Tailoring long skins for alpine touring

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.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bltg2fMb4JA

Tailoring your skins

Unpack the skin from its packaging. Check that the skin fits the ski BEFORE you remove the protective film on the adhesive.

Remove the protective film under the skin. Fasten the top of the skin at the ski tip.

Attach the skin to the sole of the ski from front to back, smoothing it flat so that it’s centred on the base. There should be some excess skin sticking out on over the sides.

Attach the rear fixture; tighten it. Then smooth out the skin one more time, making sure there are no creases or air between the skin and the sole. Use your hand or a plastic scraper or anything that lets you press it flat. Pay special attention to ensuring that the skin sits tightly on the steel edges.

Find the cutting tool that comes with your skins. The blade should be guided by the ski’s steel edge, cutting a couple of millimetres inside it; the wings of the cutting tool should be between the skin and the base.

It’s important that you don’t cut against the direction of the fibres: go from tip to tail. Pull the blade slowly but firmly towards the rear of the ski. Be careful to keep the knife close to the edge.

Repeat on the other side.

Done! When your skins have been trimmed, there should be approx. 2mm clearance at the steel edge, so that the metal is visible when the skin is attached.

Remove the skins, put them glue-to-glue (preferably with the included interlayer mesh) and store them in the storage bag.

https://vimeo.com/309449212?embedded=true&source=video_title&owner=91680866

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