 Poster: A snowHead
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I bought a pair of 110mm Black Diamond skins with the intention of putting them on my Whitedot Directors (107mm underfoot) mostly for slackcountry mooching rather than proper tours. But now I'm thinking about the fact that I still also ski my Line Prophet 90s...
So I'm wondering if I can get away with cutting the skins to fit the Prophets (width-wise) and then also using them on the Directors? They'd then be quite a bit narrower than the Directors, so not sure how effective they'd be (especially given the rocker on those things), or how much less effective, I guess. Any thoughts?
Apologies if that's a stupid question - I know next to nothing about walking up stuff...much prefer taking a chair 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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When you're traversing and climbing steep terrain, you need the skins to be as edge to edge as possible, especially if losing grip and a sideways spill is not an option. However, when you're skinning on a 'straight' climb, all of your skin will be in snow contact so they'd work just fine.
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Can't remember a single ski tour where I could just go straight up the hill. Over 2 kg per ski plus binding (which if it isn't dynafit or plum type will be heavy) and then a skin that doesn't grip properly = nightmare.
I tried to make an old fully fitted/tailored skin on a second set of touring skins work for too long and it was hell, sliping and sliding takes out so much energy and can be dangerous. Finally decided to bite the bullet and pay €140 for another new set of skins.
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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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I've seen guys with wide skis with split skins... Split lengthways down the middle, so the skins are on the outsides of the ski with a gap down the middle. If the skins fit the narrower skis, you could maybe put them on the wider skis with a gap.
I went for a tour last winter with someone who had them, he had no problems on the up and we were in a sheltered spot when we took the skins off, so no problems there either. I hate to think how much faff they would be when you're taking them off when it's windy with freezing hands.
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Hmm, split skins...I've heard about those before (they get a mention on the thread DB linked to too). Does sound like a lot of faff...but probably the best way of doing what I'm trying to? I guess I might trim to fit the Directors first, and then split them if I decide I need to hike on the Prophets (here's hoping they run the lifts at Cervinia this weekend so I don't have to!).
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ChrisWo, I split my skins, I've only used them twice on the wider skis, but they worked fine, with the caveat
a) it was slack country about 20-30m mins
b) it wasn't that steep
c) it was worth it 
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With split skins I assume there would be more chance of them coming unstuck with several uses on one day. If you have harscheisen (like crampons for skis) for the steep icy bits it would help. Good to have them anyway, actually.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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No - you need to cut the split skin for the skinnier ski. They work fine IME although I am not sure I'd want them as my only pair of skins for a long hut to hut tour.
you can actually get away with quite narrow skins if you have excellent technique and don't weigh too much; unfortunately I fall down on at least one of those criteria so full width skins (underfoot at least) are the way to go.
If you don't want to split the skins yourself, you could get these:
http://www.colltex.ch/#/_100_Fellwahl/
They would be a nightmare on a windy day though
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Arno,
But if he cuts the skins he has (which aren't split skins) wouldn't there be too much bare ski either side (circa 7mm)
Maybe it's possible to buy the Split freeride end clips only and make something similar to the Colltex Split Freeride.
I'd probably sell the Black Diamond skins and buy the Colltex Split Freeride skins - which are purpose made for putting on multiple different width Freeride skins.
http://www.endlichwinter.com/material-test/colltex-split-freeride-felle/
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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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DB, when I split mine under Arnos's guidance, we cut down the middle, so on the wider ski you align the skins to each edge and leave a gap in the middle, but keep them 'complete' at tip n tail. In my huge experience of two 20-30min uphills using them they worked fine
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You know it makes sense.
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DB, yup! I should have taken a pic when I did it, I was very nervous, but it seemed to work fine!! Wasn't that straight....
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Yep, you'd have to cut to the smaller ski, then slice them down the middle. I hadn't thought about fixing the tips until DB mentioned it though...kitenski, how did you end up attaching the skins to the skis once you'd sliced the skins up?
I am, to be honest, pretty light (getting less so, but mercifully slowly so far), and I'm not doing hut to hut tours at the moment so I am tempted to risk just using the smaller size skins on the freeride skis. Unless the split skins turn out to be easy to do!
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Poster: A snowHead
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ChrisWo, you only need to split them until about 9inches from the end - the important thing is to have skin close to the edges under your foot. if the skin is too narrow at the ends, it doesn't matter too much
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Arno, oh ok...I hadn't read kitenski's post properly. So you're saying cut the skins down to the correct size for the small ski, and then slice straight down the middle but not right to the ends. Then when you want to fit the skins to the wider skis you lay out the two 'halves' of the skin against the edges, creating a gap in the middle of the ski and presumably ending up with a bit of wrinkling (because the skin can't stay perfectly flat to the ski)?
That does sound fairly easy... 
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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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ChrisWo,
Can't you go back to where you bought the skins and see if they will change them for Colltex multi-fit split skins?
http://www.facewest.co.uk/Coll-Tex-Split-Skins.html
Although it might just be better to have two proper sets of skins ....
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| I bought these skins for my off piste 'resort' ski which I have mounted with a Marker Baron. They are around 105mm underfoot. The skins work well and have more than enough traction, but are a bit tricky to take on and off due to the separate strands. Add even light winds and it becomes a complete nightmare almost to the point of being unworkable. The bar that goes over the top of the ski has also broken after only 5 outings. If you need a skin for multiple pairs of skis and want to save money, or have very fat skis that you can't get a normal skin for these might work well for occasional use, otherwise I'd get a proper skin. |
Especially when the weather is like this .....
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DB, the chances of me standing around trying to put skins on in weather like that are pretty slim!
I have thought about changing them, but a) I bought them mail order last season (so a faff to return) and b) I'm going away this weekend and thinking about taking them with me.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
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kitenski, 
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| ChrisWo wrote: |
DB, the chances of me standing around trying to put skins on in weather like that are pretty slim!
I have thought about changing them, but a) I bought them mail order last season (so a faff to return) and b) I'm going away this weekend and thinking about taking them with me. |
On that day it wasn't windy at the bottom but then started blowing a gale as we reached the peak (that's me on the left making a conscious effort not to let lose my yellow jacket in the wind) - sometimes you don't get a choice.
Drink two beers and then start the operation, if it goes well celebrate with a few more beers - if not have an Irish type wake for the skins and get bladdered
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