Gear Up Skins

Outside Magazine
March 2001
pg 109

Climbing-skins manufacturers tend to make bold claims about how much better their skins glide and grip than those of their competitors. Don't believe them. Natural mohair, nylon mohair, blends of the two—hell, mohair pulled from the ass of virgin snow monkeys, it doesn't sem to matter; they all glide reasonably smoothly and grip exceedingly well. Don't. however, try to save a few dollars and buy plastic skins. They won't glide, won't grip on ice, and the plastic straps that hold them on the ski break in less than a season. We like these Low-Fat Climbing Skins from Backcountry Access because they're lightweight and can be trimmed for an exact fit on fat skis.
—M.P