🚀 go-pugleaf

> .... any tips for the novice on use of skins ? 

In the Cascades, most people start using skins as soon as they get off
the beaten trails and out of the flat valleys.  With the changeable 
snow around here and the generally rough terrain, skins perform much 
better than wax.  On most backcountry trips, you are either going up a 
big hill or coming down one, so the extra time needed to install and 
remove the skins is paid off by their increased efficiency.  If you 
aren't climbing much, they aren't necessary.

For nordic skis, the best skins available seem to be the adhesive kind.
Since they don't shift around, and snow can't build up between the 
skin and the ski, they offer the highest performance.  This is especially
noticeable when you are traversing on firm snow.  A strap-on skin can be
very tricky in these conditions.  Unfortunately, you run the risk of
having the adhesive fail, so most skiers carry some adhesive tape as a 
backup.  There are some flexible plastic strap-on skins (Snake-Skin 
brand?) which I think are much cheaper.  You get what you pay for,
though, and they don't glide or climb as well.

For alpine skis, adhesive skins are not such a clear winner, because
there are good strap-ons available.  These are the Vinersa type (European), 
which use a system of metal and rubber clips to strap around the ski.
Unfortunately, they are probably the most expensive skins around, and 
they are hard to find (in Seattle at least).  The thing I like about them
is that they are absolutely reliable--the metal clip cannot be cut by
your edges and they always work, no matter how wet or grimy your ski 
bases get.  They also go on and off faster than the adhesives, an 
advantage if you are yo-yoing up and down some hill to take ski runs.
They do shift a little, and can get snow build-up, but for me this is 
outweighed by the advantages already mentioned.

					Lowell Skoog
					Seattle, Washington