Black Diamond Ascension Nylon Clipfix Skins

I have been using old Ascension skis and tried these for the first time recently. Much better! The clip on the tail really makes for a stable fit that does not come off. They grip well. Also, they are easy to trim. Check out the sweet tutorial on Black Diamond's website for a great video on trimming. They never slip and grip on steeper terrain like my current skins do.

I'm a big fan of the old purple Ascension skins. I believe that Black Diamond bought out Ascension, thus the word Ascension in name Black Diamond Ascension Nylon Clipfix Skins. However, the Clipfix skins do not have the same holding power and resistance to water of the older Ascension skins. Pros of the Clipfix skins: The trimming tool and instructions are very easy. The skins glide better than older skins. The uphill grip on the snow is excellent. Cons: Skins are supposed to stick to the bottom of the skis, period. The Clipfix stick well if they are perfectly dry, but any moisture presents a major problem. I did a 4 day tour in April in the Sierra Nevada. Most days I had my skins on in the morning on long climbs and had them off coming downhill in the afternoon. One day we took a short downhill run without skins and then attempted to skin up again for more climbing. It was a no go. Not even liberal duct tape could keep them one - there was no residual stickiness at all. The old purple skins would have restuck though. Part of the problem with the Clipfix skins is the center of the skin has no glue. While this makes it easier to remove them, I'd argue that the ease of removal does not make up for the lack of stickiness when wet. I plan to reapply skin glue to the entire skin before heading out next winter. Side stepping for a few miles taught me to not trust the Clipfix skin's holding power.

better than the purple skins!!!!

I have tried other brands and types, but nothing beats them. They stick to the skis and I don't have to tape them to stay on. Also the video that BD has on their web site makes trimming the skins a breeze, much easier than trying to read the instructions. If you notch the tail of your ski to the width of the clip they don't release until you want them to.

These skins work fine except for one thing: the tail clip comes undone all the time. I have fixed this by tying a length of utility cord to the clip which I then wrap around the lower part of the heelpiece (I use Dynafits) and then tie back to a loop in the cord.

The gold (orange) standard in skins. Totally bomber. Get the STS if you have twintips.

I have used these skins 100+ days on twin tips. As long as the skin is the correct length the tail clip works great. I have had glue stick to my ski bases, but the bases were not waxed or well cared for. I simply scraped the glue off and waxed the bases. Problem solved!

The Clipfix style worked for me. I found the cutting tool easy to use. So far I have had no problem with my skins coming off. The clips stay put and the bottom has stayed nice and sticky.

Ascension glue reached perfection many years ago, and the purple hide (sadly recolored to BD orange this past season) is legendary for an excellent balance between glide and grip. The ClipFix system does not work for certain tails that are extremely rounded off, turned up, or very thick (although it does work fine on an Atomic R:Ex), and it's not the system of choice if you want to try using a single set of skins for a quiver of skis. (Although at this price you can easily afford a set of skins for each pair of skis!) Plus it has a weight penalty of about an ounce per skin. But otherwise it works flawlessly, as long as you first attach the skin to the tip and the tail, and then only after setting the clip do you stick the skin to the base. (That way the entire skin is tensioned, rather than just the last several inches.) In my very first outing with these skins, I skinned almost 15k' vert over the span of three days on Rainier, and only once did the Clip become undone, a quick reclipping, and it stayed on perfectly after that.

So far so good. Easy to trim and shape to my ski's. They climb very well. The spring back country season is on full tilt here in Colorado. The corn is fresh for the harvest. What a blast!! Thanks so much for the great deal and the prompt shipping.

Mechanically, these skins are fine, the clipfix system works great and the skins climb very well. I had a serious problem with the glue however. It is so soft and tacky it sticks to my ski bases, even after they have been freshly waxed. The problem was worse in warmer weather or when the skins were on the skis and put in the sun to dry. The problem also occurred in the cold though. Maybe it was a bad glue batch from BD, I wonder if any others had this problem.

If you have a flat tailed ski, these skins are fine, hell, they'll kick ass, but if you attempt to use them on skis that have a twintip, or even a slightly raised tail, I would highly advise getting the ascensions instead, you'll thank yourself later.

These skins work exceptionally well. Getting them adjusted the the correct length may take some patience, but otherwise very easy to use in the backcountry.

After reading some poor reviews on this product, I was a bit skeptical but the price was worth the chance. Every thing worked out great. They were easy to cut and set up. Simple design and easy to handle in the backcountry. The only thing you must realize is that the clip only works well with flat tails. The clip will slide laterally on twin tips or those with a rounded tail. I purchased a pair of Black Diamond skis so I was all set.

I use these on my Fischer Big Stix. They work very well. Easy to fit, install, and remove. I've only had them for one season, so I can't comment on durability.

Found the skins simple to cut to shape for the skis. Once fitted, they are simple to get on and off. The new 'cheat sheet' is useful for storage by stopping the skins sticking back on themselves, it saves the glue. It felt like I was on a magik carpet the first time I climbed on them.

The clip fix system worked well when cut properly. I was recently touring with three others who had the clip fix. Two of them cut the length too long and the clips kept coming undone. Two of us cut them a hair short and they never came off for either of us. Bottom-line, cut them right and they work great. I also skied with another person who had Xscreams. The skins won't work well with a turned up tail.

