Many of us got into the tele world so we could escape to the amazing world beyond the groomed slopes. Of course, if you are going to venture out into the backcountry, skins (and snow safety equipment) will be on your required gear list. With a freeheel binding and a quality set of skins that fit properly on your skis, you will be able to comfortably climb even the steepest of hills.

Skins have evolved substantially since the days of seal pelts and animal fur. Most skins these days are composed of thousands of little synthetic nylon "hairs" all laying down in one direction (angled towards the back of your ski to propel you forward). There are three major skin manufacturers out there these days; Ascension (the most well known, now marketed by Black Diamond), Back Country Access and G3. All three of these companies are making quality product, so we think your choices will be based on three primary factors; the type of attachment, bulk and weight and finally size.

TYPE OF ATTACHMENT

How you attach your skins to your skis will be the most crucial decision of the skin buying process. We have a very strong preference for adhesive skins that are attached with a tip and tail kit, but there are options that will suit some folks better. Read on to learn more about, Adhesive Skins, Strap-On Skins and types of Tip and Tail Kits.

Adhesive Skins - Far and away the most commonly used, adhesive skins have lots of advantages over just plain strap-on skins. First and foremost, they stay put a whole lot better. Without bulky straps or tape, adhesive skins hold better on the side hill and don't require the precise adjustment that straps demand. In combination with a Tip and Tail Kit, adhesive skins need only a little bit of basic attention to make them perform well every time out. To learn more click over to How to Care for Your Climbing Skins.

Strap-on - Frankly, we don't see much use for this type of system. Great for those folks who just can't handle any adhesive, these skins are easier to keep clean, but much, much harder to adjust and will tend to move in demanding conditions (i.e. steeps and sidehills).

Tip and Tail Kits - The tip and tail attachment works in conjunction with adhesive skins and really helps to keep the skin solidly attached to the ski. We carry skins that are "tip only" but we very strongly recommend you go with a tip AND tail system. You'll save a few grams and maybe a couple bucks, but the hassle and the frustration of not having a tail will not be worth it. This is especially true for those who are doing a couple laps and need to take the skins on and off more frequently during the day.

Each of the different manufacturers has a unique take on the tip and tail system:

Ascension Skins/Black Diamond: Originally known as Ascension skins, Black Diamond bought this great small company and over the past few years has made some changes to the basic design. The familiar purple plush goes away this year as BD has come out with a new orange plush. Don't worry, the plush has not been changed other than the color, and the glue remains the same as well. The trusty Ascensions are now available in 3 different styles; Standard, or tail-less, Clipfix, and STS. Standards come with the tip loop sewn in and with no tail attachment, so they'll fit on skis with rounded tails. The Clipfix have a low profile (so it doesn't create drag in the snow) "rigid" tip and a low profile tail attachment that "cams." Once they are initially set up, these skins are very difficult to adjust for length and so aren't able to move to another ski in the quiver. So, they're a great choice if you only really use one ski in the backcountry and want an efficient, easy to attach skin. In addition, the Ascension plush is offered this year with a STS tail (a rubber tension strap) which allows for greater adjustability as the skins expand and contract, as well as increased likelihood that you can use the same skins on a different pair of skis.

G3: These bright red skins work just like the GlideLite, with a loop on the front and an adjustable rubber tail on the back. Nice and easy to adjust between different length skis. G3 struggled during its first few years in the skin market with some adhesive related problems, but we've put a bunch of time on this and last year's year's versions and feel like they have things worked out. We like 'em.

Backcountry Access: These guys are using a traditional stretchy rubber tip and the older Ascension TTP style tail, that was the standard for many years. Super simple to adjust for length (don't put too much tension on the tip).

BULK AND WEIGHT

Pretty simple here. there isn't a ton of difference between the brands, really. GlideLite and G3 will probably run a little lighter than ClipFix, but the ClipFix may glide better. The Backcountry Access Low Fat Skins (they're yellow) seem to have a thinner plush and so may be a little lighter and more packable than the others. But, geeze, not by all that much. Of course, as with almost all gear, lighter (thinner plush) almost always comes at the expense of durability.

SIZE
We really recommend that you size your skins so that they can be trimmed to fit and not run straight skins. With today's more shapely skis you'll get way better performance (read: more traction) if you cover more of the ski with the skin. Generally this means covering the entire base of the ski while leaving the edges exposed (for control and sidehill grip). So, for this method, choose a skin that is slightly smaller that the widest part of the ski - the tip. To help with this, use our handy Skin Size Chart.

Straight skins (as opposed to shaped or "trimmed-to-fit") have some advantages. not the least of which is they don't require the work necessary to trim them. They are also a little less bulky, and they fold onto themselves a little better. Of course, you'll also trade a little better glide for a little less traction (because more ski is exposed under less skin). For this method, then, chose a skin that is slightly smaller than the narrowest part of your ski - the waist. To help with this, use our handy Skin Size Chart.

In an effort to make the trimmed-to-fit skins more accessible, Black Diamond introduced a "pre-cut" skin last year. They offer laser cut skins that are shaped specifically for their skis. This is a nice service that will cost you a little and save you a lot. While they are shaped for BD skis and, at least theoretically, for no one else's', they'll work well for other ski models with similar dimensions too.

Well that's the basics on climbing skins... For exact sizing info, check out our Skin Size Chart. If you already have skins and want more information about how to keep them in good condition, check out How to Care for Your Climbing Skins. Need help trimming your skins? Visit our How to Trim Skins page.

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