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Best Climbing Skins
If this venturesome description sounds like you, you may embrace the frigid temperatures with perfect grace while combing through the backcountry on skis. So how can you properly adapt your skis to demanding terrain? Along with investing in quality boots, bindings, and skis, you will want to equip your setup with some climbing skins. Originally, these skins were made with seal hides, and they provided those on skis with the ability to glide uphill, without sliding backward. Modern skins are now made of materials such as mohair or nylon. Join us today and check our list of top ten products!
Standout Picks
Criteria Used for Evaluation
Materials
At one time, skins were made out of the skin of a seal to provide extra traction and grip, and that’s where they get their names. Today, however, most skins are made out of either nylon, mohair, or a combination of the two materials. Each has its advantages and disadvantages.
For example, a skin made out of mohair will often glide much more smoothly than nylon or mixed skins, but they also wear out much quicker. These skins are often only used for competition, where speed is of the essence.
Skins fabricated from nylon material are often much more affordable and durable. They also offer superior grip, but don’t provide the ability to glide as well as mohair. Mixed, or hybrid skins give the combination of synthetic and natural materials and offer a fairly good compromise between grip, glide, and affordability.
However, if you’re looking for something that highlights explicitly the ability to grip the snow or glide through it, the hybrid model may not be suitable for your needs.
Overall Fit
Of course, the best skins are only as good as the ability for them to stay on your skis when you need them and to be easily removed when you don’t. This is where the method of attachment plays a significant role. There are two different ways to attach a skin to a pair of skis in most cases.
The first one is to use some adhesive. The second is to use hardware of some type to anchor the skin to the ski itself. Glue is messy and can be temperamental when it comes to weather or temperature. Also, the stickiness of the glue will wear out over time, leading to skins that don’t always stay where they should. And finally, keeping the glue side clean can be a bit of a hassle.
All that being said, there are some advantages to using glue or an adhesive for your skins. First, if you find a glue recipe that works well, there is little chance of the skin coming off until you want it to. Also, it is relatively inexpensive. Another standard method of attachment used is referred to as tip and tail hardware. As the name implies, this method uses a set of grips or hooks that attach the skin to the ski at the tip, or front of the ski, and also at the back, or tail of the ski.
With proper measurement and fit, using hardware to attach the skins does have several advantages. First, you don’t have to worry about the temperamental nature of glue. If the hardware is functioning correctly and the skins are well-fitted, attaching them and removing them are extremely easy. Also, tip and tail kits are remarkably more consistent in their performance, regardless of the size, or weight of the skins themselves.
When it comes to tip and tail kits, there are primarily two different types. The first is often called the European system and features a riveted metal tail hook with an elastic tail loop. This system is best suited for those who have difficulty twisting their leg around while wearing skis to remove the skins once the summit is reached.
The second type often referred to as the American style features a non-elastic tip and a tensioning tailpiece are the name of the game. This style requires that you kick your heels back behind you and grab the tail of your skis to remove the climbing skins, which can be somewhat awkward for those who aren’t that flexible.
Size
For these skins to work correctly, they need to fit the skis that you use. As such, the overall size is significant. One option is to use skins that are specifically precut to fit the skis that you are using.
Some manufacturers, such as Dynafit have even developed skins specific to their brand of skis. The other option is to cut the skins to fit your skis on an individual basis. While pre-cut skins may be more convenient for most, many veterans choose to cut their skins for a truly customized feel.
Traction
Grip
The grip of the skin refers to the ability of the skins to have traction or dig in against the snow and ice as you move up the inclined surface. In most cases, a better grip is achieved by a tighter or denser material weave. Skins with a good grip are best suited for areas where there is a lot of ski traffic, steeper inclines, and for those who like to build steps as they move upwards on the hill.
Glide
The skin's “glide” as you may expect, reflects the skins ability to glide or slide on the snowy surface. While grip might be thought of as more important, especially as you’re climbing a hill, glide also plays a significant role in the control of your skis during an uphill journey. While the grip allows you to hold onto a point in the snow and ice and rest for a few seconds, the glide of the skin allows you to move between those points with relative ease.
