Climbing skins are strips that attach to the bottom of Nordic, alpine touring or randonnée skis to help while ascending backcountry slopes. They are designed to be removed for skiing downhill. They are typically attached to the skis via a loop on the ski tip, a hook on the tail, and adhesive on the base of the skin. They are called skins because they resemble sealskin, from which the first ski skins were made.[1] They are typically made from nylon or mohair or a combination thereof, and are designed to let the ski slide forward on snow but not backward.[2][3] They are usually narrower than the ski to allow the ski edges to get a grip. Some ski resorts permit skinning.[4][5]
- ^ Richardson, E.C. (1905) Ski-running London : Horace Cox OCLC:1157212706 pg 106
- ^ Lind, David A.; Sanders, Scott (2013). The Physics of Skiing: Skiing at the Triple Point (2 ed.). Springer Science & Business Media. p. 270. ISBN 978-1475743456. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
- ^ "How to Choose, Trim and Attach Ski Climbing Skins". Ski Skins: How to Choose & Attach | REI Co-op. Recreational Equipment, Inc. Archived from the original on 18 February 2022. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- ^ Cranmore Mountain Resort: Uphill Travel, accessed 18 July 2017
- ^ Bolton Valley Uphill Policy, accessed 7 February 2020