"Not good for spring skiing" - Review of Black Diamond Ascension Nylon Clipfix Skins

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.
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