indestructible and are quite simple and robust in design. As for the detailed comparisons on glide and grip, the reason we dont go into much more detail here is because, at least in our experience, the differences between skins especially those in the same category (e.g., nylon vs. nylon, mix vs mix, mohair vs mohair) tend to be extremely subtle. No, the old skins I'd grabbed that morning were frozen and icy with no chance of staying on my skis. Ive tested the Pomoca skins out with 4Frnt skis and they are really excellent. Contours Hybrid Mix, Hybrid Pure, and Guide Pure skins all feel pretty similar in terms of suppleness and packability. While skinning they scrunch up into your pocket, then at the top just poke them on doesnt matter if they have creases or dont fully cover they will work just fine, stow the skins in your jacket etc and carry on.this makes the skins much easier to separate and preserves the glue. One thing that Ive observed is that people new to ski touring often have difficulty with proper form, keeping the weight on the heel and end up sliding backwards on steep uptracks. This is all pretty intuitive, given that a larger ski (and therefore, larger skin) creates more surface area that contacts the snow. Grippier skins can also be helpful for beginners as theyre easier to keep from sliding backward while you work on your technique, though they can also encourage poor technique due to their poorer glide. the differences between skins especially those in the same category (e.g., nylon vs. nylon, mix vs mix, mohair vs mohair) tend to be extremely subtle. Ive also spent a lot of time using Black Diamonds UltraLite Mix skins and their Ascension skins, and I do think their current glue is pretty good. SAFER SKIN LIGHT (SSL) is 12% lighter which . All skin adhesives change over time and most will get less sticky the more you use them, though there are some that, counterintuitively, actually get even stickier and gummy after extended use. While Ive partly moved to Pomoca, I try to use skis with Contours in wet conditions because theyre more forgiving of the waxes that I use in those situations. I prefer to use the tail hook in a slightly different manner than intended, wherein I snap them in place so that the rubbery part is sandwiched between the ski and the metal hook. But they still seem to be the stickiest of the skins Ive used. I will accept 50% of the problem might be technique, but I have been touring for about 10 years, and have never had a sliding problem on older G3 skins (likely Universal, but not sure) or on BD skins. Best Climbing Skins for Skiing of 2023 | Switchback Travel And, to assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. The tip loops are interchangeable depending on your ski tip radius. I think Pomocas standard tip / tail hardware (i.e., not their specialized race-ski hardware) is very reliable and seems to work well on most skis. Will I struggle to find enough grip with the free pro 2.0 given my weight (225lbs) and beginner touring skills? Farther down in this article, well go into greater detail on how specific skins on the market compare in these regards. Curbside Pickup Available NOW! Therefore its icy on the way up, and all I ever want is more grip. Many of these are sold in pairs (look for "x2" in the drop list), while others are sold individually (x1). Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Theyre my favorite skins by far, and Ive put hundreds of days on them. Phantom is a plus inasmuch as it may (depending on your level of glide-snobbishness) allow you not to wax at all. On the flip side, wider skis also seem to generate more friction, consequently decreasing glide efficiency. The one minor downside is that the tail clip usually falls of the ski not a big worry. The tip and tail hardware is one characteristic of skins that tends to differ the most across different brands almost every brand uses a different style of hardware, with each having upsides and downsides. Poor tip and tail hardware can certainly ruin a nice skin. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee Unless you spend a ton of time on icy skin tracks, skin on really narrow skis, and/or just dont want to spend a lot of money on your skins, I think mohair / nylon mix skins make more sense for a lot of people, rather than full nylon. When sliding forward, some materials create less resistance than others because of the same variables mentioned above in the Grip section. Because of this, I think the benefits of high-glide / lower-grip skins increase as the ski width increases. Thats a really really good article. Overall though, it feels like a very good pairing with the new Raven, particularly if youre not skinning on super icy skin tracks very often. I also liked the Pomoca Climb Pro S-Glide but, to me, any small gains in durability and grip of the Climb Pro are usurped by the lower weight and better glide of the Race Pro 2.0. I think that Pomoca is really good for more experienced users, and maybe Contour for newbies and/or people who arent the best at caring for their equipment. This measures how much weight a square cm can support. Luke: Yep, Pomocas adhesive is pretty great (my impression of the adhesive on the Pomoca Climb 2.0 and Free Pro 2.0 seems in line with Pauls notes about the adhesive on the Race Pro 2.0 and Climb Pro S-Glide). We definitely recommend these (relatively) affordable climbing skins. The lower the number, the better the skin glides. They do seem to resist snow creep a bit better than the Pomoca Free Pro 2.0, though. I am 225lbs, former GS youth ski racer and a beginner in the touring/powder world. For my pow skis, I usually still want edge-to-edge coverage for most of the middle section for the inevitable wind-packed sidehill, but Im much less worried about edge coverage for the last ~25% of the ski at each end. I cant complain about any of them, though Im glad I started out with Contour. Weve been using 100mm-wide Race Pro 2.0 skins, but Im having a hard time finding that width on the web right