Seeking Advice for Self-Made Ski Skins
- Stephen
- Posts: 1457
- Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2020 12:49 am
- Location: PNW USA
- Ski style: Aspirational Hack
- Favorite Skis: Armada Tracer 118 (195), Gamme (210), Ingstad (205), Objective BC (178), Nordica Enforcer 94
- Favorite boots: Alfa Guard Advance, Scarpa TX Pro
- Occupation: Beyond
6’3” / 191cm — 172# / 78kg, size 47 / 30 mondo
Seeking Advice for Self-Made Ski Skins
Does anyone have experience making skins from scratch?
I want to make some long skins for Ingstad and FT62.
X-Skins are not cutting it on steep climbs.
I’m looking at this material:
https://skimo.co/pomoca-pro-s-glide-roll
At 120 mm, I can get a piece long enough for one ski and cut lengthwise to make two skins.
Good review of this material at:
https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/reviews/ ... ro-s-glide
I’m willing to start with no tail attachment (‘cause I’m lazy, and it might be good enough).
The challenge is the tip attachment.
The FT62 is notched, so that would be easy, but have not found a tip attachment, in stock, that would work for the Ingstad, with the narrower tip. Seems like a wire bale / D ring of about 60mm would work, but haven’t found one.
Going to call Skimo tomorrow and see if they can suggest a tip attachment for a narrower ski, like the Ingstad.
I want to make some long skins for Ingstad and FT62.
X-Skins are not cutting it on steep climbs.
I’m looking at this material:
https://skimo.co/pomoca-pro-s-glide-roll
At 120 mm, I can get a piece long enough for one ski and cut lengthwise to make two skins.
Good review of this material at:
https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/reviews/ ... ro-s-glide
I’m willing to start with no tail attachment (‘cause I’m lazy, and it might be good enough).
The challenge is the tip attachment.
The FT62 is notched, so that would be easy, but have not found a tip attachment, in stock, that would work for the Ingstad, with the narrower tip. Seems like a wire bale / D ring of about 60mm would work, but haven’t found one.
Going to call Skimo tomorrow and see if they can suggest a tip attachment for a narrower ski, like the Ingstad.
- Woodserson
- Posts: 2969
- Joined: Wed Feb 11, 2015 10:25 am
- Location: New Hampshire
- Ski style: Bumps, trees, steeps and long woodsy XC tours
- Occupation: Confused Turn Farmer
Re: Seeking Advice for Self-Made Ski Skins
Try Ragged Mountain Equipment in Intervale, NH. They might have some for sale.
Re: Seeking Advice for Self-Made Ski Skins
I haven’t done it myself... but in trimming and cutting many other skins I’d be really nervous about having success with a long cut to make 2 skins out of one. Personally, I’d look at the ski trab rolls and parts. Skimo race skis are not way different in dimension than your skis.
I know some folks who have cut their own “race” skin notch in skis without it with great success. None were XC(ish) skis though.
I know some folks who have cut their own “race” skin notch in skis without it with great success. None were XC(ish) skis though.
- fgd135
- Posts: 470
- Joined: Sun Jan 19, 2020 2:55 pm
- Location: Colorado
- Ski style: Yes, sometimes.
- Favorite Skis: Most of them
- Favorite boots: Boots that fit
- Occupation: Yes
Re: Seeking Advice for Self-Made Ski Skins
I'd check ebay and etc., or google for ski skin material and tip/tail kits. For that Ingstad it should be relatively easy to locate some 55 or 60mm width full length skins .
Last edited by fgd135 on Mon Feb 22, 2021 2:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"To me, gracefulness on skis should be the end-all of the sport" --Stein Eriksen
- bobbytooslow
- Posts: 55
- Joined: Fri Feb 02, 2018 2:52 pm
Re: Seeking Advice for Self-Made Ski Skins
I've made several pairs of skins for my skimo/tele skis by buying fat skins and cutting them in half the long way. Once you rip skins skimo style, you'll never go back! For attachment, I've used the fancy Dynafit rubber knob tip thingies, but I've found a good ol' knotted piece of bungee rope works best. It stretches more, so you don't have to stay bent over as far when pulling it. I like to girth hitch it to a nail, then fold the skin over it and sew or rivet it. Always go plush to plush when making that fold, not glue to glue!
Here's a good page about DIYing it:
http://www.skimolife.com/journal/2015/1 ... -skin.html
Here's a good page about DIYing it:
http://www.skimolife.com/journal/2015/1 ... -skin.html
Re: Seeking Advice for Self-Made Ski Skins
Skimo has a basic front clip here https://skimo.co/contour-skin-parts. Select the Vario buckle. You can fold the skin over and stitch it or secure it with rivets (also available at skimo).
Re: Seeking Advice for Self-Made Ski Skins
Well, here's my cheap and easy DIY tip loops. Just a bit of 2" nylon webbing plus some double cap rivets. It's worked well for the few times that I've needed the extra grip (mostly for pulling a pulk up hard packed trails). Those rivets should be available at any leatherwork store. Hand stitching would also be a viable option.
- Stephen
- Posts: 1457
- Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2020 12:49 am
- Location: PNW USA
- Ski style: Aspirational Hack
- Favorite Skis: Armada Tracer 118 (195), Gamme (210), Ingstad (205), Objective BC (178), Nordica Enforcer 94
- Favorite boots: Alfa Guard Advance, Scarpa TX Pro
- Occupation: Beyond
6’3” / 191cm — 172# / 78kg, size 47 / 30 mondo
Re: Seeking Advice for Self-Made Ski Skins
@bobbytooslow
Thanks for the link! Anyone interested should really read through that — great info.
I had wanted to go Skimo race tips, but the Ingstad doesn’t have a notch.
After reading the info in your link, I would be willing to go for it.
Unfortunately, I’m away from home and have limited tools and resources for the modification (screen shot below):
. .
@dolbaby
I wanted to get the order in so ordered earlier. I think I ended up with what you suggested.
If these don’t work out well, I might switch to race tips over the summer and mod the Ingstads to work with that.
. .
@jalp
Very simple, nice solution!
I think great for your application.
For more frequent on / off, I think the Skimo race tips might be nicer, because one can remove (rip) the skins from the tip, rather than having to start at the tail.
___________
Later on, I found these, which would have probably worked just fine, at 50mm, but the 60mm I will get with what I ordered should be more grip. Still, these look nice and, with shipping, would have been about the same price.
https://varuste.net/en/p100219/colltex- ... -m-x-50-mm
.
Thanks for the link! Anyone interested should really read through that — great info.
I had wanted to go Skimo race tips, but the Ingstad doesn’t have a notch.
After reading the info in your link, I would be willing to go for it.
Unfortunately, I’m away from home and have limited tools and resources for the modification (screen shot below):
. .
@dolbaby
I wanted to get the order in so ordered earlier. I think I ended up with what you suggested.
If these don’t work out well, I might switch to race tips over the summer and mod the Ingstads to work with that.
. .
@jalp
Very simple, nice solution!
I think great for your application.
For more frequent on / off, I think the Skimo race tips might be nicer, because one can remove (rip) the skins from the tip, rather than having to start at the tail.
___________
Later on, I found these, which would have probably worked just fine, at 50mm, but the 60mm I will get with what I ordered should be more grip. Still, these look nice and, with shipping, would have been about the same price.
https://varuste.net/en/p100219/colltex- ... -m-x-50-mm
.