Fischer Easy-Skin vs. Asnes Skin-Lock

Real reviews by real skiers. What a concept! Add your own today. Reviews only please, questions can be posted as replies but new threads looking for opinions should be posted to the main Telemark Talk Forum.
MikeK

Re: Fischer Easy-Skin vs. Asnes Skin-Lock

Post by MikeK » Fri Oct 07, 2016 12:32 pm

The more I think about it, the more I think the 60mm Nylon will be what I need. Ideally the 35mm was going to be for backup if the snow got sticky later in the day. Maybe it's best just to go 35mm Nylon? Don't know...

As far as descending with the skins on, I had hoped they would stay in place, but I'll see. I don't think I'll be swishing back and forth with them on - turn to avoid an obstacle, sure, but I'm envisioning keeping them on in the same way the wax or the scales are on for the ups and downs of XC. In short, I'm not thinking of them as descending tool so much as just an XC tool.

User avatar
Cannatonic
Posts: 983
Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2014 9:07 pm

Re: Fischer Easy-Skin vs. Asnes Skin-Lock

Post by Cannatonic » Sun Nov 20, 2016 12:27 pm

I think the Asnes skins will need to be cut narrow or extra short for K&G use, based on my experience with the BD kicker skins. On wet corn snow the grip was very strong, could climb right up anything, you'd need to ski down a cliff to get them gliding well. Of course the BD are much wider than 35 or 45mm, those might do the trick.
"All wisdom is to be gained through suffering"
-Will Lange (quoting Inuit chieftan)



User avatar
lilcliffy
Posts: 4112
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2015 6:20 pm
Location: Stanley, New Brunswick, Canada
Ski style: backcountry Nordic ski touring
Favorite Skis: Asnes Ingstad, Combat Nato, Amundsen, Rabb 68; Altai Kom
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska BC; Lundhags Expedition; Alfa Skaget XP; Scarpa T4
Occupation: Forestry Professional
Instructor at Maritime College of Forest Technology
Husband, father, farmer and logger

Re: Fischer Easy-Skin vs. Asnes Skin-Lock

Post by lilcliffy » Thu Jan 05, 2017 7:53 am

ASNES SKIN-LOCK VERSUS FISCHER EASY-SKIN

So- two brilliantly designed and well-made integrated kicker skins that are only compatible with the respective skis- Asnes Skin-Lock and Fischer Easy-Skin. I currently have the following setups:
• 210cm Asnes Combat Nato: 35mm nylon Skin-Lock; 60mm mohair Skin-Lock
• 210cm Fischer E-99 Tour; 205cm Fischer E-109 Tour: 35mm Easy Skin; 50mm Easy-Skin

Easy-Skin

There are sometimes some inherent disadvantages to being an “inventor”. No matter how brilliant the idea- everyone else gets to test your idea and then capitalise on simplifying, improving and lowering the manufacturing cost of their own version.

Fischer seems to have done this with the Easy-Skin. It is a less complicated technology than the Skin-Lock- and, I would bet it is less expensive to manufacture. The Easy-Skin is appropriately named- it truly is “easy”, simple technology. The Easy-Skin has a plastic tab fastened to the tip of the skin that slides completely through the ski, and clips into a locking cleat on top of the ski deck. It reminds me of a locking cleat on a sailboat- simple, functional and effective. The transition between the skin and the base is seamless and angled, causing very little friction. This must be the most friction-less removable kicker skin on the market.

The Easy-Skin is a mohair-nylon composite and is available in fewer widths than the Skin-Lock (smart- less costly to produce…).

The Easy-Skin is not without its potential problems though…First of all this is a SYSTEM, as it is integrated into the ski and therefore effects its construction. Unlike the Asnes line- the Easy-Skin was added after the fact- and I SERIOUSLY hope that Fischer has considered the effect of cutting a very large hole RIGHT THROUGH THE SKI- in a section that receives a lot of pressure and tension- the very tip of the kick zone…That hole through the ski actually makes me feel queasy- especially through skis with “xtralite” wood-air cores…I have no idea how durable the Easy-Skin skis are- they have not been proven yet. I also see the skin wearing considerably at the intersection of the skin and the base- where it slides through the slot. This section of the skin is bound to wear- specifically where the skin bends to go through the slot.

Attaching and removing the Easy-Skin is truly very easy- it takes seconds- I love it. The Easy-Skins come with a reusable wide plastic sheet for storing the skins- and you can easily slide one skin on, while the other is still attached to the opposite side of the plastic storage sheet.

Current conclusion? Love the performance of the Easy-Skin. A bit anxious about the whole system- concerned about the durability of the ski and the skin…Not sure if I’m ready to risk my life on an expedition with an Easy-Skin ski.

