UKC

Hello,

I am currently skiing on some ficher tour x ceed 170cm skis, and am at the moment using some old ex army skins which have been good but are very worn down now. I am looking at buying some new skins for a trip comming up which would suit those skis well, but I will be looking at changing skiis next season. Are there skins that would be a good for most skis? Any good deals around?
Thanks

In reply to ford23:

I,m selling a pair of Gecko mohair glue less skins on the sale/wanted section. 172cm 97mm wide if interested.

In reply to ford23:

Get a set of Black Diamond full nylon Ascension skins (best for uphill grip & durability). or their mohair mix (lighter, better glide, less durable) versions. they are not the lightest but will be lighter than your current ones I bet!

In reply to ford23: why black diamond as opposed to G3, colltex or, for a 'glue less' alternatives? I kind of like Colltex but also have Gecko

In reply to wbo:

Because they are bombproof and the grippiest about?

In reply to wbo:

as "galpinos" stated!

If the OP has ex-army issue the BD nylons will be far faster on the glide & provide similar grip & durability to the ex army heavy kit.

BD have always made a basic but gripy/sticky & durable skin, the other brands do make very good skins but glues that can be temperamental & yes lighter skins, but durability is worse compared to the BD nylons. Plus I prefer the loop fixing system, kinder to the ski & more secure than the boot hook types!

In reply to ford23:

I've only ever used BD skins, originally full nylon but now the nylon / mohair mix and they work just fine. One thing to watch out for if you're about to buy skins for your current skis then change skis is the shape and size you're going to trim the skins to. If the new skis are smaller than your current ones you may be able to trim them further and get a good fit but if not then your nearly-new skins will be too small (or at least the wrong shape) for your new skis. Much better to buy new skis & skins together if you can endure the current land-rover skins until the new skis arrive.

You can persuade a single pair of skins to fit a range of skis by making a cut along their centre line for most of the length of the skin, stopping 8 - 10 cm from each end. You can then fit the outer edge of the skin to the skis, leaving a strip down the centre of the ski with no skin on it. This does work but nothing like as well as properly fitting skins so I wouldn't recommend it.

In reply to ford23: it then becomes a question of whether you get the manufacturers specific skin for that ski or cut one to size. Most manufacturers specific skins are custom made for them by a.n.other 'real' manufacturer.

In reply to wbo:

A friend has the BD Ascension skins and I've got Kohla cut-to-size skins. They're almost the same size, but the BD ones are massively heavier with no noticable advantage in traction or glide.

In reply to NottsRich:
That's because the BD are nylon & Kohla are mohair (or mix) & therefore lighter. Also most European brands use a lighter & thinner backing fabric than the USA brands, so again the BD ones are heavy (duh) but better durability.

In reply to ford23:

I think Gecko skins are great, I'm a big fan of mine.