While many skins have an inherent “glide factor” based on the materials used and the quality of them, many people chose to help the glide along, since the fibers can wear down after a while. Most of the time, this is done through the process of waxing both your skis and the skins, both for protection and added smoothness when needed.
Top 10 Picks
1. Black Diamond Ultra Lite STS
If you’re looking for a pair of skins that are a great choice for nearly all backcountry ski environments, and that allows for a wide range of movement while you’re heading up the slope, this is a great option. The Black Diamond Ultralite Mix STS skins provide superior performance for most ski conditions at a fraction of the weight and cost. While we certainly would have liked to see a better grip, especially in icy conditions, for most backcountry skiers, this is definitely one to consider.
Read moreMaterials
These are made from a combination of 65% mohair and 35% nylon, which help to keep their overall weight to a minimum, and their ability to glide close to one of the best we’ve seen.
Overall Fit
The Black Diamond Ultralite Mix STS are attached with a combination of a powerful adhesive and field-replaceable Dynex and aluminum tip and tail hardware that is adjustable just to 10 centimeters. So even if the glue wears out while you’re battling with the snowy slope, you can use the tip and tail hardware to make spot adjustments without having to trim.
Size
Because of the increase in mohair content and the basic overall construction, these are remarkably lightweight, almost 20% less weight than previous iterations. Also, the total length is ideally suited for several different ski types and can be easily adjusted to fit your own.
Traction
Not surprisingly, however, given the nature of its composition, these don’t fare very well when it comes to grip. There have been several reports of difficulty when climbing up slopes, especially in icy conditions. If you’re looking for a pair that feature the ability to glide and glide well, these are worth a look. In some ways, they are second only to competition level when it comes to moving effortlessly from one grip point to the next.
2. G3 Scala
A unique addition to our list, the G3 Scala features a TPU scale-like tip with G3's Alpinist Plush Nylon fabric. They are great for trail-breaking and side to side movement. If you are looking for the best of both worlds, grip, and glide, this is definitely a skin to look into.
Read moreMaterials
This unique skin features a scaley plastic tip made from TPU and the rest of the skin is made from G3’s well known Alpinist Plush Nylon. They provide great grip and glide and are easy to fit your skis.
Overall Fit
These skins are available in short, medium, or long. The tail clip fits securely, and the hybrid tip connector is made from plastic. There is no glue behind the TPU tip, making these easy to remove and transport.
Size
These skins are easy to fit your skis, and even the most extended skin weighs less than one pound. When you are ready to pack them up, you can easily peel them away from the ski and fold the tip down- glue to TPU to glue to TPU. They roll up flat and fit slide easily into your ski bag or backpack.
Traction
Up or downhill, the Scala skins are great. The scale pattern at the tip of the skin maximizes grip, allowing you to venture vertically and side to side. The plush fabric also provides excellent glide and is ideal for trail-breaking.
3. Kohla Vacuum Base Zero
Similar to the ProFoil skins on our list, the Kohla also uses a vacuum seal system. They are best used for backcountry skiing and have equal grip and glide. The C-Tech layer is a great addition that helps shed excess water and snow from the skins.
Read moreMaterials
The Kohla Vacuum Base Zero skins are made from 65% mohair and 35% nylon and do not use glue as an adhesive. There is also a C-tech foil in-between the two-layers that sheds water for increased performance.
Overall Fit
As mentioned, these skins do not use the adhesion method. They use a vacuum seal system that is quite simple to use. This is especially great for traveling or packing up the skins because they stick to your skis but not to each other. They feature a Cobra 90 universal tip attachment and an adjustable K-Clip tail attachment.
Size
These are available in many different lengths, ranging from 149cm to 190cm. They are also pleasantly lightweight, weighing around 1.8-pounds for the pair.
Traction
Ideal for backcountry skiing, these skins have equal grip and glide. However, it has been said that the vacuum seal has a tendency to slide off while skiing more often than glued on skins.
4. G3 Alpinist High Traction
If you need to grip the slope with extreme ferocity, you may want to consider using the G3 Alpinist High Traction Skins. Designed for use on more extreme slopes and conditions, these skins offer the ability to safely traverse easily. However, keep in mind that the weight and longer fibers can make gliding from point to point somewhat problematic.
Read moreMaterials
These skins are made using 100% nylon material, which makes them extremely durable even in the coldest conditions.
