Climbing Skins???

JD · Sep 15, 2007, 1:06 AM

Trekkers I have mixed feelings on. Great for getting up a groomed or regularly used trail. PITA if your busting trail in deep snow or tromping around god-knows-where trying to find a good place to descend.(which happens a fair bit when exporing the NE above 3000feet) Go with lighter gear and Naxo/fraiche/tele when $$$allows and it will be more fun exploring. Also. Start underdressed and cold or else you'll be soaked with sweat in 5 minutes. Staying dry while skinning is KEY for a long day. Esspecially under your pack. Have fun.

dmc · Sep 15, 2007, 1:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danny p

whats the best alternative to skins for boarders? snowshoes and hiking poles that somehow compact or collapse and can be strapped on a backpack on the way down? I read a lot of people's backcountry reports and get jealous. I hiked up Stissing Mountain (pine plains, ny) and rode down once after back to back 2 ft dumps 5-6 years ago. The hike up was horrible..sinking down 3 feet each step....

Splitboard with Voile' tractor skins.
Get the smallest collapsed poles as possible so you can put them in a pack or strap them on so they don't interfere with the ride.. Set a skin track and ride all day..

Ascent skis are an option as well.. Little skis that are only used to climb.. Skins are part of the ski - they never come off.

Snowshoes are OK.. But they have issues in certain terrain..

Marc · Sep 17, 2007, 1:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JD

Trekkers I have mixed feelings on. Great for getting up a groomed or regularly used trail. PITA if your busting trail in deep snow or tromping around god-knows-where trying to find a good place to descend.(which happens a fair bit when exporing the NE above 3000feet) Go with lighter gear and Naxo/fraiche/tele when $$$allows and it will be more fun exploring. Also. Start underdressed and cold or else you'll be soaked with sweat in 5 minutes. Staying dry while skinning is KEY for a long day. Esspecially under your pack. Have fun.

Great points all around, although I'd say there isn't much you can't do in trekkers that you can in AT bindings, but it won't be nearly as fun, or easy, on the way up in particular.

Starting cold is key for me, and I still end up stripping down layers. And I still sweat anyway, even with just a single layor polypro.

sledhaulingmedic · Sep 17, 2007, 5:32 PM

G3's. Trekkers are an OK way to get a start in AT, but with a stiff Alpine boot, it's a tough climbing experience. (My first tour with trekkers was up the Sherborn with Lange Tii's...my calfs were screaming long before Hermit lake.)

dmc · Sep 17, 2007, 6:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sledhaulingmedic

(My first tour with trekkers was up the Sherborn with Lange Tii's...my calfs were screaming long before Hermit lake.)

Damn dude.. thats core... Everyone I know that had those boots love them but bitched about them equally..

Marc · Sep 17, 2007, 6:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sledhaulingmedic

G3's. Trekkers are an OK way to get a start in AT, but with a stiff Alpine boot, it's a tough climbing experience. (My first tour with trekkers was up the Sherborn with Lange Tii's...my calfs were screaming long before Hermit lake.)

I left mine unbuckled and wore a nylon dress sock under my ski socks when I toured with the Trekkers, and I was ok. Maybe, with such variation in Alpine boots, it depends on the boot.

The only big drawbacks I saw were the weight, of course, and the elevators on the trekkers are a PITA compared to my Freerides.

ski220 · Sep 22, 2007, 8:43 PM

Return the Trekkers and get your money back. They WILL break if used anywhere other then a golf course. Spend the bucks and get some real A.T. bindings. You'll be happy you did.

kbroderick · Sep 22, 2007, 11:47 PM

I've got a pair of Glidelite Mix STS, cut to be wall-to-wall on my B2s, and a pair of straight 70mm Ascension Clipfixes that I generally use with my T3s. Based on that experience, I'd recommend STS over Clipfix. I've also found the Ascensions to perform better overall than that Glidelites, but I think that's in large part due to doing more lesser-angle skinning and less steep skinning (where wall-to-wall would really be a benefit).

Marc · Sep 24, 2007, 8:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ski220

Return the Trekkers and get your money back. They WILL break if used anywhere other then a golf course. Spend the bucks and get some real A.T. bindings. You'll be happy you did.

False.

Hawkshot99 · Sep 24, 2007, 3:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marc

False.

Have you used them? I was really interested in them till I saw his comment, and a few others on the net, but many saying they are great. I would use them not for true touring but going off the sides of the mountain, short ways.

Sep 15, 2007, 1:06 AM	#11 (permalink)
JD Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Northfield Posts: 1,193	Trekkers I have mixed feelings on. Great for getting up a groomed or regularly used trail. PITA if your busting trail in deep snow or tromping around god-knows-where trying to find a good place to descend.(which happens a fair bit when exporing the NE above 3000feet) Go with lighter gear and Naxo/fraiche/tele when $$$allows and it will be more fun exploring. Also. Start underdressed and cold or else you'll be soaked with sweat in 5 minutes. Staying dry while skinning is KEY for a long day. Esspecially under your pack. Have fun. __________________ Don\'t know until you go.

Sep 22, 2007, 11:47 PM	#18 (permalink)
kbroderick Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Killington, Vermont Posts: 348	I've got a pair of Glidelite Mix STS, cut to be wall-to-wall on my B2s, and a pair of straight 70mm Ascension Clipfixes that I generally use with my T3s. Based on that experience, I'd recommend STS over Clipfix. I've also found the Ascensions to perform better overall than that Glidelites, but I think that's in large part due to doing more lesser-angle skinning and less steep skinning (where wall-to-wall would really be a benefit). __________________ Disclaimer: Unless otherwise noted, I speak only for myself, unless I'm saying something incredibly dumb, in which case I didn't say anything and you're hallucinating.

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Sep 17, 2007, 5:32 PM	#14 (permalink)
sledhaulingmedic Hillman's Highway Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 1,355	G3's. Trekkers are an OK way to get a start in AT, but with a stiff Alpine boot, it's a tough climbing experience. (My first tour with trekkers was up the Sherborn with Lange Tii's...my calfs were screaming long before Hermit lake.)

Sep 22, 2007, 8:43 PM	#17 (permalink)
ski220 Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 170	Return the Trekkers and get your money back. They WILL break if used anywhere other then a golf course. Spend the bucks and get some real A.T. bindings. You'll be happy you did.