Are all skins created equal?

[El Chupacabra]

I'm in need of some climbing skins for K2 Kahunas I'm getting from marshalolson. This will be my first BC setup, and I know nothing about skins.

Any differences? Several variations here:
http://www.mgear.com/pages/product/p...l3_title/Skins

Anyone have big fat skins that'll fit a Kahuna/ Made'n AK that they wanna sell?

-Karl

[chaka]

I only have personal experience with BD/Ascension skins, but can offer some advice on the differnet tail attachments. If your ski has an aggressively turned up tail, you may want to avoid the "clip fix" rear attach system. I ride the clip fix system on newer Jaks today, and I feel I am pushing the limit with the clip fix being able to attach and conform to the turned up tail... the Jak has a slight twin, not very agressive. The new STS system looks cool as the attachment mechanism has a few cms of length adjustment, which would allow you to swap skins between skis of slightly different lengths with ease (assuming the dimensions aren't drastically different).

Oh, and buy something wide enough you can cut for wall to wall coverage. I am still trying to get by with skins cut to 88 width AK launchers on my new 97 width Jaks, and I now have noticeably less traction with the Jaks than I had with the Launchers, due to the exposed base.

[Duker]

Ive been very pleased with my Lo-fat BCA skins.

[hop]

I have been very pissed at my low-stick POS skins, however giving them new tip and tail treatment (BD STS) has resurrected them. FWIW they worked fine for one season then the glue just decided to crap out completely. Climbing grip is good enough.

With Made'n/Kahunas, you will want the STS system. G3 won't work, Clipfix won't work, normal tail hooks will sort of work, but then you're stuck with a stretchy tip.

you can probably get away with 120mm skins trimmed to fit. No need to go super wall to wall 130's since they cost more and most of your grip is coming from underfoot and not the very tip.

Sooo...BD Glidelite STS 120mm is what I would suggest, or Ascension 120 w/ STS tip and tail (remember, fat tip loops!!!)

[El Chupacabra]

Thanks for the input -- I'll start shopping around.

-Karl

[Foggy_Goggles]

Search f(x)

Get some BD Ascensions Standards and they add a Glide-Lite tail rig.

[Sphinx]

Ditto the Ascension-Glidelite.

A frequent touring parter has the BCA lo-fats and he hates them. They balls up, don't stick to his skis, etc, etc. Awful. Get Ascension or G3 instead.

[iskibc]

Glidelites all the way. Stay away from BCA and overpriced G3 skins.

[AltaPowderDaze]

Glidelites all the way. Stay away from BCA and overpriced G3 skins.

seconded.

my glidelites do a great job going up and down. ask gramps about how i hate to take them off for a short descent.

[Kellie]

second (or 5th?!?) the BD recommendation - almost everyone I've met is happy with their ascension/glidelites, but the other companies are 50% satisfaction at best . . .

[El Chupacabra]

Skins update:

I wound up buying some used Pocket Rockets w/ Freerides and including skins. They arrived today. The skins are the polka-dot blue/white ones shown here: http://www.mgear.com/pages/product/p...l3_title/Skins

They came with the tip attachments (as shown in that linked photo), but no tail attachments. Are all tail attachments the same? (Can I use a tail attachment for any skin?)

REI has these tail attachments for pretty cheap -- will they work?--
http://www.rei.com/online/store/Prod...cat=REI_SEARCH

Or -- since the Pocket Rocket is a twin tip, should I get a second tip kit for the tails on the PRs? Like these? --
http://www.rei.com/online/store/Prod...cat=REI_SEARCH

-Karl

[Lurch]

Get the STS tails that belong on those skins. They work the best on twin tips.

http://www.bdel.com/gear/sts_kit.php

[El Chupacabra]

Thanks Lurch -- I'll pick up a set.

-Karl

[jimmy page]

Make sure you also bring some duct tape along for your first trip out using your new set-up. It has saved many a day. When the the skins just won't stay attached to the skis you can wrap the tape around the tails.

[Spats]

My G3 skins have performed well. Plus they've got the Glidelite-style tail hooks, which are necessary IMO (the Clipfix is a fundamentally broken design.) The glue has been great: clearly they fixed the problems from the first season.

Don't know what iskibc is talking about with them being "overpriced"...they were the same price as every other set of skins I saw (at retail: I got them on end-of-season blowout).

[AltaPowderDaze]

i find the tails very necessary for my skins. i have a set that i put the clip fix on and they are more pleasant to tour with now. most people without tails have stock in duct tape.