Overall Fit
The adhesive used to attach to the skis is relatively stable, but nothing out of the ordinary when it comes to quality. The tip and tail hardware features riveted metal clips and hooks with nylon attachments so that it may wear out faster with more frequent use.
Size
These are definitely a bit heavier than some of the others on this list, and the added weight does help increase the grip, but also makes gliding a bit more problematic, especially on flatter surfaces.
Traction
There is no denying the increased gripping power here. In some cases, customers have reported an increase in gripping power of nearly 25% compared to other brands. While the grip strength is remarkable, the ability to glide, especially on gentle slopes or flat areas leaves quite a bit to be desired. These will definitely make long-distance movement over gentle terrain somewhat problematic.
5. Pomoca Climb 2.0
The Pomoca Climb 2.0 has a higher percentage of mohair, giving it a great glide. The Safer Skin technology helps them to shed water easily and also makes them more lightweight than many skins on the market today.
Read moreMaterials
The Pomoca Climb 2.0 skins are made from 70% mohair and 30% nylon. They are finished with an Ever Dry and Skin Light technology treatments. These treatments make them lighter and less hydrophobic.
Overall Fit
Overall, the gluing and attachment of these skins is quite simple. The tail clip is highly adjustable and takes just two clicks until you’re ready to go. It is easy enough to achieve with gloves on and no tools. After that, the back fixed tail strap is comfortable to put into place.
Size
These are available in a wide range of sizes from 155cm to 200cm and widths of 100mm, 120mm, and 140mm. They are about 75-grams lighter than other skins and have a universal fit. They fold down and pack up very easily.
Traction
With a higher percentage of Mohair than some of our other blends, these provide excellent grip and decent grip. They are great for just about any terrain; however, you may want to go with caution as the high percentage of Mohair makes them less durable than pure Nylon.
6. Black Diamond Ascension
The Black Diamond brand makes a second appearance on our list with this lightweight and adjustable skin that is well suited for a number of different skis and ski environments. While the ability to fully customize these skins to your ski may be a great asset, having to essentially trim and adjust your skins to fit your needs may be a bit for some people who tend to focus on ease and convenience. However, once they are customized to your needs, they are very durable and offer one of the best grips we’ve seen in a long time.
Read moreMaterials
These are created using nylon material that features several fibers for a plush, more robust feel at a fraction of the weight previously seen.
Overall Fit
These skins feature a relatively strong glue and adjustable tip and tail hardware that are easy to adjust and customize to your specific length and width. While this ability to customize can be somewhat daunting to accomplish at first, with a little practice, it can be easily done. The only other complaints we found were the tip and tail hardware was not as durable as we would expect from a major brand, and that the glue was insanely strong, which made separation from the skis or the other climbing skin after improper storage somewhat problematic.
Size
In regards to size and weight, these skins are slightly on the heftier size but don’t hinder much when out in the field. And since they are fully customizable and adjustable when it comes to length, there shouldn’t be too much of problem there as well.
Traction
When it comes to grip, the Black Diamond is some of the most versatile that we’ve seen. They easily provide the grip you need in powder, icy, and every condition in between. Overall we found the balance between the grip and the glide to favor the grip side of things a bit much, but the movement was still reasonably easy with practice.
7. Volkl V-Werks BMT 94 Vacuum
This entry on our list offers a fairly unique product in that they offer a “glueless adhesive” that uses an adhesive that is based on the use of silicone instead of the traditional glue often seen in most skins. While they use pressure and a vacuum seal to attach to your skis, they also offer fairly good performance overall.
Read moreMaterials
These are made from synthetic materials and are relatively durable. Both the silicone adhesive and the skins themselves easily last through quite a few seasons.
Overall Fit
As stated in the introduction, they use a type of silicone adhesive and vacuum seal to keep our air and moisture to adhere easily to just about any ski you can imagine. We certainly don’t miss the tackiness that you can expect, and the vacuum seal if correctly done, is beneficial.
Size
Overall the size and weight are relatively average and don’t add too much of a hindrance to most backcountry skis. While they are not the lightest, we’ve seen by any stretch, for most skiers they won’t become too much of a hassle.
