natazoo Posted February 25, 2005 Share Posted February 25, 2005 This year, I've switched from snowshoes/board to tele. I have shaped skis (Rossi Big Bangs) and was thinking of buying 85mm skins and just trimming them a little in the middle. I will have extra (unskinned) space on the tip and tail. Is this a bad idea??? Does it really matter??? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Posted February 25, 2005 Share Posted February 25, 2005 I can see a problem if one end gets dinked up and you have to cut off an end, then you're speical fit will not match the ski. Or if you need to use them on another pair of skis. I've never modified mine and they seem to work fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catbirdseat Posted February 26, 2005 Share Posted February 26, 2005 Not having skin material all of the way to the edge could conceivably reduce traction on traverses in hard snow. I guess it depends on what you can afford. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natazoo Posted February 26, 2005 Author Share Posted February 26, 2005 Thanks for the input. I went for the 85s on sale tonight. We'll see how it goes. Now it's time to hit the killer pow we've been getting down here on Hood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattp Posted February 26, 2005 Share Posted February 26, 2005 With shaped skis, you will have a problem doing anything but skinning straight uphill on a hard pack or, worse, an icy snow surface -- unless you have custom trimmed skins that fit the entire ski. However, you'll be able to live with it unless you are out with a bunch of guys who DO have the correct fitted skins. Do your bindings accept ski crampons? I've never used them, but I bet they'd be just the thing for an icy snow surface. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billygoat Posted February 26, 2005 Share Posted February 26, 2005 I haven't had a problem laying or following sidehill tracks in powder or packed powder conditions, with straight skins on shaped skis. Just cut an 1/8th of an inch off where they meet the edge of the ski so you can get "bite" when you side hill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairweather Posted February 27, 2005 Share Posted February 27, 2005 Just some advice: have a second person standing by with a vacuum hose as you trim/re-trim your skins, or at least vacuum them well before you peel 'em off each time. My BCA skins gave off a lot of fiber/dust as I cut and I contaminated the glue when I pulled the fuckers off to reposition them. I'm not sure if all brands are this flakey....or if I was just bone-headed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billygoat Posted February 27, 2005 Share Posted February 27, 2005 second that. The shit is messy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheOldHouseMan Posted February 27, 2005 Share Posted February 27, 2005 There is a pretty good gear review article about skins in the latest edition of Couloir magazine. The article is more focused toward the novice skiers. But after reading the article I learned a few things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Figger_Eight Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 You actually want a little bit of edge showing so you can set them in hard snow on traverses. Don't worry about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattp Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 Yes, you want a little bit of edge showing - but ideally no more than 1/4" or so. Any more than this and you will be slipping all over the place when you try to diagonal up a frozen snow surface. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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