Kicker skins?

[lowangle al]

I am wondering why there is so much interest in Kicker skins. I have had them for 25 year and only needed them a couple of times. What is the advantage of the new skin systems, are they easier to put on and take them off without removing your skis?

[MikeK]

It's the skinlock from Asnes and easy skin from Fischer.

For someone like me, I like to have that safety net if the wax is just not working.

Kickers are nothing new. People around here have been carrying them for years. I don't think the BD ones are particularly well liked though.

When you move back east Al, you'll see. The weather will make you crazy south of Ontario. People complain about it constantly here. Too cold. Too much snow. Too much rain. Not enough sun... blah blah blah.

If you want to get out and ski you'll likely have to ski on some shit snow and thin cover, especially on a year like this. Normal years it seems to be big dumps followed by near full or full thaws. You'll have winter for a couple days and then spring conditions for a couple and then brown until the next dump.

[bgregoire]

I am wondering why there is so much interest in Kicker skins. I have had them for 25 year and only needed them a couple of times. What is the advantage of the new skin systems, are they easier to put on and take them off without removing your skis?

AFAIK, Asnes developed kicker skins primarily to aid in pulka hauling (permanently under the ski), which is a very common activity in the Scandinavian fjall (treeless mountains). Black Diamond sells halfskins but these are primarily geared towers aiding alpine touring on long approaches. In NA (at least Québec), many have adapted the BD skins to skinny backcountry touring skis to be used when touring through more abrupt terrain (hut to hut) with a backpack. It works but that metal attachment is such a pain in harder snow/ice. Fischer basically came up with an alternative to Asnes half skins last year to try and win back some of the market for that type of ski in Scandinavia (E99-E109, etc.). Now this year, they are adding it to their S-bound waxless XCD line. THIS is the only part I can't understand.

[lowangle al]

I could see using them to pull a sled especially if the glided better than full skins. I also see how they would be better than the old half skins with the metal plate. I just don't see needing them too often to bridge the gap between either climbing with scales or wax and putting on conventional skins. If they had so little drag that you could leave them on for the down that would be good.

[lowangle al]

If you want to get out and ski you'll likely have to ski on some shit snow and thin cover, especially on a year like this. Normal years it seems to be big dumps followed by near full or full thaws. You'll have winter for a couple days and then spring conditions for a couple and then brown until the next dump

Shit snow and low cover is why I am a proponent of fat skis for the East coast bc.

[lowangle al]

If you want to get out and ski you'll likely have to ski on some shit snow and thin cover, especially on a year like this. Normal years it seems to be big dumps followed by near full or full thaws. You'll have winter for a couple days and then spring conditions for a couple and then brown until the next dump

Shit snow and low cover is why I am a proponent of fat skis for the East coast bc.

Especially since breaking my leg on a buried stump a few years ago.

[bgregoire]

I just don't see needing them too often to bridge the gap between either climbing with scales or wax and putting on conventional skins.

Exactly, precisely why I don't understand what they are doing on the S-Bound line.

[MikeK]

Yeah, Ouch Al. I don't think I'm ever going that fast on my skinnies where I'd bust my leg, but I don't know... I broke my hand once and it didn't take much, just hitting it just right!

Asnes skinlock = klister avoidance system.

I hope they stick to kick wax... one would hope so, otherwise they'd be kind of worthless.

[lowangle al]

Mike , I was meadow skipping on the last hill before returning to the car. It probably wasn't more than 30 feet of vert. "It's not the size of the hill, it's the size of the spill." Hey I just made that up

[MikeK]

Even 30 feet of vert can hurt.