now. If youre going to clomp over a bunch of rocks and stick in the spring, you might want to look at skins with a thicker backing. I think one aspect was missed in this review: the choice to fit skins to the widest or narrowest part of the ski. After a few days of use (i.e., a break-in period), I am able to rip those skins with my skis still attached to my boots (though its not as easy vs. Pomoca & Contours Hybrid adhesive), and I havent had any issues with them falling off or glopping up after extended use. Thank you! We'll readily admit that all those different options can get confusing: mohair vs. nylon, glide vs. traction, glue vs. glueless. Drying the skins stuck together in a warm/hot place makes this worse. Put differently: to choose a skin width matching the ski waist and not trim it, or to choose a skin width matching the ski tip width and trim the whole profile. Click Lock Tip Kits - Swappable tip attachment system that is screwed onto your skin and allows the interchange of various sizes of bent buckles. Luke Koppa: I have used the Race Pro 2.0 on some super firm, bumpy spring skin tracks and I will say that Ive had some frustrating issues with slippage, though its important to note that this was mostly while sidehilling, which meant I was only engaging a fraction of the ski / skin (a set of ski crampons wouldve been ideal in these instances). Backcountry Skiing Reviews Overview Compare Buying Advice How We Tested The 3 Best Climbing Skins of 2023 for Backcountry Skiing Over millions of vertical feet, we have compared climbing skins from Black Diamond, Pomoca, G3, and more By Jediah Porter Review Editor Monday May 15, 2023 Best Climbing Skins of 2023 for Backcountry Skiing. I cant expect you guys to be miracle workers, but if you can add some guidance on balancing width, grip, and glide I would appreciate it. Overall, Pomocas hardware seems to be the most bombproof of the skins Ive been using. We independently buy, test, and rate all the products we review. What Other Climbing Skins Should You Consider? This is essentially saying that less material is required to support the same weight, so you need less skin to prevent you from slipping backward. - Free Pro 2.0, cut for skis that measure 192cm x 140ish, and including some storage plastic I couldn't be bothered to take off, weigh 640g/pair. Details. Never had that happen with any other skin. This seems much less pronounced on the stiffer, thicker, heavier, less supple Black Diamond Ascension, and I imagine the newer GlideLite skins would be similar, due to them sharing the new STS attachment system. I am going to get another glidier skin, not sure Re: the Race Pro 2.0 width, it seems that the available widths are a bit inconsistent across retailers. Weve got a little bit of time on G3s Alpinist+ Grip skins, and those seem promising and could arguably be the best choice, but we dont yet have enough time on them to confirm. Ive never had to think much about skins, I was really excited to lose some bulk and try these out. I discussed glue durability above and wont revisit that here. I havent used the G3 Minimist hardware, but I will say that I have several G3 skins with their Alpinist+ tip and tail hardware and I have not experienced a single durability issue. Personally, Id rather buy a new pair of skins slightly more frequently and have a much nicer time each day Im on a skin track. Well go through each performance category mentioned above and include our thoughts on how the skins stack up against each other. Luke: Yep, Ive had similar issues with snow creep and the old Black Diamond UltraLite. Ive been on pomoca climb pro for a few years on 5 pairs of skis. No matter. Have you found a solvent wax remover similar to Contours formula you can buy on the open market? Sorry if I missed it in the article but how does the Blister Crew approach choosing skin widths? Some of these skins have been tweaked and/or discontinued, which well note where applicable. But the skins weren't ready to race uphill. Pomoca skin attachments are available separately for your skin-fixing pleasure. If you had a new pair of 4FRNT Ravens would you go straight cut 100mm or wall to wall carpet 120mm Or split the difference and go 110mm? The Climb 2.0 nails that mark. The 22/23 GlideLite Mix, as well as a pure mohair version, the GlideLite Pure, feature Black Diamonds recently revised STS hardware, but we havent tried the latest plush materials. . I love the efficiency of smoothly gliding skins. When choosing a width for your skins, it's important to consider both weight savings and how much coverage you need. The Climb 2.0 skins ("you know, the yellow ones") are Pomoca's budget offering. For me personally, I usually go with skins that cover edge-to-edge on any of my skis that will rarely see powder / soft snow. the only way to avoid this is to roll the skin, skin side to glue side. The Pomoca Climb 2.0 balances all the competing attributes in a way that is functional and a good value. Given all the sizing purchase options they are beat for maximum compatibility only by those makes and models that feature metal hooks at the tip. My point is that grippier skins are not substitutes for ski or boot crampons in any scenario, nor vice versa. The best combination of integrity and suppleness Ive used is the G3 Minimist Glide, which features a stiff carbon fiber insert at the tip to reduce the snow creep. It would be nice to add what category or construction the different skins are in the charts, the names can be a bit misleading and hard to sort out without looking them all up. Pretty amazing, really, especially when you accidentally drop them on the garage floor, or dirty spring snow contaminates them. The Pomoca tails feature a stretchy rubber piece with a fairly thick plastic clip. One very important variable that affects glide, grip, and glue (and maybe durability?) FREE 2.0 Durability & Grip. It is not the strongest nor is it the easiest to get to release from your skis. Cheers. Id say theyre all quite similar to the Pomoca Climb 