snow sticking to skins

[kevino]

Forgive me if there is an easy answer/fix as I am still learning much about the ways of ski touring.

 

The last handful of trips where there has been significant power, the bottom of my skis (about mid ski, usually just under my boot area) will start to collect massive amounts of snow. Is there anything to do to re-new my skin's snow repellent? Or something like that? Thanks.

[EastCoastBastard]

I would try some skin wax

http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/ski/skins/glop-stopper-wax

 

hope that works for you

[ilookeddown]

Candle wax also works. I usually use the BD stuff. BD also has a liquid application that you put on your skins and let it dry. It acts as a water repellent. It is also important to put the wax on before your tour. If doesn’t work too well after snow starts to stick. Sticking is caused by the skin fibers being saturated from wet snow then once you get to a powder type snow it will start to stick. It defiantly sucks and it very frustrating. If you do have a sticking problem while on your tour it is best to use the metal edge of the other ski and scrape the snow off the skin. Do not go against the grain. This will also help remove some of the liquid from the skin fibers. You can then try and get as much skin wax on the problem area but you will likely still have some sticking. Older skins will need to be waxed more often than skins out of the box.

 

Link to liquid application: Link

Edited November 8, 2010 by ilookeddown

[kevino]

Thanks for the tips. Will be doing such things shortly.

[lightD]

ilookeddown has good advice. I bathe my skins in a DWR treatment early in the year as well. It really helps delay gloppage. I also try to put the skin wax on before I have issues. If its a warm day and there's a mix of colder and warmer (wet on top) snow, then I'll add some skin wax before I head out.Its important not to let the skins get really soaked.

 

Sometimes it makes sense to adjust your route a bit too, so that you're not going in and out of the shadows. Not always an option, but going from melting surfaces to slightly colder snow when your skins are a bit wet is usually what gets the gloppage going. I'll even try to dry my skins a bit in the sun if that's an option.

[kevino]

I picked up and used the glop stopper from BD. I feel like it really improved my skin's performance today.

[rbw1966]

Also, put your skins in your jacket after removal to help dry them out a bit between runs

[caverpilot]

I also learned this lesson the hard way. My buddy has a "great" photo of me carrying my skis up an otherwise awesome ridge in Montana's Bitterroots on a perfect spring day. I always use Glop Stopper wax and haven't had issues since.

 

I agree with all of the previous comments, and would also add that reading Allen and Mike's Really Cool Backcountry Ski Book (lots of pictures!) is well worth the time. The book doesn't teach you how to ski, rather it gives you a variety of great tips that will come in handy, and the illustrations are cartoons and quite amusing.

 

Buy for $10 on Amazon, or apparently, read some pages for free on Google Books, here:

 

Google Books preview

 

also here: CascadeClimbers Gear

 

 

 

 

Edited November 21, 2010 by caverpilot

[ARob]

Out of curiosity, what ridge in the 'Roots were you on? I only got on St. Mary's and Lolo while I lived there and it wasn't really until I was moving from Missoula that I realized how amazing that range is.

 

Go Griz

[Dan_Miller]

No question, BD Glop Stopper has certainly worked for me in the wettest spring snow conditions.