How to choose your skins?
When you start ski Touring, climbing skins are essential accessories in our ADRET and UBAC lines. By adhering to base your base, they provide traction on the snow during ascents with an anti-slip effect, allowing you to reach those coveted virgin slopes.
But finding the right pair of climbing skins isn’t as easy as it sounds; they need to be compatible with the length of your skis, the width at the waist, and the type of binding at the base. There are different types of climbing skins, which is why we’ll try to shed as much light as possible on the subject in this article.
IN PRACTICAL TERMS, WHAT ARE "SEAL SKINS"?
Sealskins are what allow you to Touring skis without sliding backward; today, they no longer come from our dear friends the seals, but until the early 1980s, it was indeed their fur that was used under the skis, particularly because of the animal’s short, unidirectional fur, which provided good grip on ascents and smooth gliding. To protect the species, only the name “seal skin” has remained, while the technology has evolved. Sealskin is an essential item for ski tourers; whether adhesive or non-adhesive, synthetic or blended, there’s a type for every kind of skier.
The different types of sealskin
Mohair sealskins
Made from 100% goat hair, these skins let you roam the mountains like a mountain goat. They offer exceptional glide performance, and their large sole surface area in contact with the snow minimizes friction during ascents.
They outperform other types of skins, delivering excellent performance on ascents and long flat stretches, such as on plateaus and forest trails. However, they are less durable than their synthetic counterparts, making maintenance more tedious. It is therefore necessary to maintain them regularly to counteract this issue and preserve optimal performance.
These skins also tend to “kick” (i.e., accumulate snow underneath), which reduces their effectiveness. Mohair skins, with their unmatched glide, remain an excellent choice for experienced hikers and particularly for mountaineering expeditions.
Synthetic sealskins
100% synthetic nylon skins are highly durable, offering excellent longevity. Thanks to nylon’s water-repellent properties, these skins do not “clump” like 100% mohair skins, and they provide excellent grip on very cold, hard snow.
Despite their climbing qualities, nylon skins can be described as true “doormats” since glide is virtually nonexistent, which can make long climbs difficult… Less expensive, they are still recommended for use in specific conditions such as in the Far North, Alaska, or when the temperature is low enough to freeze the tip of your nose.
Mixed sealskins
From our home in Chamonix, we’re dedicated to capturing and sharing the depth of mountain culture. Beyond just performance, we explore the alpine way of life and its enduring traditions. With a clear awareness of the climate challenges facing our environment, we strive to preserve the memory of this fragile and invaluable culture.
HOW TO GLUE SEAL SKINS?
SEAL SKINS WITH ADHESIVE
These are themost traditional skins, which have long proven their worth in the world of ski Touring. It’s simply the hairless side of the skin that’s coated with cold-resistant adhesive to stick to the base your ski. Easy to use, they don’t damage the base. And when they stop sticking… no need to panic, since all you have to do is reapply the adhesive and voilà: they’re like new—you won’t even need to replace them anytime soon! If you’d like to reapply the adhesive to your skis from the comfort of your own home, feel free to check out the POMOCA tutorials on YouTube.
However, if you want them to last as long as possible, after each use, be sure to place a net against the skin or, for certain models, stick them together to prevent dirt from getting stuck to them. And don’t be afraid to get glue all over your fingers when putting them on and taking them off.
SELF-ADHESIVE SKI SKINS A true revolution in ski Touring: skins that stick without glue! This system works on the principle of molecular suction cups, using an adhesive material based on silicone or its derivatives. In practical terms, this system contains no glue per se and therefore does not require re-gluing. Simply rinse them with clean water to remove any dirt, and they’ll stick perfectly again. Storing them couldn’t be easier: just fold them up, stick them together, and toss them right into your backpack. Note that these are more expensive than their traditional glue-on counterparts, but they’re winning over more and more people thanks to their practicality and ease of use.
HOW TO HANG YOUR SEAL SKINS?
Glue and adhesive strips are fine, but they’re not enough to keep your skins securely in place throughout your ascent…Most skins feature a metal or plastic clip system that hooks onto the ski tip to prevent the skin from slipping. ThisBinding systemBinding a tip clip can be complemented by a heel strap that pairs perfectly with your pairof UBACs. For more specific uses such as competition, so you don’t lose a second even when removing the skins from your ADRET 78 or ADRET 85, there are Bindings quick-release straps at the tip; you can easily remove the skins thanks to the strap placed in the notch at the front of the tip.
DISCOVER POMOCA, THE SKIN CARE EXPERTS!
For over 80 years, the POMOCA brand has been constantly innovating in technology, establishing itself as the undisputed global leader in self-adhesive skins for Touring skis. The brand offers a range of high-quality skins tailored to every activity and snow condition to deliver the best possible performance. In addition, the brand offers a wide variety of accessories to help you care for your skins; this allows you to handle maintenance on your own, thanks in particular to the video tutorials.
We chose to work with Pomoca because of the exceptional durability and performance of their products: these are flexible skins that adhere perfectly to the skis in our Touring and UBAC Touring lines.
In addition, we appreciate the brand’s values and commitments, particularly regarding the environment—for example, through recycling and the use of leather scraps to make belts or slipper soles. It’s also worth noting that since 2020, the brand has completely stopped using fluorinated compounds.
Driven by passion and a desire to provide you with the best possible mountain experience, POMOCA works for skiers seeking thrills, performance, and safety, meeting their needs directly from its headquarters in Switzerland, above Lausanne. A true pioneer in ski Touring, they were among the first to develop “non-slip” and then self-adhesive skins, as well as numerous mountain accessories. POMOCA offers skins for ski mountaineering enthusiasts with their trusty ADRET 78s underfoot who dream only of elevation gain (minimum 1,200m), skins for hikers who go everywhere in all conditions on their UBAC 95, and skins for die-hard freeriders, hungry for ever more challenging slopes, accompanied by their trusty BAKAN.
