What type of X - Skin?

[Skihunt]

Hi!

I recently bought a pair of Åsnes Breidablikk 200cm
Waxless, these do not have any scales or pattern so i suspect climbing will be tough, but heres the catch, my experience with this type of ski is very limited, my only experience comes from using old heavy wooden skis used primarily for skiing flats during hunting (Tegsnäs)

I bought Breidablikk to use for joyriding through powder and fresh snow in the woods, i wanted a playful ski that i could ski for fun in the backwoods and downhill through powder, while supplementing my other hunting skis.

I have tried to understand what type of X-Skins i need and I understand that a Nylon version will be good for steep climbing with practically zero glide.

But then comes the Mohair versions and I have read alot of good things about the 40mm race skin, but how exactly does these help my skiing?

Will they improve glide over the waxless base?

Will they improve glide or improve traction enabling me to climb hills that do not need nylon skins?

Im having a hard time understanding how Mohair skins will affect my ski and what type i might need to complement Nylon climbing skins.

Any recommendations would be very helpful.

Thank you very much!

[riel]

I have tried to understand what type of X-Skins i need and I understand that a Nylon version will be good for steep climbing with practically zero glide.

But then comes the Mohair versions and I have read alot of good things about the 40mm race skin, but how exactly does these help my skiing?

Will they improve glide over the waxless base?

Will they improve glide or improve traction enabling me to climb hills that do not need nylon skins?

Im having a hard time understanding how Mohair skins will affect my ski and what type i might need to complement Nylon climbing skins.

The nylon skins will grip anything, but they indeed have essentially no glide. They can feel like they turned your skis into snowshoes.

The mohair skins will grip almost as well in many conditions, especially when the snow is dry or powdery, but they will also glide. I have 30mm and 45mm mohair skins for my skis, with the idea of using the 45mm ones when I need to climb, and the 30mm ones when the terrain is gentle and I want a little more glide.

I have no experience with the 40mm race skins, but have heard they glide well due to there simply being fewer (and/or shorter) hairs on those skins.

[Skihunt]

Ok, i think that i will try the 40mm Race skins for overall glide during good powdery conditions.

Im now wondering what type would give me good enough glide and ability to climb both on roads and hills, durability comes to mind here while skiing on roads that may be hardpacked and ice glazed with a small amount of powder on top, i will do most of my skiing offroad but ill be travelling on roads at times.

Would a 45mm Mohair or possibly a 45mm 70/30 mix suffice? I understand alot of this is trial and error, but im doing my best to prepare myself for the upcoming season.

Thanks for answering!

[Theme]

Would a 45mm Mohair or possibly a 45mm 70/30 mix suffice?

Yes. The yellow mix-skin is the best option for good glide and slightly more durability than full mohair. I do not have experience of the race skin, but I opted on not getting it as I see it could only last in powdery conditions. Hence I went with mohair and the mix skins.

However, in my experience, the glue has been worse on the yellow mix skin than the grey mohair skin. The difference in glide is almost negligible, but it takes slightly more time for the break in period with the mix skins. Mix skins also last longer on spring snow.

I have found the mohair skins last roughly 700 kilometers, and the mix-skin 800 kilometers of skiing in varying conditions. In ideal conditions, way longer. Nylons are basically everlasting but do not glide at all. I skied 1300km through Sweden last winter with the X-skins basically always on, going up and down rolling mountains off tracks, forest roads, snowmobile tracks in steep terrain etc. Needed 1,5 pairs of skins, but snow conditions were quite rough on them over 52 days. For a comparison, on average a Paris pulk's plastic bottom will hold up to 800km of skiing in spring snow conditions.

How long the skins last depends most on the snow conditions and how stiff/high camber you have. Waxing the skins also improves their life expectancy, glide and it helps keep skins dry for longer.

I would have needed a bit longer skis to accommodate more durability and a tad better glide. But I was doing 7-9km/hour with a backpack quite comfortably even with skins on. Without, on wax base maybe up to 10 or 11 at max in my condition and the equipment I then had. However most of the time I slacked away with 5-7 km/h. I can also sustain good grip with just the x-skins in mohair/mix, pulling up to a 30kg heavy sled. In deep powder the grip of course is worse and the sled will drag. But you do not need to worry about this

Waxless base glides a bit better than an x-skin, but the skin will work for a wider range of conditions. Also not as loud on hard snow.

[CwmRaider]

Hi!

I recently bought a pair of Åsnes Breidablikk 200cm
Waxless, these do not have any scales or pattern

I don't understand - so do you have the scale patterned base or not?
If the base is not patterned your ski is waxable.

Regardless -
I see little advantage in getting Nylon x- skins - a 45mm mohair would be a good match for your ski, and full length skins can be useful in very steep or deep snow.

[Skihunt]

My ski does not have the pattern and it is still a waxless breidablikk, im unsure if it could be waxed though.

Thanks alot for the replies, this has cleared up alot for me and im very thankful for that.

[DoggParadox]

If your ski's don't have a pattern then you didn't receive the waxless model.

Any ski can be waxed.

[Musk Ox]

My ski does not have the pattern and it is still a waxless breidablikk, im unsure if it could be waxed though.

Thanks alot for the replies, this has cleared up alot for me and im very thankful for that.

Hey @Skihunt and welcome.

Åsnes don't make a waxless Breidablikk without the grip pattern (it's not really a thing in the ski industry, unless you have a built-in skin, but sorry if I'm misunderstanding something here). You have waxable skis, basically!

I think the nylon skin is overkill for your needs. It's what you use if you want to be nailed on to a steep hill, probably carrying a load, and aren't concerned with glide. As others have said, the mohair or mohair mix skins are the ones you want – I'd go for a couple, and one would probably be the 45mm mohair one.

[Skihunt]

You are all right, its a waxable breidablikk, my bad!

Ill go with a 45mm Mohair or the 40mm race skin to start off with.

[Musk Ox]

You are all right, its a waxable breidablikk, my bad!

Ill go with a 45mm Mohair or the 40mm race skin to start off with.

I've got up some really steep and high places with the 40mm Race skin on a pair of Nansens.

You won't exactly be marching straight up as if you had full-length AT skins on, put it that way (slow, lots of traversing and kick turns) but it's a surprisingly effective climbing skin in the right conditions.