Skin-Lock

Well, the folks at Asnes are clearly full of brilliant, inventive, innovative ideas- while remaining steeped in tradition. Their Nordic ski technology is a beautiful mix of tradition and innovation.

The Skin-Lock system is a well thought-out and well-made technology. The skins are outsourced and made by a skin specialist in Switzerland. The skin is attached to a metal clip/cleat that clips into the base of the ski. The ski has two tiny little slits cut into it to attach the Skin-Lock. And- unlike the Easy-Skin system- not only are the slots tiny, they are longitudinally oriented (i.e. parallel with the length of the ski). The whole design of the Skin-Lock system seems much more to be engineered into the fundamental construction of the ski. My projection is that the Skin-Lock system will prove to be more durable than the Easy-Skin.

The Skin-Locks are available in an almost multitude of widths- each available in both mohair and nylon. Perfect for the ridiculously performance-obsessed (YES- I have a disorder). But the cost of manufacturing and inventory must be nuts.

The Skin-Lock is very easy to attach- even quicker than the Easy-Skin. It is not as easy to remove and store however. They need to be folded back on themselves to protect the adhesive base- and then pulled apart to mount them. Not a big deal- same as any other conventional skin- but, not as “easy” and quick as the Easy-Skin.

My mind keeps telling me that the metal attachment cleat should cause friction and reduce glide, but- in actual practice, I fail to notice it in any “measurable” way. This is likely partly due to the effective, wax pocket of my 210cm Combat Natos. That metal cleat might be more noticeable with a softer-flexing and/or single-cambered ski.

The Combat Nato has a milled area where the Skin-Lock cleat is attached to the base- in order to reduce friction. Not sure if the other Asnes skis have this…

Current conclusion? Equally thrilled with the performance of the Skin-Lock system. The engineering of the entire ski, skin, and skin attachment, at least appear to be potentially more durable than the Easy-Skin. And- the Skin-Lock system has already proven itself to be expedition worthy.
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.



User avatar
lilcliffy
Posts: 4112
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2015 6:20 pm
Location: Stanley, New Brunswick, Canada
Ski style: backcountry Nordic ski touring
Favorite Skis: Asnes Ingstad, Combat Nato, Amundsen, Rabb 68; Altai Kom
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska BC; Lundhags Expedition; Alfa Skaget XP; Scarpa T4
Occupation: Forestry Professional
Instructor at Maritime College of Forest Technology
Husband, father, farmer and logger

Re: Fischer Easy-Skin vs. Asnes Skin-Lock

Post by lilcliffy » Sun Apr 08, 2018 6:11 pm

So- season 2 on using both the Easy-Skin and the Skin-Locks.

Skis:
1) 210cm Combat Nato
2) 188cm Storetind
3) 210cm E-109
4) 210cm E-99

Skins:
1) 35mm mohair Skin-Lock
2) 35mm nylon Skin-Lock
3) 45mm nylon Skin-Lock
4) 60mm mohair Skin-Lock
5) 35mm Easy-Skin
6) 50mm Easy-Skin

I have used the Skin-Locks more than twice as much- only because I have used my Asnes skis more than twice as much.

Some of my personal opinions/conclusions:
1) I do not feel/notice any drag from the metal attachment of the Skin-Lock.
2) The mohair versions of the Skin-Lock offer almost magical glide over the nylon- with VERY little loss of grip- in a XC K&G context. (The extra grip of the nylon becomes noticeable on a very slippery/steep climb.)
3) There is very noticeable wear on the Easy-Skins where they enter the attachment slot- the fibers are completely worn off, and the base material is starting to wear- they will eventually break at this point. (HINT- going on an expedition that depends on these kicker-skins? Bring a backup set!!)
4) The adhesive glue on the Easy-Skins does not seem to be very effective or durable. Despite getting much less use- the glue on the Easy-Skins is losing its bond much faster than the Skin-Locks.
5) Hard grip wax (i.e. Swix Blue and colder) does not seem to have too much of a negative effect on the skin adhesive (I have not tried to put the skin over soft kick wax/klister- not going to either!)
6) The mohair Skin-Lock offers better glide than the equivalent Easy-Skin; the mixed Easy-Skin offers better glide than the pure nylon Skin-Lock.

I have a theory that using the plastic sheet to store the Easy-Skins may contribute to the drying out of the skin adhesive...Though I use the sheet to temporarily store the Easy-Skins while skiing- I have begun to stick the skins together when I store them for later use. It at least appears to be prolonging the life of the Easy-Skin stick (though I do feel that there was less bond with the Easy-Skin in the first place- compared to the Skin-Lock).

