Climbing skins

Climbing skins for backcountry ascents

When backcountry skiing, there’s going to be plenty of times when you’ll need to climb hills rather than just ski down them. When it’s possible to hike uphill in skis or attempt a side-step shuffle, climbing skins make uphill travel a lot easier and plenty more efficient. These skins attach securely to the base of your skis, giving you essential grip while allowing your skis to slide forward on the snow. This forward glide combined with backward grip lets you ascend without losing ground or energy, making it a great tool for backcountry scents on steep or long slopes. You can find all types of ski touring and climbing skins at MEC from epic brands like Pomoca, Black Diamond, G3 and more.

How climbing skins work

Climbing skins are made of nylon, mohair or a blend of both. Mohair offers a smoother glide, ideal for longer treks, while nylon is more durable and provides better grip for steep climbs. Most modern skins attach to skis using a strong and reusable adhesive while clipping at the tips and tails, ensuring they stay firmly in place. Some skins are customizable and can be trimmed to fit your specific ski shape, maximizing their contact with the snow and improving grip. In addition to skins, ski crampons are a helpful add-on for especially icy or crusty snow conditions. These metal attachments dig into the hard snow, offering extra traction and stability where skins might struggle. Crampons can be easily added to or removed from your skis, making easy to carry for unpredictable conditions on the mountain.

Choosing the right climbing skins and maintenance

When selecting climbing skins, think about the type of snow and terrain you’ll encounter the most. Each brand uses its own kind of adhesive and they all work well, as long as you keep them clean. Some tips? For short-term storage, keep the sticky side folded against itself to reduce the chance of lint, dirt and backcountry gunk getting stuck to the adhesive. For long-term storage, use skin-savers or cheat-sheets, and always dry them completely before you store them at room temperature. Higher temps – like next to a heater – aren’t good, because it can cause the adhesive to break down.