I had to get rid of my old climbing skins late last winter because they were turning my skis into flypaper. I lived in fear of sticking to the snow rather than gliding down it.
The folks at Cripple Creek Backcountry in Carbondale gave a knowing nod when I described the problem. One particular company’s skins had a reputation of glopping adhesive onto the bottom of skis after they reached a certain number of years old. There is no surefire cure for the problem, so I decided new skins were in order.
I bought the Climb Pro S Glide TIPON from Pomoca, a longtime Swiss maker of climbing skins. While I only used them a handful of times before the snow retreated last March, I’ve been getting out regularly so far this season and have loved the skins. The technical information is easily found on pomoca.com. I’ll just offer my non-technical assessment.
I like these skins because they are light, super easy to put on and take off my Black Diamond skis and, mostly importantly, they glide well on groomed surfaces without losing their grip.
I skinned up Aspen Mountain one recent day when the base temperature was 13 degrees and the summit was at 18 degrees when I arrived. Even on the steepest pitches of groomed terrain, the Climb Pro S Glide skins held their grip well. I never felt like Wily E. Coyote spinning out on a slippery surface.
On the other hand, I skinned Tiehack the Sunday before it opened and experienced some slippage of the skins. We were following a track compacted by uphill skiers. On the steepest angles, I had to get out of the groove and get a grip in the powder. That indicates to me that these skins might be best suited to resort uphilling, on groomed runs or packed powder, even though the website recommends them for multi-day expeditions, as well.
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While my old skins required substantial effort to peel off the skis, the Pomocas come off with a light tug. Nevertheless, they stay securely in place while climbing. There’s a tip hook as well as a tail hook with a strap that keeps them secure.
Pomoca touts its anti-glopping treatment Ever Dry to prevent the skins from building up snow or ice while ascending. It works.
The skins are 70 percent mohair and 30 percent nylon, so they are not only light but also compact. They fit nicely into a pack for the descent.
At the time I purchased them last March, they were retailing for $209.95. While that’s steeper than some other major brands, it’s been well worth the investment thus far.