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AT ski brakes, crampons and skins


Timcb

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So, I'm investing in the setup and I've got all the major items picked out. Denali XT boots, Shuksan skis, and Diamir III bindings. Now come all the "little" things.

 

Should I get ski brakes? Do most of you have em, or do you just use the keeper cords that the skis come with? I envision doing more touring this year than glacier ski mountaineering.

 

What about crampons? Probably don't need em this winter, but come spring season, will they come in handy? Should I just get the fritschi ones, or is there a better kind? I've heard some ski crampons don't have teeth long enough to be effective while using heel lifts.

 

and finally, skins. I'm leaning towards the Ascension clipfix. any reason why I should consider something else?

 

Thanks

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Ski brakes are nice to have. If you need a pair of the Standard width for Fritschi's I can sell you some cheap.

 

Ski crampons can be useful they aren't a requirement; the fritschi crampons are a bit flimsy. The Sk'alp ski crampons are very cool but $.

 

Purple Love Ascensions rockband.gif I'm not terribly sold on the Clipfix, the G3 style tail works better for me.

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Brakes are nice also for being casual about putting skis on and off. With safety straps, you have to pay attention and keep jamming the tails into the snow to make sure they don't wander off on you. The good thing is the Fritschi brakes work reasonably well, which isn't the case for all brands (not that I'm naming names).

 

The same tail arrangement is used by the cowhide style of skins that BD sells as well as the G3 branded skins. Seems like the most reliable, though not completely effortless to install yourself from scratch. If you buy them on a commercially assembled set your life is easier, otherwise you can buy the parts and retrofit a pair that didn't come with them.

 

Ski crampons are entirely optional. Depends on the sorts of conditions you are planning to be in. In many circumstances regular boot crampons allow you to make your way over firm terrain while carrying your skis. Even if you have them, you will carry them far more than actually use them. Once you have them though, you run out of excuses for why you suck at skinning. rolleyes.gif

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Purple Love Ascensions rockband.gif I'm not terribly sold on the Clipfix, the G3 style tail works better for me.

brakes - definitely.

crampons - nice to have. (not sure how the diamir-related brakes work but with naxo bindings heel-lift is inconsequential.)

skins - i have bd clipfix on my tele setup and g3's on my at setup. the g3 tail system is awesome, but i think the bd skins are better. my next set will be bd glidelites ...

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skins - i have bd clipfix on my tele setup and g3's on my at setup. the g3 tail system is awesome, but i think the bd skins are better. my next set will be bd glidelites ...

That's what I was trying to get at - the STS tail system works better than the Clipfix tail. Both work better with modern skis than the old Euro Rubber tip.

 

I have Glidelite's (Bovine print) and Ascensions (Barney), overall I give the edge to Barney for skin quality. The purples seam to strech less, little better grip, better glide, you can redo the adhesive (big plus!), etc.

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I have Glidelite's (Bovine print) and Ascensions (Barney), overall I give the edge to Barney for skin quality. The purples seam to strech less, little better grip, better glide, you can redo the adhesive (big plus!), etc.

 

interesting that you say that because i feel the purple ones also perform better than the g3's. i didn't realize the purple skins were different from the bovine ones. if they are, maybe the best thing would be to go with the purples and buy the optional sts tail system to replace the clipfix one?

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Get brakes. Getting smacked with a ski sucks, and losing a ski because it tore the strap off your leg sucks worse. They're worth the money.

 

Paul if you just don't fall you wouldn't have to worry about the ski cracking you in the head.

 

now i know why your name is cracked. as in cracked skull. better wear the helmet.

 

hahaha moon.gif

 

when are we going skiing again?

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Get brakes. Getting smacked with a ski sucks, and losing a ski because it tore the strap off your leg sucks worse. They're worth the money.

 

Paul if you just don't fall you wouldn't have to worry about the ski cracking you in the head.

 

now i know why your name is cracked. as in cracked skull. better wear the helmet.

 

hahaha moon.gif

 

when are we going skiing again?

cry.gifcry.gif

 

You'd still want to? PM me. fruit.giffruit.gif

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Just to throw out a different opinion, I prefer not to use brakes. A short keeper cord works fine and is lighter. However, if you come out of your bindings a lot (diplomatic way of saying "fall a lot" wink.gif ) brakes are more convenient. Being an ol'timer who skied before brakes came out and fell a lot in the learning process - I rarely got bonked by a ski.

 

Crampons are very helpful in the spring. in my experience when you need the grip, it's usually more important than being on your upper heal lifts.

 

Skins - have both Ascension and G3 - they both work well, but I wouldn't go for the clipfix for a number of reasons. I like the g3 mechanism a little more than the STS, but both work well. ymmv

Edited by russ
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Just to throw out a different opinion, I prefer not to use brakes. A short keeper cord works fine and is lighter. However, if you come out of your bindings a lot (diplomatic way of saying "fall a lot" wink.gif ) brakes are more convenient.

they are convenient ... even if you only come out at one inopportune moment. also convenient for when your boots are intentionally out of your bindings. (like before you put them on or while you're having lunch, etc.) thumbs_up.gif

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