 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi,
I've seen a listing for old climbing skins with side straps (I assume they're truly glueless skins, not the newer silicone sticky ones) and I'm wondering if straps and lack of glue apart their use as climbing skins puts large stress in their tip attachment (leading to skin tearing at that point on the long run) or if even glued skins (with tip and tail attachments) are glued more for avoiding some side movement of it by keeping it sticked thru friction rather than to reduce stress on tip and tail attachments.
Thank you
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Skins with side straps instead of glue must be truly ancient, avoid. Get the best and keep them in good condition, problems with skins can be extremely frustrating, and your companions won’t be too pleased either.
There is a modern system of glueless skins, which do “stick”.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Are they the orange "fish scale" type? If so they're pretty solid assuming they're in ok condition, grip ok but lack a bit of glide.........I used to sell these but they never took off
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Gecko skins are glue-less and work - don't mess with old skins - they will be a disaster and risk your groups enjoyment and your safety. A skin detaching at the wrong time can put you in a precarious situation very fast.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Not sure I have even seen skis with side straps, and I certainly didn't use them. On the other side I had "luck" to be using these new and so cool vacum/gecko skins, and I never ever want to see that sh**it again on my skis. They work great if you put them on at home, when skins are dry and skis are dry, and you go out in cold dry snow. But in case you have any even very remote wish to take skins off, do one run, and maybe, just maybe climb back up for second run, you better have some glue tape with you or be ready to suffer all the way up. Same thing goes, if you go out into wet snow, then already first ascend is gonna be real "fun".
So for me, there's only one way of skins... the ones with glue.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Yeah they're of that old kind without glue, though not as old (they were probably still using that attachment method in the '80s).
My question is: since skins (either with and without glue) are kept from sliding away when walking uphill by tip and tail attachments, what was the purpose of those side straps before glue was used?
Just to keep the skin from detaching too much from the ski thus allowing snow buildup or did they also lower pulling stress on tip attachments (as I guess glue does on newer skins) ?
Thank you
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@alfredo, modern skins exert almost no stress on the tip. The clip stops snow getting in and helps in putting them on. Skins work with or without tail clips, I’ve used both. I’ve been touring since 1982 and have never seen that type of skin used.
Do you ask out of general interest or are you thinking of using them.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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The ones I dealt with were from the 80's, made of a similar material to BD's STS tail clips, fish scale bottoms, normal tip 'n' tail attachment, but because they were glueless, had a built-in strap around the centre to prevent them slipping sideways....
I demoed them and they were actually pretty good, surprised nothing has really replaced them since.
Was out with Weathercam and the OH yesterday and she was having terrible trouble with her modern "glueless" skins, fine when all is dry, but......
So, cheap enough, giv'em a go 
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@alfredo, share the listing (won't buy them honest!) and I'll take a look......
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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If they're like Davidof's skins ( he's not poking fun btw, that's what he uses ), then they're probably polar bear skins, ferociously grippy........
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And re modern skins, yes on both counts, the tip and tail clips locate the skin, the glue keeps them on.
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FAQ
but newer and whitish (probably swiss army surplus or something like that), however I wasn't sure of the usability and how to check the mohair grip without applying them on skis, so didn't buy any even if they were cheap.
