touring question (skins)

mbking · 10-21-2009, 10:48 AM

I just got my voile split board yesterday and a few questions have now come to my mind...

How should I store my skins in the off season?
When I'm on the mountain should I use the cheat sheets and just throw the skins in my bag or should I fold each one in half?
What should I buy to keep my skins in good shape...I heard about some type of wax for skins?
What should I be carrying to help my skins stay fresh and lower my anger during transtion?

any tips would be great!
happy touring.

wilkez · 10-21-2009, 04:02 PM

1) fold them and throw em in the bag - make sure they are dry. after every ride, hang them to dry for a day then fold them back up and keep them in the bag.
2) fold them and keep them in your jacket if they are cold or wet so they don't freeze. When they are a bit warmer they are easier to peel apart. Your cheat sheets will be done in 2 days. The best way to fold skins is to fold each end to the middle so there are 2 short sections to peel versus folding the whole skin in half.
3) you need globstopper wax for spring conditions. When your skins get wet on S slopes, then you go onto an N slope with a 5 degree temp difference they will freeze and be useless. The wax only stops them from freezing so you don't get screwed out there, it doesn't really protect them from anything. I only use it in the early season/spring.
4) keep them in your jacket and learn how to unpeel them well. It's not the best thing for your board, but if they are really stuck together you can put the clip over the top of each ski and rip them down. I would just try to do it over your leg if possible though.

There are so many things that you can only learn one way - the hard way! Once you get out there and use them for half a season it will all make sense and you will learn little tricks that make your day much easier.

ps. it's not the transitions that will kill you, it's the flats.

LeeLau · 10-21-2009, 05:33 PM

a new splitter! Congrats.

I don't know why more splitters don't do this. Get a piece of short webbing. Three inches or so will do it.

Glue the webbing (or staple it - whatever just so its on there) to the tail of the skins/

This webbing is a handle for ripping those skins apart. Otherwise you'll have to grab the tails of the skins all the time and you will lose glue on the tails.

shirk · 10-21-2009, 06:46 PM

If you are going to attach tails to skins get them stitched on. Same with tips loops. Stop messing around with folding the glue onto itself to hold tips.

Most manufactures have new tip loops designs this year that do away with folding the skins onto themselves to hold the tip loop.

Use the cheat sheets. The plastic strip that skins get shipped with is not the cheat sheet. It's kinda like a cheese cloth, a perforated cloth. It will extend the longevity of your glue.

Don't just stuff your skins back into your pack. Most skins come with a skin bag. Use it. It will keep more crap out of your glue. Clean glue is sticky glue.

mbking · 10-21-2009, 08:55 PM

thanks guys!

shirk my skins also came with the cheat sheets not just the white plastic.

wouldnt your skins be cold all the time? Should I just try to always ride with them in my jacket?

wilkez · 10-21-2009, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbking

thanks guys!

shirk my skins also came with the cheat sheets not just the white plastic.

wouldnt your skins be cold all the time? Should I just try to always ride with them in my jacket?

I usually do. Usually if they stay dry they are ok, but if they are wet at all then you will want to keep them in your jacket to prevent freezing.

Joe Dick · 10-22-2009, 03:21 AM

off season is a tough one. find the coldest corner in you house. the firdge maybe.

Tolko yellow works pretty well for skin wax.

I ride in a slightly colder climate then these guys (well lee and wilkez are sometimes spend so much time near by they are almost locals) and find that keeping my skins in my jacket (over the shoulder) helps them stick on the next round. also make sure to wipe any snow off your base before putting you skins on.

welcome.

XXX_er · 10-22-2009, 04:19 AM

some little tricks :

If you do get snow on your skin glue scrape it off with the edge of your ski

if you find it hard to get a skin folded together in high wind which seems to be even worse with wide skins (this is hard to expalin)start by sticking the ends together but with the plush facing each other so the skin makes a big "O" slowly press the sticky surfaces together so the "O" gets smaller and at the last moment turn the "O" inside out so you can finish putting the sticky part together

always put them in their bag never put them in a safeway bag

10-21-2009, 10:48 AM	#1
mbking Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: whistler, bc Posts: 1,440 Rep Power: 13413	touring question (skins) I just got my voile split board yesterday and a few questions have now come to my mind... How should I store my skins in the off season? When I'm on the mountain should I use the cheat sheets and just throw the skins in my bag or should I fold each one in half? What should I buy to keep my skins in good shape...I heard about some type of wax for skins? What should I be carrying to help my skins stay fresh and lower my anger during transtion? any tips would be great! happy touring.

