climbingskinsdirect - quick review

**Poop~Ghost** · 11-13-2007, 05:47 PM

I wanted some wide ass skins (132mm) for my praxis - and for $99 / shipped - climbingskinsdirect offered a seamingly pretty good deal.

I got them in the mail promptly - and I was worried that the tip/tail would not fit the praxis... but that was not the case. They fit perfectly. I doubt they would fit the Moment shape in the tip or the tail.

The skins do not come w/ the mesh that ascension skins come with... which is a shame - as I felt that those mesh things did make a difference in the life of my skins before a reglue. The CSD.com skins are definitely thinner and lighter weight than ascentions... which may be why people have had durability issues w/ these in the past.

For about 1/3 less than the cost of ascension skins - these could be a nice skin - assuming you don't walk over alot of death cookies.

**workinforturns** · 03-31-2008, 07:31 PM

how are these skins holding up with your praxis? i have the same skis but dont want to spend 50% more on g3's.

**Arelius19** · 03-31-2008, 07:47 PM

Hmm…
Is the twin tip deal very effective and truly worth it? I'm getting a pair of twin tips that need some skins (previous skis that I had skins for were not twin tip)

And in your opinion would it be worth getting these over the ascensions in your mind?

**SchralphMacchio** · 04-01-2008, 12:23 AM

I bought the fatty skins with twin tip with stretchers and they have been working well on my splitboard. I've used them in heavy powder, breakable crust, and corn and they've met expectations. Glide seems reasonably good on flat corn and crust - I seem to be able to descend faster/farther than other people on my skins, but maybe that's because I'm pretty damn light.

The skin material is the older ascension material, before BD switched from the purple stuff to the orange stuff.

You have to fold over the skin at the tip and tail to hold in the metal loops, and depending on how much you fold over (depending on how much variability in size you want to leave for a second longer/shorter set of skis to use the skins for) it creates a gap where some ice and snow can get between the skin and the base but it hasn't really bothered me at all - mainly because the twin tip loops hold the skin so well to the board. If you don't have a squaretail the twin tip is just a lot more convenient, way better than those stupid clips that always seem to come off of the ski. It's really easy with the tip stretcher to apply the skins.

It doesn't come with the plastic mesh, but you can go to your local craft store and pick some up for $2. Not a bad investment for cold days - unfolding my skins is a royal beeeyatch sometimes because I don't have the mesh stuff.

The price is unbeatable and the customer service is stand-up.

I give a recommendation for them.

**macmahoooon** · 04-01-2008, 02:45 PM

Have a pair of CSD skins and have done well so far. The twin tip loops and tip stretcher are easy to put on and hold solidly in place. The lack of a skin saver isn't that big a deal, and for patrollers, getting a short length of orange closed tape from the patrol stash is a great substitute.

**workinforturns** · 04-01-2008, 06:26 PM

hey so a question for you more knowledgable skin owners about these CSD products.
I have a set of 195 praxis and 192 bros. im thinking that in order to make a skin that will be able to fit both of the skis i would need to add these:

http://www.bdel.com/gear/sts_kit.php

to any skin from: https://www.climbingskinsdirect.com/

this would made the tail strap adjustable so i might be able to use them for both skis.

What do you guys think?

**XtrPickels** · 04-01-2008, 06:39 PM

Originally Posted by workinforturns

hey so a question for you more knowledgable skin owners about these CSD products.
I have a set of 195 praxis and 192 bros. im thinking that in order to make a skin that will be able to fit both of the skis i would need to add these:

http://www.bdel.com/gear/sts_kit.php

to any skin from: https://www.climbingskinsdirect.com/

this would made the tail strap adjustable so i might be able to use them for both skis.

What do you guys think?

That would probably work... but keep this is mind...
I got a pair of 140mm ascensions from Summit for $120 bucks. I dunno what they have left but they might be able to style you out locally

**workinforturns** · 04-01-2008, 07:09 PM

word, thanks man

**Game Over** · 01-31-2009, 08:30 PM

i just recieved my order and i was less than happy

i ordered 130mm skins
i got 150 mm skins missing 1/3 of the glue

after trimming i get 80mm glue 50mm non glue. WTF?

and to boot i have to pay for shipp to get the order right?

oh and no mention that i can see about the missing glue.

**Spats** · 01-31-2009, 08:43 PM

Originally Posted by steepconcrete

i ordered 130mm skins
i got 150 mm skins missing 1/3 of the glue

Ascension leaves an unglued strip in the middle of all its wide skins, and has for years. This is so that it's still possible to pull them apart. I don't know about G3 or BCA.

It sucks that they sent you the wrong size, though.

