New skins?
If you’ve just got some new skins, or your first full set for the mountains – boots, beacon, helmet, poles, skis and skins – you’ll be anxious to get your skins right.
Today, most skins come in fixed lengths and widths. They also have fixtures at the front, and preferably an adjustable fixture at the back, allowing you to adjust the length for your skins. Skins typically come in “clothes sizes”, from extra-small to extra-large. A glance at the size chart or packaging well tell you which one you need.
Does the skin have to cover the entire sole?
No. A skin made for getting you to the top of a mountain doesn’t have to cover the entire ski base. That would be a lot of skin. Neither the tip of the ski and the rear 20cm of the skin are used when you’re propelling yourself. It’s also not a big problem if the skin’s slightly narrower than the ski’s widest points. All you need is relatively good coverage underfoot. Less skin under the ski means less resistance. Which means better glide. You don’t want to lift your skis from the snow while you’re ascending. Generally, most “universal skins” come in 120–130cm widths. This should work in most cases.
Tailoring your skins
Tips for long distance ski tours
The first thing I want to say is that if you’re dreaming of something – do it. Just start making it happen! Don’t put it off. Because if there’s one thing that’s certain, it’s that you won’t regret it. It’s amazing what you can achieve if you only begin.
Understanding sidewalls
Sidewalls. All skis have them. Few of us know what they actually do. Join us as we explain how they affect the strength and properties of your skis.
Tuning steel edges
Tuning and maintaining your steel edges is pretty simple if you have the tools. If you don’t, you can take them to a workshop to have them machined. Everyone has an opinion when it comes to grinding. And much is a matter of preference. But it’s worthwhile bearing in mind that ski designers made their decisions for a reason…
Clothes for dogs in the cold
When it gets cold, spare a thought for you dog. Even dogs with a lot of fur can freeze if they don’t have an insulating undercoat. It doesn’t actually have to be much colder than -5° before many dogs can have problems – but there are still some who think dogs are unfreezeable. Here’s how to make sure they don’t.
Dressing for adventure: what to wear in the wild
Norwegian grandmothers have it right: always wear wool against the skin. Beginning with wool as the first layer, the three-layer principle applies. Step this way for a guide to wrapping up warm in the wild.
Waxing and prepping alpine touring skis
We don’t put in all that effort just for the view. We do it for the way down. So let’s talk about glide wax. It provides better glide, protects the sole from wear. The specific wax, even how carefully you do the work, isn’t really so important – it’s not a race. And it doesn’t have to be complicated at all…