10-21-2009, 06:46 PM	#4
shirk Registered User Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: North Van Posts: 7,425 Rep Power: 6244222	If you are going to attach tails to skins get them stitched on. Same with tips loops. Stop messing around with folding the glue onto itself to hold tips. Most manufactures have new tip loops designs this year that do away with folding the skins onto themselves to hold the tip loop. Use the cheat sheets. The plastic strip that skins get shipped with is not the cheat sheet. It's kinda like a cheese cloth, a perforated cloth. It will extend the longevity of your glue. Don't just stuff your skins back into your pack. Most skins come with a skin bag. Use it. It will keep more crap out of your glue. Clean glue is sticky glue. __________________ www.roostoutfitters.com

10-22-2009, 03:21 AM	#7
Joe Dick JVLC Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: 15 beer into a 6 pack Posts: 1,727 Rep Power: 1828034	off season is a tough one. find the coldest corner in you house. the firdge maybe. Tolko yellow works pretty well for skin wax. I ride in a slightly colder climate then these guys (well lee and wilkez are sometimes spend so much time near by they are almost locals) and find that keeping my skins in my jacket (over the shoulder) helps them stick on the next round. also make sure to wipe any snow off your base before putting you skins on. welcome. __________________ Just a speculative fiction. No cause for alarm.

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10-21-2009, 04:02 PM	#2
wilkez Ahhhhhhh motherland Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Surrey Posts: 2,088 Rep Power: 166761	1) fold them and throw em in the bag - make sure they are dry. after every ride, hang them to dry for a day then fold them back up and keep them in the bag. 2) fold them and keep them in your jacket if they are cold or wet so they don't freeze. When they are a bit warmer they are easier to peel apart. Your cheat sheets will be done in 2 days. The best way to fold skins is to fold each end to the middle so there are 2 short sections to peel versus folding the whole skin in half. 3) you need globstopper wax for spring conditions. When your skins get wet on S slopes, then you go onto an N slope with a 5 degree temp difference they will freeze and be useless. The wax only stops them from freezing so you don't get screwed out there, it doesn't really protect them from anything. I only use it in the early season/spring. 4) keep them in your jacket and learn how to unpeel them well. It's not the best thing for your board, but if they are really stuck together you can put the clip over the top of each ski and rip them down. I would just try to do it over your leg if possible though. There are so many things that you can only learn one way - the hard way! Once you get out there and use them for half a season it will all make sense and you will learn little tricks that make your day much easier. ps. it's not the transitions that will kill you, it's the flats.

10-21-2009, 05:33 PM	#3
LeeLau Trail Plug Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 6,681 Rep Power: 83179	a new splitter! Congrats. I don't know why more splitters don't do this. Get a piece of short webbing. Three inches or so will do it. Glue the webbing (or staple it - whatever just so its on there) to the tail of the skins/ This webbing is a handle for ripping those skins apart. Otherwise you'll have to grab the tails of the skins all the time and you will lose glue on the tails.

10-21-2009, 08:55 PM	#5
mbking Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: whistler, bc Posts: 1,440 Rep Power: 13413	thanks guys! shirk my skins also came with the cheat sheets not just the white plastic. wouldnt your skins be cold all the time? Should I just try to always ride with them in my jacket?

10-22-2009, 04:19 AM	#8
XXX_er Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: central B.C. Posts: 11,068 Rep Power: 7536894	some little tricks : If you do get snow on your skin glue scrape it off with the edge of your ski if you find it hard to get a skin folded together in high wind which seems to be even worse with wide skins (this is hard to expalin)start by sticking the ends together but with the plush facing each other so the skin makes a big "O" slowly press the sticky surfaces together so the "O" gets smaller and at the last moment turn the "O" inside out so you can finish putting the sticky part together always put them in their bag never put them in a safeway bag