You know what they call the lowest ranking class member in med school at graduation?We're talking about Pit Vipers, Doc. Try to keep up.
"doctor"
Alpine touring skis
- Thread starter Toshi
- Start date
"doctor"
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Snow was good. Skis turned like I thought they would. Heel riser doesn't work for some reason. At best I was only getting 1/2 of what my frame bindings do and at other times, they were collapsing. That's a big problem I gotta get figured out. Otherwise touring up in the tech bindings was good, nice to remove the weight of the bindings...but more than offset by not having the heel lift.
Now I have skins. Will figure out how to cut them to fit later—watched a video the other day. Also have extendable poles that match eldest kid (priorities!), and new half moon pieces so as to get this high viz Pivot 14 set back to fighting form
Those skis in question will be the Black Pearl 98s in 152 cm that my wife did not care for. Kid is 145 cm and rapidly growing. I bought them as ex-demos from Powder7 so they have heavy Marker Squire bindings on demo plates.
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Trimming skins to fit is actually a very satisfying tactile experience.
Skin surface is delightfully smooth when petted one way, the tacky glue makes nice noises when you peel off the liner or peel it off the ski base or itself when folded, and the included trimming tool was pleasant to slide along the edges.
Skin surface is delightfully smooth when petted one way, the tacky glue makes nice noises when you peel off the liner or peel it off the ski base or itself when folded, and the included trimming tool was pleasant to slide along the edges.
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Save the big pieces and use them as a lint brush.
Whatever you do don't leave your skins on the skis if you're not hiking, especially not sitting in a hot car. Trying to ski with adhesive on your bases is not something you'll soon forget.
Can confirm.
I put the skins on the night before a hut trip, skis were in the basement so it wasn't even that hot. But when I got up to the hut and ripped skins the next day, I couldn't ski laps near the hut. Spent a couple hours with a spatula, a brillo pad, and some simple green that was thankfully at the hut getting the extra adhesive off.
#neverforget
I’ve never had the adhesive stick, but i use the skin protectors. I think the closest I’ve seen is leaving skins on overnight, don’t do that. Id say your skins are a few mm too wide still, for edge engagement, which you need for climbing and maneuvering with them on. You also dont want too skinny, so you are engaging skins when your edges are engaging on real hard wind slab.
Video here. Edges are showing
I really should have walked my skis up a hill today. Stupid cold. Hopefully I'll feel better tomorrow morning, and I'll wander out for a lap or two.
Some folks always use the skin savers (plastic thinger—mine is like a mesh grid) instead of sticking adhesive straight to adhesive. Other folks just fold them over on themselves and call it a day. I kinda do both, depending. In the winter when I'm actually using them fairly regularly I just stick them to themselves and generally keep them in my touring pack. Unless I've just been out for a tour, in which case I hang them from a couple hooks in my garage so they dry out. When the weather gets warm and I'm done skiing, I'll fold each one on itself with the skin saver in between the halves, roll them up, and chuck them in their little bag.
Edit to add some links:
Climbing Skins - Easy Tips to Keep 'Em Touring - The Backcountry Ski Touring Blog
Care and maintenance of your ski touring climbing skins needn't be rocket science. Here, best practices for drying, storing and maintaining your skins.
www.wildsnow.com
Everything You Need To Know About Climbing Skins - Voile
Skins are one of the most important pieces of backcountry gear and most overlooked. Here's Everything You Need To Know About Climbing Skins.
www.voile.com
Climbing Skins - Tips on using and caring for backcountry climbing skins
Climbing Skins Care - tips and tricks to keep your climbing skins performing in all conditions and to avoid common climbing skin problems
offpistemag.com
Dynafit USA
No skins means no ski tour: Practical tips for storage, transport and care of ski touring skins for a long lifespan
www.dynafit.com
According to that first one, Pomoca is saying the skins savers aren't the best thing for skins... which seems weird. I've been doing my aforementioned method for a while now and have been using the same skins for quite a few seasons.