2.0 in those regards i.e., less supple, thicker, and heavier than Pomoca Free Pro 2.0 and Race Pro 2.0, but notably more supple and thinner than the Black Diamond Ascension and G3 Alpinist+ Universal. CampSaver Pomoca Climbing Skins - Skimo Co Generally, the skins that offer the best grip dont glide super well, but some people prefer very grippy skins because they often skin very steep and/or icy tracks where grip is important. As a fairly new backcountry skier I have been anxiously waiting for this article. Lots of explanation behind my questions: is there a length of skin that should extend past the heel point of the boot to provide sufficient grip? Some of this variation over time can also be impacted by how and where you store and maintain your skins. Available in two versions: "Race" does not have the special "Glide" treatment (though it probably slides quite well anyway), "Race Pro" has the "Glide" treatment, which in my experience makes a noticeable improvement in skin glide. As for skin width vs. particular types of skis, it sounds like we could do a whole other article on this, so Ill work with Paul to do that. While Im not disputing that, I think its also worth trying to quantify what that actually means for the average skier. Black Diamonds regular STS hardware and the minimal hardware on the UltraLite skins seem to work well on most skis. When you purchase through our links, we may earn a commission. The G3 Minimist Glide has a ton of potential and Id love to try their full-mohair Minimist Speed version, given my preference for maximum-glide Mohair skins. Climb Pro S-Glide Review A good pair of skins can mean the difference between a great season and one full of extra work or money. Dont fall for the marketing, that full nylon skins are for extreme grip scenarios. The Climb 2.0 is widely compatible. Get your questions about POMOCA 140mm Climb 2.0 Ready2climb CF v2 Ski answered by Expert staff and verified buyers including aesthetics, compatibility, durability & more! If youre able to spend a bit more, though, Id encourage most people to look to any of the better gliding, more packable mohair / nylon mix skins listed here. Especially on wide skis I go for the narrow option without trimming. Most skins come with some version of a razor blade or plastic letter-opener-type device that you can use when cutting skins to the shape of your skis. This is a good thing. Pomoca Skin Parts - Skimo Co 4.) When packing for use apply one piece to each skin and fold them in half. Pomoca's nylon/mohair blend is legendary for well balanced performance. Pomoca glue works. I still have some G3 Mohair / Nylon Mix skins from 2015 and their glue is now very gloppy / sticky, but I havent yet had that issue with their current skins. The warranty claims dept. Pure Nylon Skins Nylon skins are cheap, the most durable, and grip the best so why don't we push more people into them? The other mohair / nylon mix skins seem fairly similar to each other in terms of weight, and the full nylon Black Diamond Ascension and G3 Alpinist+ Universal are the heaviest. Neither have any major flaws in my experience, and theyre a bit cheaper than some of the fancier models mentioned here. All trademarks property of their respective owners So which skkn should I go with? In my experience its very effective against current (read: non-fluoro) waxes, and also against old fluoro-modified hydro waxes (equivalent of Swix LF/HF). Ive used the regular tail hook / strap on some skis with twinned tails and havent had any significant issues with the tail clip falling off, though I do think its important to make sure you have the tail clip centered on a rounded tail, or else it can start to slide to either side. 3.) Both me and Paul have found that most skins with a . A primary secret to Pomoca's skin success is the Safer Skin Light membrane, an uber thin rubber layer between the plush and the sticky side that prevents water logging, cuts weight, and allows the skin to pack down for easy carrying. Both me and Paul have found that most skins with a similar plush composition (e.g., full nylon, 70% mohair / 30% nylon, or full mohair) share extremely similar grip and glide characteristics, to the point that we dont feel confident making very conclusive statements on one gliding / gripping notably better than the other, in most cases. Pomoca Skin Overview - YouTube This is also aided by the wider tip connection of the Pomoca Ready2Climb system. No cherry-picked units sent by manufacturers. While Im not a skin manufacturer I can keep the supply chain a little healthier Beneath 500g for skins cut to mid-fat (100mm underfoot) modern touring skis is a good benchmark to shoot for in the weight of your skins. The rubberized tail straps on the Black Diamond skins used to crack and break quite often after heavy use, but it seems like Black Diamond has changed the material slightly so that they are now more durable. If this has any affect for the Climb 2.0 it is minimal. It strikes a balance. That said, they are superior skins and worth it. The trim tool for the Pomoca skins is the easiest among the brands to use, while the Black Diamond trim tool is the most finicky. BD was all out of the STS adjustable length, so I bought a Fixed Length skin. I do tend to favor lower-angle skin tracks but still encounter steep, icy tracks on occasion. Find Your Skin - Pomoca SAFER SKIN LIGHT (SSL) is 12% lighter which means 150g/m2 kess. Paul: Ill just reveal now that the Pomoca Race Pro 2.0 is currently my favorite skin on the market. Took off a star because while this works well, a little cube of ski . (Shop for climbing skins at Backcountry.com or Cripple Creek .) Or you can put some better glue on it (or not) and market it as extreme grip for extreme skin tracks. Well, turns out many of your favorite pro skiers swear by a particular skin: Pomoca. They all have excellent water resistance when new and have gradually trended toward soaking up more water the longer I use them.
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