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Black Diamond Ascension Custom STS Climbing Skins - 2007
Pre-cut Black Diamond Ascension Custom STS Climbing Skins come in a wide variety of sizes to give you a precise fit without any knife time. Durable Orange Plush synthetic hair holds up to seasons of abuse, and the bomber, pre-attached tip and tail loops won't give you any trouble either. Black Diamond left a glue-free strip down the center of the Customer STS Climbing Skins to make them easier to remove from your fat sticks.
Bottom Line: The Black Diamond Ascension Custom STS Climbing Skins—knife not included because you don't need it.
I have some Bluehouse district-187 134/103/122 and am thinking that I need a 120mm. Just never bought skins before. I have been advised to get the ascensions but just was not sure on size.
Let me just say I have had issues with skins in the past. FINALLY these BD skins are what I have been looking for. I've used them all season in the Wasatch and BC. Warm weather, really cold weather. They stay on, they stay sticky, they stay grippy.
This is a good way to store your skins in your pack without them sticking to everything. ...in fact, I think it's the only way. Note these are the same pre-fit skins shown on this page ...the tip loop looks different simply because I got the wrong size and had to trim the length old-school style.
I bought these puppies a few months ago and I have never been able to fit them in the bag provided in the kit. Am I just not being agressive enough with them?
Yeah - I fold them over the skin saver, then fold em again etc. I guess I am just doing a simple fold from 1 foot to 6" rather than rolling them. Good tip about not storing them in the bag - one more thing to upset my wife when she opens the spare bedroom cupboard to see skins hanging next to her nice dresses!!
I don't know how you're trying to get it done so I'll just describe my technique. Fold 'em in half over the skin saver first (tip to tail). Then fold again, and again, as flat as possible until they're about a foot long. Then roll 'em and squeeze 'em and they should stuff in their bag with a bit of work. I was taught to not store skins in the sack and to keep 'em flat and in a cool spot. I generally only bag mine if they're going to be tossed into the trunk of a car. I don't bother with the sack when out on tours. Too much to fiddle around with when my hands are cold. I hope this helps!
These skins are easy to trim to match your skis (the "Bottom Line" is wrong; you will need the included cutting tool), and only takes about 10 minutes from start to finish. It might be a little frightening to cut into your brand new gear, but once you get past that, it's too easy. In the field, they're simple to get on and off, and I've never had trouble getting them back in the bag, except when I've got mittens on. They're not delicate - use the screen they come with, fold them a few times, and manhandle them in. Don't forget a couple of wipes with a wax block before you go, in case you get them wet. Once they're wet, snow sticks to them underfoot, and you're in big trouble.
This is what it looks like when you pull the skins off your skis. It makes a wicked cool ripping sound! Be careful not to let the sticky side of the skin. come in contact with the dirt before stowing them!
I just spend a week touring in BC with a new pair of STS Custom skins fitting to my Volkl Gotamas. They took a bit of trimming (easily done with the enclosed trimming tool), then they were good to go. With "wall to wall carpeting" the traction was amazing. Better that any of my prior skins. Couldn't be happier with them.
I am of the camp that believes you should buy skins for the widest part of your ski and trim from there. In this case, you would want to get a pair of the 120mm. The 110s will work but will not provide full coverage. You will want the 179-186 length.
great skins, easy to cut and mount. i used a utility knife rather than the one that came with the skins. i never cut skins before - less that 30 min later the job was done... you can't go wrong with these!
Hi- I just got some 160 cm Phat Luvs (135-102-112). I know that the 130 mm skins for sale here will be wide enough, but it says the length is 167-174. Will I be able to trim them down for 160 cm? Thanks!
No, you're going to have to get the regular STS, not the customs, which can be trimmed for length.http://www.backcountry.com/store/BLD0787/Black-Diamond-Ascension-Nylon-STS-Skins.html
These skins rock !!! They were very simple to custom fit to my Volkl Mantra's these skins hook up great you can go up some steep lines a lot steeper than my friends can go up using their skins while they are slipping downhill I'm one step closer to stealing their powder!! The only bad thing I could say about these skins when you fold them up they don't compress like i thought they'd roll up with the traction they give it's all worth it!!
Write your question here...I have a Pair of 188 Salomon Guns...Looking for the right Size skins, if you have them....134-101-12?.....What do you have that would fit?
It doesn't look like they have any left in your size range...but you can just get the sts skins in a 120mm and cut them to size, and sew the tip loop on. Then they are practically the same things.