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I have skin savers, they're like plastic mesh you fold the skin over. It helps keep them from sticking to themselves.
edit: here - https://www.powder7.com/G3-Skin-Savers-Climbing-Skins/sale?utm_source=feed&utm_medium=free
The little cartoon infographic on the Pomoca bag had them folded over on themselves. I will give that method a try and see how the glue fares, especially since it's easy to do . I will gently dry them out afterwards with no heat applied if/when I ever take them on snow.
. I will gently dry them out afterwards with no heat applied if/when I ever take them on snow.That plastic mesh is known as skin savers. If they were cheap and only used non-stick paper then get some savers. Storing folded is no problem. If you store them stuck together eventually the glue becomes one IME.
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You want enough edge that you wont struggle to get them exposed when putting on the skins in wind with gloves on
Realistically I'll be putting them on while sitting all cozy on the tailgate of my Land Cruiser in the Utah Junction parking lot before heading up Corona Way or over to the side of Mary Jane.You want enough edge that you wont struggle to get them exposed when putting on the skins in wind with gloves on
Before you get stuck somewhere cuz you just had to do a few more turns and now you have to transition again.
Yeah don't ever fold your skins on themselves, you wouldn't want to get any adhesive on your adhesive because then your adhesive will have adhesive all over it.
you definitely want another annoying thing to carry in your pack that's totally necessary and finnicky and in no way will annoy the shit out of you in wind.
you definitely want another annoying thing to carry in your pack that's totally necessary and finnicky and in no way will annoy the shit out of you in wind.
so you are team glue-on-glue?
It's just easier. I've never used those skins you have but the ones I buy are insanely sticky when new, so can actually be kind of a bitch to pull apart when folded over on themselves, especially wide skis or a split board. I'll use that little mesh thing for a while when they're like that but I eventually just get annoyed and put some dirt on them and stick them together.
Ah, a great technique. My move has always been to embed pine needles in the glue by wrapping them around a tree branch when ripping them off my skis in the wind.
all that shit ends up there anyway...
Lots of opinions re glue on glue or skin savers
cripplecreekbc.com
I saved the skin saver-esque mesh plastic sheets (kids had adopted one for art/play and the other I had to clean off as I'd put it in the trash) just in case I change my mind.
Tips & Tricks: Attaching Your Skins with Ease
This is a place that climbing skins can take you if you take care of them appropriately. Tips & Tricks: Attaching Your Skins with Ease I work for Cripple Creek Backcountry at Aspen Highlands, and every day I see uphill skiers preparing for their daily on-resort exercise or backcountry adventure...
cripplecreekbc.com
I saved the skin saver-esque mesh plastic sheets (kids had adopted one for art/play and the other I had to clean off as I'd put it in the trash) just in case I change my mind.
If you had told me 25 years ago that doctors would learn how to backcountry ski off the internet, I would have started shooting.
It's too late now. I missed my chance while the population was small.
The things we do to escape always become the biggest attractant to the people we were trying to escape in the first place.
go walk up a hill and ski down. Then you'll have opinions.
has anyone mentioned that yet?
It's too late now. I missed my chance while the population was small.
The things we do to escape always become the biggest attractant to the people we were trying to escape in the first place.
go walk up a hill and ski down. Then you'll have opinions.
has anyone mentioned that yet?
I finally have all the things necessary. And just bought the $25 WP armband thing.
On my calendar to slowly skin up at WP this upcoming Monday.
Ok, question for y'all: what do you wear for such days? Like should I be a goon and bring a backpack and shed/add layers? I imagine something a few clicks lighter weight will be necessary for the uphill exertion, but if I can get away with stuffing skins in an inside pocket instead of having the goon-pack that'd be great
Do the same as you would when heavily exerting yourself while riding a bike up a mountain, then back down on a cold day.
No definitely don't bother with a backpack.
skins fit neatly into the pockets of any ski pant and don't let anyone tell you any differently
plus water bottles hanging from a carabiner on a belt loop works just fine all day
and just wear the clothes you ski in to hike in because those activities are totally identical, no reason to bring all that extra storage space
You will be working harder than when you are sitting on a ski-lift going uphill.
