How to Store Climbing Skins

Climbing skins are used by backcountry skiers to travel uphill and access untracked powder. The skins are trimmed to the shape of the ski, and then stuck to the bottom of the ski via a combination of a tip and tail hook and adhesive on the skin itself. There are several different ways to store them when you are not using them. It simply comes down to personal preference, what type of skins you own, and whether you are storing them at the top of a route or for the summer.

Things You'll Need

  • Climbing skins
  • Plastic/cheat sheets
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Instructions

    • 1

      Fold each skin in on itself so sticky side meets sticky side. With straight skins, you can fold in thirds; with skins trimmed to the shape of a ski, fold them in half. This is ideal for quick storage at the top of a ski lift or in the backcountry.

    • 2

      Take the skins out of your pack at home and unfold them. Line them up tip to tail and press them together, making sure none of the stick side meets the mohair side.

    • 3

      Hang the skins in a cool, dry place. You can either place them over a hanger, like a pair of pants, or hang them from a clip-style hanger so they hang straight. The latter is preferable so as to avoid putting creases in the skins.

    • 4

      Use the cheat sheets/plastic sheets, if provided by your skin manufacturer, to prolong the life of the adhesive and reduce the frequency of re-gluing the skins. Black Diamond sells cheat sheets separately, and they will work for all companies' skins.