Bought these for a pair of K2 Workstinx tele skis. I've climbed up 3 good size mountains now and love these. Cutting to fit was easy with the tool, the fit is perfect (other than some minor mistakes I made cutting) and the grip on the hill is excellent.
My one minor nit would be that these are definitely climbing skins, not gliding skins. I can't imagine wanting to go horizontal for any real distance in these. However, I think that's true of all skins so it's not really a fair complaint...
you should get the 130, but it doesn't look like they have any now. check out another brand. you want a skin that is about as big as the tip of the ski.
What can I say, they do what they're meant to do - climb. This is my first pair of skins, which I've been using on my Volkl Mantras (130 mm width skins). They've got great traction and they're easy to trim/intuitive to use. For those who don't know, they're fairly bulky when in their folded state, so don't expect to fit them in a pocket.
I have been going back and forth on what skins to get for my 07 Seths. They are 179 lenghth (103/98/120) and I have been told that the 130mm widith skin is the way to go. Unfortunately I have been unable to get any (have ordered them twice only to be told they were out of stock). Others have said I can go with the 120mm width with no problem. Which is it? 130 or 120? Also will the STS and or STS Custom accompdate the wide tip? Please advise.
It's fabric with little hairs that point one direction so that they can easily slide one way but not the other. The other side has strong temporary glue on it to stick to your skis, and the upshot is that you can stick it to your skis and hike uphill. you do have to think about your bindings, climbing wires, and maybe even crampons depending on how steep it is, but that's what skins are.
so when your sizing a pair of skins and your ski size lands in two sizes (example ski length 173 and your options are 167-174 or 173-180) is it better to go tight or large, and if large is there a chance that the skins will strech and no longer fit?
If you go with the 167-174, the clip will be near the end of the orange tail. With the 173-180, it will be near the end of the skin. That is what I would suggest because it gives you more tail to grab onto to rip off the skins.
Overall good except that after using them just twice- lost a tail clip while preparing to go on a trip. Luckily, with strong glue was able to do the trip just fine.
this is my 2nd pair of skins. the first pair I got a cheap pair. they worked but they left something to be desired on the steeps. got this pair and am pretty happy with them. first time I used them i lost the clip on the back because I apparently wasnt putting it on tight enough. I called up bd and they sending me another one free.
Probably go with the 173-180s in 120mm width. But you could also get a normal pair of sts glidelites and not bee worried about length as you can cut them to size.
I recently aquired a pair of K2 Work Stinx & needed wider skins. A good friend recommended the BD Ascension STS pre-attached tip and tail loops. They work great.
I have a pair of Fischer Atua's and am looking for the right size skins. They are 186 long and 96 under foot. What size do you think I should consider? They are twin tips also.Thanks,Walt
I got a pair of the Customs for my Black Diamond 173 cm Lyrics, which are 120mm in the tip. I got the 120mm, 167-174 length and they just barely fit my skis lenfthwise. They also required a bit of snipping to get the width right, but it's super easy with the included tool. All that being said, I made it up a pretty slick skin track and didn't slide a bit. They're quite sticky and easy to get on and off. And cheaper than the regular STS skins!
Need some skins!! I have a pair of ski that are 178's and 128 toe and 98 under foot... what would size would work for me? and for twin tips how do this skins work?
I need skins for a pair of 169 public enemy 118-85-109. Next year I would using some skis that will be 179 130-98-118. Is there a skin that will work for both?
They are just pre-cut for length. You'll still likely have to trim the skins to fit the width of your ski. The product description is inaccurate when it claims you can get up and running "without any knife time". However, trimming skins is not really that hard. Black Diamond includes some trimming instructions with these skins.
I just bought a pair of volkl manta 184 cm (184 length, 22.5 radius, and 133_96_116 side cut). So what size of the Ascension Custom STS Skins should I get? Seems like the th 120 mm is what the size chart leads me to. Comments?
I'm getting a pair of Huge Trouble's and I'm wondering what size skins I should get. I'm assuming I would get the 130mm width, but with HT's being 185's and right on the borderline, which length should I get? Also, will that size be all right if the ski isn't exactly a 185 since I know lengths can vary slightly between brands and skis?
Ascension STS skins would be bomber for your skis. Pick 'em up in the 100mm size and have them trimmed to fit. Hope this helps! ------------------You can actually trim them yourselves with a letter opener (one of those plastic ones with the little spike and the razor blade embedded in it).Bd Skins come with a trim tool
the STS works best if it has a flat spot on the tail to grab on to. If they are round like and old style ski tip then one might be best off to go with a STD skin with no tail piece.
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