So your gear needs to be lighter. No insulated snow pants. Lighter breathable backcountry/touring pants. You want integrated snow-skirts, but you don't want traditional DH ski pants. For the jacket it's similar, you need good venting. I love my Ortovox, it's one of their cheaper ones, but it's just enough, it's got a thin wool layer and some nice big vents. I occasionally use my Endura MT500 and it DOES NOT breathe well, despite the claims and vents to the contrary. It's just too thick. Beneath these, a high performance synthetic layer, because those dry faster. Craft makes some good ones, the leggings aren't as important, but I like the long-sleeved base layers with at least partial zip turtle neck, keeps your neck warmer when you need and allows you to unzip when hotter. For my head, a thin beanie and I put a thin balaclava in my pocket. If my head gets cold from wind, then the balaclava goes on, then if it's still cold, my helmet, but that's rare. In the pack I keep an extra set of mittens (gloves will work if you don't have reynauds like me) an a puffy down to put over everything if I get cold. On colder days for transitions this can be damn nice. Down packs super small and some people will do down mittens instead of gloves for this reason too. Bring a few foot chem heaters (that work for feet and hands) just in case.
It's kind of the catch 22, your gear needs to be lighter to not sweat like a dog up, but then when you stop to transition you can get deep frozen pretty fast.
More layers won't breath well and you'll drench yourself in sweat...so you won't have a good time.
You can try to get away with no pack, but that's gunna be tricky for any real touring. You can spread a lot of small stuff around your body. But you generally don't tour up with your helmet on, or goggles on, you may even want to hang your jacket around your waist. It's also kind of drilled into you with any Avy training that once you start going off the beaten track, always have a shovel, beacon and probe.
You can stuff your skins down your jacket, I'll do that on a short downhill ski transition, that also helps to melt off snow. I also stuff the skin-saver in my jacket a lot of the time.
Ok, so a pack and layers.
now for the important question:
what heart rate zone do y'all stick to on the ascent
I'm going to be going slow, I imagine, and it sounds like I'll end up dressed a whole lot like my bike commuting outfit then. and will be cold going down or if I go on other lifts.
i will forgo the bike helmet. I don't think I'll need to bring my ski pass since the mid mountain lifts don't have access gates. but maybe I will.
now for the important question:
what heart rate zone do y'all stick to on the ascent
I'm going to be going slow, I imagine, and it sounds like I'll end up dressed a whole lot like my bike commuting outfit then. and will be cold going down or if I go on other lifts.
i will forgo the bike helmet. I don't think I'll need to bring my ski pass since the mid mountain lifts don't have access gates. but maybe I will.
You likely won't be cold going down. Going down is hard work on your legs and IME whether it's at a resort or backcountry, you always stay warm there. It's the standing around while transitioning that gets you, especially when you didn't put on a layer FIRST (in cold temps). Also, waiting in lift lines and riding lifts.Ok, so a pack and layers.
now for the important question:
what heart rate zone do y'all stick to on the ascent
I'm going to be going slow, I imagine, and it sounds like I'll end up dressed a whole lot like my bike commuting outfit then. and will be cold going down or if I go on other lifts.
i will forgo the bike helmet. I don't think I'll need to bring my ski pass since the mid mountain lifts don't have access gates. but maybe I will.
Heed this, don't go with more than 2 layers on IMO, a base layer and a breathable light jacket of your choice. Being able to open that up and expose your base layer is going to be critical IMO. The less in shape one is, the more this is the case, because more layers and you won't be able to expose the base.
HR? I dunno. We damn near killed a guy a few weekends ago. This is going to be a lot of strange shit for your body. You probably aren't going to get to crazy HRs without lots of cramps, blisters,and other stuff where your body is reacting to movements and weights that it doesn't usually have to deal with. Take it slow, think about uphill progress. Remember that is the goal. Cutting sideways too much starts to cut in to uphill progress...yet going straight up is going to stress the hell out of your muscles that are not ready for this kind of stuff and it's still stupid a lot of the time anyway. Don't cut way out into where people ski down.
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jesus christ it's walking with heavy long shoes and hand sticks to keep from falling over
on ski resort groomers
it's not the fucking moon landing
on ski resort groomers
it's not the fucking moon landing
Also, it's common that your heel risers, brakes or something in the binding may need some tweaking, may not function perfectly. What you're doing is a good way to feel that out anyway, but my point is that getting to a crazy high HR is probably not the biggest worry.