It took me a little while to cut them just right, but I’m a little stupid. They perform great and the clipfix has been awesome. I love the mesh to protect the skins in the sack.

I've heard a number of critical comments made about Clipfix skins over the years, but I think the system is a solid one. As long as you attach them the proper way (tip, tail, then stick it to the ski) that skin isn't going anywhere. I also find that the grip and glide of the skin suits my back country needs perfectly.

Although I will admit that they may not work well with twin tip skis (I don't know), they work very well with traditional tails. I think that the negative responses here are due to user error. Adjust the skin so that the cam buckle puts tension on the skin and stays in place. There is a trick to putting them on that is very important. First, put the tip loop of the skin over the tip of the ski. Without allowing the glue on the skin to contact the ski base, straighten the skin and, while applying tension to the skin to keep the glue away from the base, attach the tail clip. Finally, run your hand over the length of the skin to ensure that the glue engages the bottom of the ski. This is very quick and is actually easier than applying a traditional skin. If you apply the skin to the ski starting at the tip before you attach the cam buckle, you'll end up with a lot of tension on the last 3 inches of the skin instead of the whole skin. Don't do that!

My clipfix skins were easy to trim and set up on my mira black diamond sks. They even worked well the first time out. However... second big trip out, Mt. Phelps in the Adirondacks, and they no longer stay clipped! Pain in the a _ _ ! My partner warned me. He had similar problems and Black Diamond hassled him. Finally replaced with the new system which does not come off. I would not recommend this product!!

I am very pleased with my Black Diamond climbing skins. The tail clip system is easy to use and is a nice help. It takes a tiny bit of work to adjust the tip loop to the right length so that the tail clip has tension.

Yeah, they stick to you'r skis fine and climb well, but that's about it. The tail piece, or ClipFix, doesn't work. Especially on twin tip skis. I've heard they don't work well on traditional shaped skis either. The entire time I was touring the clips were just hanging off the back un-clipped letting snow ruin the glue. I'm moving on the the cow looking ones hoping for better performance.

The skins were a pleasure to cut and fit to my tele modified Voikl Vertigo G31's. There could have been a little more adhesive on them when delivered but hasn't caused any problems yet. Many thanks they will come in handy for the nine months of winter up here.

Ascension clip fix skins, when purchased in the proper width and trimmed accurately have superior climbing traction. I have the 120mm skins trimmed to fit Rossi T4's. I have had no failures with the skins. Being as wide as they are gliding is not great, but they hold well to the ski and provide me with the climbing power I was seeking. An excellent bc product!

I was hesitant to purchase these after hearing of some problems with the ClipFix, but I went for it anyway. I bought the 110mm skins. The tail clips wouldn't even work on my skis (Fischer BigStix 8.6) and the tip loops were way too small. My skis have a slightly curved tail and they are thicker than other skis in the tail. The ClipFix system wouldn't fit right. Also, the tips of my skis are wide (120mm) and squarish so the tip loops didn't fit right either. I ended up buying a tip/tail kit and cut off the ClipFix and put on the regular tail system like those found on the GlideLight skins. Now they work fine.

Want a skin that will take you up to places that are beyond your ability to ski down? Then Nylon ClipFix skins are for you! Careful adjusting of the tail assembly will assure that annoying catastrophic skin failure does not occur. I recommend buying the muy gordo skins and having a shop technician trim them down to a perfect fit. This will prevent aggravating slippage on the skin trail. The stylish purple hue will also distinguish you as a backcountry fashionista.

Very easy to use, superb grip, and I really like the ClipFix design. Wish I had bought them sooner!

I've been using the elastic tip style skin for three years now. This winter I changed to the ClipFix and I'm really disappointed. There’s no problem cutting and setting up , but they don't like to work with double tip skis and are difficult to adjust. They kept taking turns releasing on the backs , again no problems the glue sticks fine. Still I'll be purchasing new ones next year and they will not be the clipfix, don't be tricked.

Just returned from Mount Assiniboine (BC) – very cold weather. I found the ClipFix Skins easy to trim (width-wise) and apply, and the directions basic. 4+. Ciao.

These skins did just what they were supposed to do. I had a little trouble with the clip on the end, but it could have very well been me! No problem with the glue over the course of several days in the BC and they stuck to the trail no problem. Cutting them to fit took some time but no big deal - if you want the custom fit it's gonna take some time. I'd definitely recommend these.

My first experience with any skins, so keep that in mind ... As I suppose with any skins, cutting them to fit my skis was a bit of a chore. Took me 1.5 hours - could do it in less than hour next time. The way the skins attached to the tip was confusing - they had a description but not a good picture. I did it wrong. Guy at ski shop looked at them and fixed it for me. In the backcountry, the skins gripped very well. I was able to climb some pretty steep grades - even without poling. The tail clip on one ski would occasionally unclip itself although I'm fairly certain it was all adjusted and installed correctly. This did not effect performance as the glue and my weight held the skin on. Still waiting to see how the glue holds after several applications and removals. I'll make the tails a little tighter next time to see if that prevents the unclipping. -Dave