I've put a lot more use on these since I wrote my initial impressions a couple weeks ago. Over the last 2 days I put about 13mi/20k miles on these skins in the Cascades in very wet snow, route-finding and putting in new skin track through below-treeline alpine terrain. It included a lot of downhill with skins on because we had to hack around through the trees a fair amount. I was very satisfied with them and mostly concur, with a couple of additional notes:
Note: It is important to note that the separator sheet is only about 18in/45cm long, so it is not hard to tuck into a pocket or into the stuff sack. I had the exact same thought about the color. Just about anything but clear, black, or brown would be better.
Plus Plus!: They weighed the same at the top of the pass after 7 miles of skinning in 38F/3C rain as they did when I started.
Minus: The tail hook is simple, but as I noted in my own review a short while ago, they loosen a little too easily. You can't just set it and forget it. I had to adjust it on the tour a couple times, as well as in the morning. Maybe it is the strap either slipping or stretching when it is wet?
Plus: Part of our route included a groomed downhill road (not long enough to want to take the skins off). As I glided by (slowly), one of my partners on traditional skins said, "I'm feeling kind of jealous about now." They also seemed less grabby, more predictable, and with relatively good control when skiing down short stretches
Needs watching: The creases in at the fold "hinges" don't stay flat on the ski if you are not standing on them. I did not experience any bad ice buildup under the skin, but I will have to see what happens as the glue gets more worn.
Minus: I highly doubt they are re-gluable
Overall I really like them! I agree that this is an innovative product that has some real advantages. I have zero regrets taking a chance on them. My major questions are mostly about durability:
Will the folds tear or break?
How will the glue last?
Mohair, synthetic and blended fibres all have their own unique grip/glide properties when it comes to climbing skins, and backcountry skiers are polarized into several camps as to which is the best option. There’s a new contender in the climbing skin market that falls into none of these categories: the Fischer ProFoil. Notice that Fischer doesn’t even call the ProFoil a skin. That’s because it’s not. It’s a piece of textured plastic that adheres to the base of your skis just like a skin, except there’s no hair involved, of any kind. Think cross country fish scaled pattern, and you’re on the right track. In fact, Fischer developed the ProFoil through what they learned from years of perfecting the technology used in their cross country skis.
