Asnes Skin Rec

[AdamA]

Hey Friends,

Picked up a pair of Asnes FT62 Explores this off season. Looking to get a set of Asnes skins for maximizing K+G on the flats (I have a pair of full length nylons for climbing). Anyone have any recs on width? Theyve got 30, 45, and 58.

Adam

[エイダン.シダル]

For one skin, I'd go wide on Mohair, but I think it depends on your use.

If two, maybe a narrow Mohair for when you're going up and down moderate pitches, and a wide nylon for sustained climbs, and you might not need full length skins.

I've only got Mohair for my Gammes, but somebody will chime in for how they behave in different conditions.

[JohnSKepler]

Hey Friends,

Picked up a pair of Asnes FT62 Explores this off season. Looking to get a set of Asnes skins for maximizing K+G on the flats (I have a pair of full length nylons for climbing). Anyone have any recs on width? Theyve got 30, 45, and 58.

Adam

From the Varuste website:

At 58mm this skin is well-suited for the wide BC models – perfect for Ingstad, Tonje, Breidablikk, Konsgvold, Falketind 62 and Rabb 68.

Cheers-

[Stephen]

I understand the inclination to ask for advice, but, in the end, only you will know the right answer, after trying one or more of the skins.

First off, mohair is probably your best skin material (unless you are using them primarily in conditions that are unfavorable to mohair, such icy or wet conditions -- doesn't seem Quincy, MA is that).
The next question is whether you want to prioritize grip / traction, or glide / distance efficiency.
Any one of those widths will work, with the narrower ones giving better glide, but reduced grip, and the wider ones better grip and reduced glide.

So, it comes down to what terrain and conditions you are skiing, and what you want for the balance between grip and glide.

I don't mean to give you an ambiguous non-answer, but it really is that simple.
The 45mm might be a good compromise, but it all comes down to what you want.

I have a few widths and use the narrower ones for flatter terrain in challenging waxing conditions, and the wider ones for better grip / climbing traction.

Hope that helps...

PS
Also, you will likely find that the full length nylon skins will have NO glide and you will be able to climb a tree with them, so it might not be too much of a gamble to try the 45mm first, since you have a fallback that will work for climbing traction???

Also, many people trim the length (to, for example, close to where the back of the boot heel is) to get better glide without reducing traction much.

[AdamA]

I understand the inclination to ask for advice, but, in the end, only you will know the right answer, after trying one or more of the skins.

First off, mohair is probably your best skin material (unless you are using them primarily in conditions that are unfavorable to mohair, such icy or wet conditions -- doesn't seem Quincy, MA is that).
The next question is whether you want to prioritize grip / traction, or glide / distance efficiency.
Any one of those widths will work, with the narrower ones giving better glide, but reduced grip, and the wider ones better grip and reduced glide.

So, it comes down to what terrain and conditions you are skiing, and what you want for the balance between grip and glide.

I don't mean to give you an ambiguous non-answer, but it really is that simple.
The 45mm might be a good compromise, but it all comes down to what you want.

I have a few widths and use the narrower ones for flatter terrain in challenging waxing conditions, and the wider ones for better grip / climbing traction.

Hope that helps...

PS
Also, you will likely find that the full length nylon skins will have NO glide and you will be able to climb a tree with them, so it might not be too much of a gamble to try the 45mm first, since you have a fallback that will work for climbing traction???

Also, many people trim the length (to, for example, close to where the back of the boot heel is) to get better glide without reducing traction much.

This is an excellent answer. Definitely a lot to think about. Not sure what I will end up going with, though having a 30mm mohair with my full length nylons seems like a decent 1, 2 punch.

[Stephen]

Thanks.

Unless you plan to make very modest traction demands on the skins, you might consider the 45mm, instead.
If you do the full length nylon and the 30mm X-Skins, you might end up with extremes, rather than something you're generally happy with.

Or, like some would say, "Just get both!"


Just a thought...

[lilcliffy]

@fisheater
Ask Bob about the camber profile of the current FT62X-

I have the 1st and 2nd gen of the FT62 and almost never skins on it, but if I did I would use the 35mm mohair for K&G as their is so little tension and camber underfoot.

Unless the FT62X is significantly more cambered than the previous gen- a 45mm- and even worse the 58mm- is going to seriously drag...My understanding is the FT62X is longitudinally stiffer than the previous-gen model- as opposed to more cambered...

By comparison (not an apples-to-apples) I regularly use the 45mm mohair on my Gamme/Amundsen, but both of these skis release underfoot when I stride forwards...

If I wanted to use a kicker skin with the FT62X- for K&G XC skiing- I would want to get away with as little drag as possible and would probable start with the 35mm mohair.

What about grip/kick wax/klister?

[fisheater]

I am really the wrong guy to speak to skins, as my experience is limited to 100 yards and straight back to wax.
The new FT Xplore, while significantly longitudinally stiffer than the original version is still quite low cambered. I would think a skin would drag. Frankly, I was pleasantly quite surprised with the kick and glide performance of the ski utilizing kick wax. It does not kick like my Gamme, but it sure can turn as well as kick.
Asnes really threaded a needle on their third version of this ski!