Tech Tip: Skin Roll (AT / Tele Skiers and Splitboarders)
Skin Roll (AT Skiers, Splitboarders, and Tele)
My method for temporary skin storage — rolling skins. Often when I reach a summit I don’t want to mess around folding skins glue-to-glue and worrying about placing a cheat sheet in between so that I can get them back apart. For anyone that does not use the taffeta strip, and is using Black Diamond skins 2010-2013 glue formulation (i.e. orange skins, or pattern orange skins) – you know what a pain in the ass it is to get your skins apart. This is also a nice method when touring and there are multiple areas that skins have to come off or go back on.
I don’t even want to talk about the time I pulled a skin off right when a gust of wind came up and it slapped me in face and hair. That was a lesson in unfun skin management.
Starting at the tail, roll them up to the nose. This does not have to be a tight roll. The skin glue will not adhere to the mohair skin. When you need to break them out again, simply attach the nose hook or wire and unroll. It makes the transition fast and easy. You also do not run the risk of getting snow between your base and the skin which can cause adhesion problems in colder temps.
When to use this method:
- When it’s cold
- When in a hurry to do a transition
- When skins will be placed multiple times in a tour
When NOT to use this method:
- When it’s really warm
- When you are using Globstopper skin wax
- If you have gone through mud, dirt, pine needles with your skins on.
NEVER store your skins rolled (long term)!
Other Tips:
- Store skins glue-to-glue to prevent glue from drying, it also reconditions the glue.
- Never store wet skins – always hang them on a hanger to dry out, then fold and store them (with cheat sheets).
- You can recondition skin glue occasionally by using an iron on low heat setting with a brown paper bag between the skin glue and iron surface. The heat will reactivate the skin glue. You will not need to glue-renew so often with this method.
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