When I asked Asnes how I should store the Skin-Locks, they told me specifically to stick them together to preserve the skin adhesive. (They also told me to make sure I removed soft kick wax/klister before applying the skin!)

The 60mm mohair SKin-Lock is by far my favorite and most-used skin- both on the 62mm Combat Nato and the 68mm Storetind.
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.



User avatar
Woodserson
Posts: 2967
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: Fischer Easy-Skin vs. Asnes Skin-Lock

Post by Woodserson » Sun Apr 08, 2018 9:18 pm

lilcliffy wrote:
When I asked Asnes how I should store the Skin-Locks, they told me specifically to stick them together to preserve the skin adhesive. (They also told me to make sure I removed soft kick wax/klister before applying the skin!)

The 60mm mohair SKin-Lock is by far my favorite and most-used skin- both on the 62mm Combat Nato and the 68mm Storetind.
This is how I store my skins too. Glue to Glue. The flavor-saver sheet I think is for people who hate pulling skins apart. Climbing Skins Direct does not offer nor do they recommend using sheets either. IRONICALLY I do use flavor-saver sheets on my CSD skins because they glue is unreal. Unreal. But all my other skins, BD, Fischer, whatever else I have, is glue-to-glue.

Great write up, thanks!



User avatar
lilcliffy
Posts: 4112
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2015 6:20 pm
Location: Stanley, New Brunswick, Canada
Ski style: backcountry Nordic ski touring
Favorite Skis: Asnes Ingstad, Combat Nato, Amundsen, Rabb 68; Altai Kom
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska BC; Lundhags Expedition; Alfa Skaget XP; Scarpa T4
Occupation: Forestry Professional
Instructor at Maritime College of Forest Technology
Husband, father, farmer and logger

Re: Fischer Easy-Skin vs. Asnes Skin-Lock

Post by lilcliffy » Tue Dec 18, 2018 3:50 am

I finally forced myself to trim my kicker skins to my heel.
Improved kick and glide performance- for sure.
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.



User avatar
Verskis
Posts: 179
Joined: Fri Oct 27, 2017 2:14 am
Location: Tampere, Finland
Ski style: XCD touring on small hills. Heavy tele at resort
Favorite Skis: Åsnes Rabb 68
Favorite boots: Alico Ski March
Occupation: Hydraulics engineer

Re: Fischer Easy-Skin vs. Asnes Skin-Lock

Post by Verskis » Tue Dec 18, 2018 4:43 am

lilcliffy wrote:I finally force myself to trim my kicker skins to my heel.
Improved kick and glide performance- for sure.
How about climbing grip? Any noticeable disimproving of that?



User avatar
lilcliffy
Posts: 4112
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2015 6:20 pm
Location: Stanley, New Brunswick, Canada
Ski style: backcountry Nordic ski touring
Favorite Skis: Asnes Ingstad, Combat Nato, Amundsen, Rabb 68; Altai Kom
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska BC; Lundhags Expedition; Alfa Skaget XP; Scarpa T4
Occupation: Forestry Professional
Instructor at Maritime College of Forest Technology
Husband, father, farmer and logger

Re: Fischer Easy-Skin vs. Asnes Skin-Lock

Post by lilcliffy » Tue Dec 18, 2018 5:03 am

I would think that there will be a slight loss in climbing grip...Though I haven't noticed it yet...
There is a limit to the climbing performance of a kicker skin in the first place...

Those "SkiMo" climbing skins (I don't know if that is the proper name for them) that run from the heel to the tip offer much more effective climbing traction than a kicker skin...

My very current perspective is that the perhaps slight loss in climbing traction is well worth the kick and GLIDE benefit of trimming a kicker skin to just behind your heel.

As another note- my pure nylon kicker skins offer much greater grip than the mohair- with a loss of glide. I have not trimmed the nylon kicker skins yet...

My Combat Nato kicker skins have a little rubber tab that fits into a hole in the ski- they are nylon. They offer amazing grip, but the glide is much better on that ski with the mohairs.
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.



User avatar
Verskis
Posts: 179
Joined: Fri Oct 27, 2017 2:14 am
Location: Tampere, Finland
Ski style: XCD touring on small hills. Heavy tele at resort
Favorite Skis: Åsnes Rabb 68
Favorite boots: Alico Ski March
Occupation: Hydraulics engineer

Re: Fischer Easy-Skin vs. Asnes Skin-Lock

Post by Verskis » Tue Dec 18, 2018 3:46 pm

Alright, thanks for elaborating!



Post Reply