Traction
With their focus being on the attachment to the skis themselves, Volkl’s attention to both the grip and glide is somewhat lacking. That is not to say that they do not grip effectively; only that we would have liked to see better performance than just average. Much like their gripping power, the glide ability is adequate at best. They are certainly nothing to write home about but provide what is needed in most situations.
8. Fischer ProFoil Hannibal
This entry on our list also features fairly unique construction, but this time the focus is on how the surface meets the snow and ice, rather than the ski itself. While most options feature a directional fiber or hair system that prevents backsliding, the Fischer Profoil line features a base of plastic scales, designed much like the scales of a fish. They are designed to provide superior movement and glide and are touted as being able to be used on the skis for both uphill and downhill movement.
Read moreMaterials
The skins are made from a synthetic material that was found to be reasonably durable overall but did have a few performance issues over time and in more icy conditions.
Overall Fit
Most customers found the glue to be adequate, provided the temperature didn’t drop below the teens for extended periods while in use. The tackiness and adhesive strength in most conditions, however, was more than adequate.
Size
Overall these were surprisingly lightweight given their overall size and design to cover the majority of the ski. Very few people noticed them in regards to added weight.
Traction
In conditions where ice wasn’t too large of a factor, and the temperature was above about16 degrees, the gripping power was outstanding. However, colder temperatures or more icy conditions caused the scales to become somewhat ineffective overall. Generally speaking, the ability to glide was outstanding, almost too good in some cases, allowing for the occasional backslide in more icy conditions. However, as advertised, they can be easily used to glide on nearly any incline, or even on a flat surface with minimal effort.
9. Black Diamond GlideLite
As you can expect from Black Diamond, these skins are not only good looking, but they have impressive traction as well. While attaching them to your skis can cause a bit of a headache, you'll be smooth sailing (or skiing) after that.
Read moreMaterials
Like many of the skins on our list, the GlideLite is made from a blend of mohair and nylon. This specific blend features 65% mohair and 35% nylon. They are universal skins and can be fitted to just about any ski.
Overall Fit
While fitting and attaching these to your skis can be quite a hassle, they do have a universal fit. The tail can be adjusted up to ten centimeters in length, and the tip fits many shapes and sizes. However, there have been many complaints about the attachment screws and materials being weak and challenging to use.
Size
While still slightly more substantial than we would like, the GlideLite skins are about 60g lighter than the similar Ascension models. If you are looking to shed some grams, you can remove the tail clips without sacrificing performance. Reviewers have raved that these skins are very easy to pack and fold down quite thin.
Traction
These skins are best for backcountry skiing. The glue sticks best to regularly waxed skis. They offer a great balance of glide and grip but tend to slide out of place during rides. However, they have so many other redeeming factors that they are still a favorite to many.
10. Jones Nomad Pro Quick Tension
This last entry on our list is designed for use not only on wider skis but also on snowboards. It features a split design, where the skins are split between two pieces to allow for better weight distribution and a lighter overall feel. If you’re interested in fast movement while on the slopes or moving through the backcountry, this lightweight and durable split board skin should certainly be on your radar. While we were a bit disappointed in the gripping power, the overall freedom of movement offered by these skins for more advanced users was certainly an asset.
Read moreMaterials
These are fashioned out of synthetic and mohair mix that is reasonably durable and lightweight, which is an uncommon combination at times.
Overall Fit
The adhesive used to connect to the skis or snowboard is relatively stable, but the tail attachment is non-existent, forcing the user to provide one of their own. While it isn’t that big a deal, it can be a bit of a hassle if it is unexpected.
Size
Overall these skins are incredibly lightweight for their size, and their weight distribution over the length and breadth of the skis is quite comfortable indeed. Most people forget that they are in place.
Traction
When it comes to gripping power, there is room for improvement, but for the most part, it is adequate for the average user. We wouldn’t suggest using it on any extremely steep inclines or cliffs. When it comes to the glide ability, few can match it. If used by an experienced user, the glide can undoubtedly allow for a more extensive array of moves and performance overall, but it can be a bit hard to handle for the beginner.
Sources
- , Big Sky Mountain Products Nylon Climbing Skins, Winter Sports Blog
- , These Climbing Skins Won’t Leave You Out in the Cold, Snow Sports Blog
