Old-style skins on new-style skis?

Oldpinner · Joined: 14 Feb 2011 Posts: 245 Location: Massachusetts

Another dumb question from a guy with a cellar full of obsolete but still useable equipment:

I've got these new K2 Backup skis, but no skins yet.

I have a perfectly good set of 50mm skins that fit my narrow-tipped Karhu XCDs.

Is there a way I could adapt these old-style skins to fit my new-style skis?

--Joe
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Never too old!

3PinGrin

J · Joined: 07 Dec 2004 Posts: 3023 Location: Cdv-PWS

Consider making them spit-skins. Put a longitudinal cut the lenght of the skins allowing the skins to go to the edges of ski. Bit more traction when side-hilling.

3PinGrin · Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2012 2:04 pm Post subject:

You need wider skins.
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"Throw you in the pigpen, and you come out vice president of the hogs." Burt Lancaster

gdaut · Joined: 01 Mar 2005 Posts: 2073 Location: Utah

50 mm is pretty narrow, so you need new skins. But, you need to go about getting them the right way. If you just buy some new skins they will seem expensive. So go out first using the old skins. Skin something steep. Steep enough so you are back sliding a lot and falling down. Go with people who have wider skins, so you have trouble keeping up. After that buy new skins. They will seem cheap. This always works for me.

(This method also works for those expensive camming units used for climbing. Lead out on a route that does not otherwise have good pro, and scare yourself good. After that, those units will be cheap.)

bbense · Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2012 2:19 pm Post subject:

50mm is pretty close to thong skin size on those skis. Great for making time on the flats w/o the drag of full size skins, but will suck rocks for going up anything remotely steep.

Thong skins are handy things to have, but you still need closer to full size skins.

- Booker C. Bense

3PinGrin · Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2012 2:26 pm Post subject:

Just tell your wife that if you use these skins, you will have to wear a thong while skiing. When she gives you a perplexed look, just shrug your shoulders and inform her that's what they said on the internet. Laughing

_________________
"Throw you in the pigpen, and you come out vice president of the hogs." Burt Lancaster

Oldpinner · Joined: 14 Feb 2011 Posts: 245 Location: Massachusetts

OK, these answers were not surprising--but I thought I would float this question.

Thanks everybody. You've answered my dumb question with very lucid responses.

--Joe
_________________
Never too old!

Tele-axel · Joined: 21 Oct 2006 Posts: 244 Location: Denver, CO

If you really want to use your old skins you could use these
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Any statements, opinions, ideas, etc., expressed or implied are mine and mine alone.

Oldpinner · Joined: 14 Feb 2011 Posts: 245 Location: Massachusetts

Bruce H · Joined: 11 Dec 2004 Posts: 937 Location: Putney, Vermont

The OGE has some 100mm Mohair mix skins for only $105 - I'm not sure the length. They'll be narrower than ideal for your new skis, but will work significantly better than your old ones - if they are the right length.

aqua_toque · Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2012 5:56 pm Post subject:

By "old style" do you mean actually made out of seals?

Oldpinner · Joined: 14 Feb 2011 Posts: 245 Location: Massachusetts

polemonium · Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2012 9:43 pm Post subject:

If you're looking now, look for sales. gearx.com often has deals on skins, looks like they have some good prices now on BD skins. And they are good people.

I have never used CSD skins, but durability and glue quality of BD skins get high marks from most users, so I think of them as the de facto standard.

rsireland3 · Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2012 9:56 pm Post subject: