The best climbing skins, and the trade between grip and glide
The best all-round climbing skin for most tourers is the POMOCA Climb 2.0 Ready2Climb at under $250, a mohair and nylon mix that splits the difference between grip and glide, pre-cut to remove the most commonly botched job in touring. Nylon grips hardest and forgives a poorly set skin track, mohair glides fastest but grips least, and width should always be chosen from the ski's widest point, not the waist.
The best all-round climbing skin for most tourers is the POMOCA Climb 2.0 Ready2Climb at under $250, a mohair and nylon mix that is the honest compromise most experienced tourers settle on after trying both extremes, pre-cut to remove the single most-botched job in touring. If you are new to setting a skin track, the Black Diamond Ascension Nylon at under $250 grips harder than anything else and forgives mistakes. Once you can set a good track, the POMOCA Climb Pro Mohair at under $250 glides fast enough to change how a rolling approach feels.
Skins are the one genuine consumable in a touring kit, replaced every few seasons as the glue and the plush wear out, which makes the material choice a recurring decision rather than a one-time one. Nylon grips hardest and glides worst, mohair glides best and grips least, and a mix sits between the two, which is where most experienced tourers end up after learning what each extreme actually feels like underfoot.
Grip versus glide, stated plainly
| Plush | Grip | Glide | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nylon | Highest | Lowest | Steep or icy tracks, and anyone still learning to set one |
| Mohair and nylon mix | Good | Good | Most tourers, most of the time |
| Mohair | Lower | Highest | Long, rolling days and a sensible skin track |
Grip is what keeps you upright on a steep or icy sidehill, and it is the specification a new tourer should not compromise on, since a skin that slips out from under you on a firm traverse is both frustrating and a genuine fall hazard. Glide is what saves energy on rolling and flat terrain, since a fast-gliding skin lets you slide the ski forward rather than lifting it fully with every stride, which adds up meaningfully over a long day.
The picks, at three budgets, plus ski crampons
Beginner tier here is the grippiest, most forgiving option for someone still learning to set an efficient skin track. Intermediate tier is the mixed-plush compromise. Expert tier splits between the fastest glide for long rolling days and the widest coverage for a big freeride touring ski, where a skin narrower than the tip is the classic sizing mistake.
Climbing skin picks
Black Diamond Ascension Nylon Climbing Skins, 163 cm
- Plush:
- 100 percent nylon
- Grip:
- Highest
- Glide:
- Lowest
Nylon grips better than anything else and forgives a badly set skin track, which is exactly what a new tourer needs while they are still learning to set one. Grip is the specification that keeps you upright on a steep traverse.
Best for: A first pair of skins, and steep or icy skin tracks.
What it costs you: Slow. Nylon glides poorly, absorbs more water and packs bulkier than mohair.
POMOCA Climb 2.0 Ready2Climb Skins, 100 mm
- Plush:
- Mohair and nylon mix
- Fit:
- Pre-cut Ready2Climb
- Glide:
- Good
A mohair and nylon mix is the honest compromise, and it is the one most experienced tourers land on. Pre-cut means the trimming is already done, which removes the single most-botched job in touring.
Best for: Most tourers, most of the time.
What it costs you: A mixed plush grips less than pure nylon on ice and glides less than pure mohair on the flat.
POMOCA Climb Pro Mohair Ready2Climb Skins, 100 mm
- Plush:
- Mohair
- Glide:
- Highest
- Grip:
- Lower than nylon
Mohair glides so much better than nylon that on rolling terrain you stop lifting your skis and start sliding them, and over a long day that is a genuine energy saving rather than a marginal one.
Best for: Long days, rolling approaches, and tourers who set a sensible skin track.
What it costs you: Wears faster, grips less on ice, and costs more per season. A poorly angled skin track will slip.
POMOCA Tour Pro Ready2Climb Skins, 100 mm x 180 to 189 cm
- Plush:
- Mohair mix
- Length:
- 180 to 189 cm
- Width:
- 100 mm
Sized for a long, wide freeride touring ski, which is where most skin buying goes wrong: a skin narrower than the ski tip leaves the shovel bare and the ski washes out on a firm sidehill.
Best for: Long wide skis, from about 180 cm up.
What it costs you: Expensive, and more skin means more weight and more bulk to fold.
Specifications are the manufacturer's published figures, not measurements we took. Sizes, prices and stock change constantly, so confirm on the retailer page before buying. We earn commissions from Backcountry and from qualifying Amazon purchases, and every link on this page is one or the other. Where a Backcountry button reads "shop the category" it opens a search for that category rather than that exact model, so it finds comparable gear alongside it.
A ski crampon solves a different problem entirely: it clamps to the binding and bites into refrozen snow that no skin, regardless of plush material, can hold. It is a spring-morning tool and a firm-track tool, not a midwinter powder tool, which is why it is often bought after a first season of turning around partway up an icy slope rather than in advance.
Ski crampon picks
Tyrolia Ambition Ski Crampon, 105 mm
- Width:
- 105 mm
- Fits:
- Tyrolia and compatible touring bindings
- Use:
- Firm and refrozen snow
A ski crampon bites into refrozen snow that skins cannot hold, which is the situation on any spring morning tour before the surface softens. It weighs almost nothing and it is the difference between climbing and retreating.
Best for: Spring touring, early starts, and anything on a firm morning surface.
What it costs you: Binding-specific. Check the fit against your exact binding model, not just the brand.
Grivel Ski Tour New-Matic Crampons
- Type:
- Boot crampons
- Binding:
- New-Matic
- Use:
- Bootpacking and ice
These go on the boot rather than the binding, for the section of a ski mountaineering objective where skinning stops and climbing starts. Different tool, different job, and confusing the two is a common and dangerous mistake.
Best for: Ski mountaineering with real bootpacks and firm couloirs.
What it costs you: Not a substitute for ski crampons and not a beginner purchase. Steep firm snow with crampons and no training in self-arrest is a serious hazard.
Specifications are the manufacturer's published figures, not measurements we took. Sizes, prices and stock change constantly, so confirm on the retailer page before buying. We earn commissions from Backcountry and from qualifying Amazon purchases, and every link on this page is one or the other. Where a Backcountry button reads "shop the category" it opens a search for that category rather than that exact model, so it finds comparable gear alongside it.
How we chose
We compared published plush material, pre-cut fit systems, tail and tip attachment hardware and stated width options across every skin here, then read verified owner reviews for glue longevity and for how well a pre-cut fit actually matches common ski shapes, since a skin cut for one brand's tip taper does not always suit another's.
We did not skin uphill on these products ourselves, and we never will. Grip and glide depend on snow temperature, track angle and skier weight in ways a single field test cannot generalise into advice for a stranger, so the responsible comparison is manufacturer-published material and construction, cross-referenced against a season or more of owner experience rather than one outing.
Sizing and trimming, the two things people actually get wrong
Width is chosen from the ski's widest point, almost always the tip, not the waist width printed on the topsheet. A skin narrower than the tip leaves the shovel of the ski bare, and a bare shovel loses grip precisely where it matters, climbing over a firm roll or on a track that refroze overnight. The skin size calculator works from your ski's stated tip width to get this right the first time rather than guessing.
The trim is the second detail worth getting right, whether it is done at a shop or with a home trimming tool: one to two millimetres of steel edge should remain visible along each side once trimmed. That exposed sliver of edge is what lets a ski hold a sidehill instead of skating sideways off a firmer traverse, and it is easy to trim away entirely if you are not deliberately leaving it.
Buying tips
- Buy pre-cut for your ski model if it exists. It removes the single most-botched job in touring and the fit is usually closer than a home trim from a universal roll.
- Start on nylon if you are new to touring. The grip forgives a badly set track while you are still learning, and you can move toward a mixed or mohair skin once your technique is solid.
- Fold glue to glue and keep skins off the snow. Wet glue picks up debris that ruins adhesion faster than normal wear does.
- Carry ski crampons once spring conditions start, not before. They are dead weight in soft powder and essential on a refrozen morning surface.
- Re-glue rather than replace when adhesion fades. A re-glue kit costs a fraction of a new pair and restores most of a worn skin's performance.
Where skins fit in the whole setup
Skins are the piece of a touring setup a resort skier never owns, and they show up on the first backcountry touring setup right alongside the beacon, probe and shovel, priced and linked with a running total. For the ski they attach to, see the touring ski roundup, and for the binding, the touring binding roundup. The skin size calculator turns your ski's dimensions into the width and length to buy.
Frequently asked questions
What is the actual difference between mohair and nylon skins?
The plush material. Nylon grips hardest, which forgives a badly set skin track and holds best on ice, but it glides the worst of the three options and absorbs the most water. Mohair glides significantly better, which matters on rolling terrain where you want to slide rather than lift with every stride, but it grips the least and wears out faster. A mohair and nylon mix splits the difference and is where most experienced tourers land after trying both extremes.
How do I choose the right skin width for my skis?
From the widest point of the ski, which is usually the tip, not the waist measurement printed on the topsheet. A skin cut to the waist width leaves the shovel bare, and a bare shovel loses grip precisely where you need it most, climbing over a firm roll or on a refrozen morning track. The skin size calculator on this site works from your ski's stated tip width for exactly this reason.
What is the trim supposed to look like when it is done correctly?
One to two millimetres of steel edge should show along each side of the ski once the skin is trimmed, which is what lets the ski hold a sidehill instead of washing out on firmer snow. Trimming flush with the edge or covering it entirely removes the ski's ability to grip on a traverse, which is a common mistake on a first pair of skins bought pre-cut or trimmed too aggressively at home.
How do I take care of skin glue so it lasts?
Keep skins off snow whenever they are folded or stored, since wet glue picks up debris that ruins adhesion. Dry them at room temperature after a tour rather than near a heater, since high heat degrades the glue faster than moisture does on its own. Fold glue to glue using the mesh or cheat sheets that come with most skins, and expect to re-glue every few seasons of regular use as the adhesive naturally loses tack.
What is a ski crampon and do I need one?
A ski crampon clamps onto the binding and bites into refrozen snow that a skin alone cannot hold, which describes the surface on almost any spring morning tour before the sun softens it. It weighs almost nothing in a pack and it is the difference between climbing a firm slope and turning around partway up it. It is not needed in soft midwinter powder, which is why it is often a second-season purchase rather than a first one.
Are ski crampons and boot crampons interchangeable?
No, and confusing the two is a real and sometimes dangerous mistake. A ski crampon clamps to the binding and is used while skinning uphill on the skis. A boot crampon goes on the boot itself for a section of bootpacking or climbing where skis come off entirely. They solve different problems in different parts of an objective and neither substitutes for the other.
How we choose: we compare published manufacturer specifications, published certification standards and verified owner reviews across retailers. We do not test equipment in person, and every figure quoted here is the manufacturer's published number unless we say otherwise. This is researched buying guidance and not professional instruction: binding release values are set by a certified technician on a calibrated jig, and avalanche terrain requires formal training and a current regional forecast that no article can replace.