**addict** · 01-31-2009, 09:31 PM

MY CSD skins are definitely far inferior to ascensions. Maybe similar in quality to G3 skins? Got them for price, but the glue is not nearly as good, and the pile seems to shed significantly. I don't like the tip and tail system, and am riveting on a G3 tail and getting different loops. To have an elastic tip just means snow packs in easier from the front and builds slowly backwards as you tour. They definitely have trouble sticking to skis. Their service was prompt though.

Edit - bottom line: they are serviceable, but not ideal. Ascension skins are definitely the leader IMO.

**Trainwreck** · 01-31-2009, 09:38 PM

Sweet dude, you got skins. Lets make some turns again.

**Spats** · 02-01-2009, 04:34 AM

addict: If you have twintips, try putting the stretcher on the tail of the ski and the plain ring on the tip.

**MultiVerse** · 02-01-2009, 08:30 AM

I’ve had good luck with my Climbing_Skins_Direct skins (it might not matter, but I apply the supplied wax semi-regularly) as well as Ascensions but getting them dialed is a pain so the new BD skin clamp clips look interesting. It just bites into the skin and it might also be adjustable for width as well:

**Cosmic Suncloud** · 02-01-2009, 10:15 AM

the new bd skins for fat skis have a spilt design.....like 2 parrellel strips of skin

and the old sts system sucks ass

**Game Over** · 02-01-2009, 01:48 PM

ive never had skins over 100mm before. seems the missing glue would totally let snow under the skins and lead to me to get pissed off.

**Jer** · 02-01-2009, 03:06 PM

Originally Posted by steepconcrete

ive never had skins over 100mm before. seems the missing glue would totally let snow under the skins and lead to me to get pissed off.

How would it get under the skins? I've never had a problem with CSD or Ascension skins (they both have an "un-glued" strip down the middle.

I got some CSD twin tip skins for my Praxis Powders just like Poop*Ghost. They work great. In fact - for twin tips, I like them better than Ascension STS's.

**Jonathan S.** · 02-01-2009, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by steepconcrete

seems the missing glue would totally let snow under the skins and lead to me to get pissed off.

I've never had or heard of a problem like this, but you can always just remove the tape to expose the glue underneath (i.e., the entire skin has glue, and then an easily removable smooth strip is applied down the center).

**snoboy** · 02-01-2009, 06:36 PM

The CSD skins don't have tape over glue, there is simply an unglued strip.

**Jonathan S.** · 02-01-2009, 06:37 PM

Sorry, my fault, I should have been more specific: I was referring only to BD skins. (I have no first-hand experience with CSD skins.)

**SkiboyJ** · 02-02-2009, 02:27 PM

I have the BD Ascension STS 130mm skins and no problem with the glueless strip down the middle. They have worked great the past 2 weekends on 2.5 & 4 mile tours in ME. Glue sticks great and doesn't let anything in. Also, I'm 99% sure, the glueless strip is exactly that...glueless, not just tape over glue. They're up at my ski house, so I can't check until this weekend.

**Jonathan S.** · 02-02-2009, 02:30 PM

Originally Posted by SkiboyJ

I have the BD Ascension STS 130mm skins and no problem with the glueless strip down the middle. They have worked great the past 2 weekends on 2.5 & 4 mile tours in ME. Glue sticks great and doesn't let anything in. Also, I'm 99% sure, the glueless strip is exactly that...glueless, not just tape over glue. They're up at my ski house, so I can't check until this weekend.

Unless they've changed the design in the last couple seasons, I have three pairs of purple and two pairs of orange, and have helped setup another two pairs of orange, and all of those Ascensions have had a taped-over strip, not a truly glueless strip.

**XXX-er** · 02-02-2009, 05:19 PM

I trimmed a set of the orange 130mm BD's last fall and I was able to pull the tape off of the skin on the leftover skin scraps ...it was just glue under that tape like JS sez .IMO This is good cuz say you are in the middle of nowhere on a hut trip or a traverse and it gets super cold , if the skins don't have enough stick you could just pull that ribbon off and have fresh glue

I think BD should put a hash mark on that ribbon every 1/4 inch ,it would cost nothing but it would make sizing the skins to the ski a little easier ...especialy if you are using the skins on more than 1 ski

**SkiboyJ** · 02-03-2009, 10:51 AM

Mine are brand new(from backcountry.com), so I'll double check the glueless strip this weekend.

**1000-oaks** · 02-03-2009, 06:05 PM

I got a pair of CSD skins for 190 Sumos but haven't tried them yet.

TIP - don't cut the tabs according to the template until you see if the skins are long enough for your skis. To fit the 190s, make the tail tab about 6cm instead of the 12cm on the template and adjust from there, otherwise you won't have enough length to make a tab for the hoop at the tip. I made this mistake on the first skin but CSD was kind enough to replace it for me, since I only trimmed one end per the template. Hopefully they revise the instructions.

Anyone try soaking CSD skins with Scotchguard water repellent spray prior to waxing, since they don't come with a DWR coating?