The Best Climbing Skins: 4 Compared (and One to Skip)

RBE top pick

Pomoca Tour Pro

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The Tour Pro's mohair blend gives better glide than nylon while keeping reliable grip, and Pomoca publishes a real per-skin weight. The Escapist gets you a durable nylon skin with excellent tip hardware for a lower price and fits several pairs of skis.

Climbing skins are the strips of plush you stick to your ski bases so you can walk uphill, and they decide how much effort every stride costs. The choice comes down to the plush (nylon, mohair or a blend), how the skin fits your ski, how the tip and tail attach, and how well the glue holds in the cold. We compared four current skins from four makers: two we would buy, one that suits a specific kind of tourer, and one popular skin we would pass on. Every spec here comes from the maker's own page.

RBE top pick

Pomoca

Pomoca Tour Pro

Buy it

A Swiss-made 65% mohair, 35% nylon skin that Pomoca lists at 224 g per skin and sells as a quick-trim Ready2climb set.

Best for: Regular ski tourers who cover long distances and want better glide without giving up dependable grip.

$$$ · premium

Why we like it

• The 65/35 mohair and nylon blend aims for the middle of the glide and grip trade-off, which suits long days and multi-day tours.
• Pomoca lists 224 g per skin for a 110 mm by 170 cm piece, the clearest weight figure in this group.
• The Ready2climb set has an adjustable tip loop and, per Pomoca, can be cut to a specific ski in about two minutes without special tools.

Know before buying

• It sits in the premium tier, the most expensive skin in this group.
• Mohair blends generally give up some grip to nylon on steep, firm skin tracks.
• The product page does not name the adhesive or describe the Ready2climb tail attachment in detail.
• Mohair fibres tend to wear faster than nylon, so heavy-use skiers may replace them sooner.

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G3

G3 Escapist Universal

Buy it

A cut-to-length nylon plush skin with G3's self-aligning steel tip hands, a trim tool and skin savers in the box.

Best for: First-time tourers and anyone who may move the skins between several pairs of skis on a tighter budget.

$$ · mid-range

Why we like it

• You set the length and trim the edges yourself, so one size covers skis up to 175 cm (S) or up to 200 cm (L).
• The 100, 120 and 140 mm widths use G3's self-aligning stainless steel hands, which G3 says fit any ski tip shape.
• Nylon plush, a PFC-free waterproofing treatment, a removable rip strip, a trim tool and skin savers are all listed.

Know before buying

• Nylon plush glides less freely than a mohair or mohair blend skin.
• Setup takes more work than a fixed-length skin because you cut both the length and the edges.
• G3 lists weights only as ranges (226 to 432 g for the long size), so the exact weight for your width is unclear.
• The 50 and 70 mm widths drop the steel hands for a simple metal tip loop.

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Kohla

Kohla Alpinist PRO Universal

It depends

A 100% mohair skin from Tyrol in a universal length, with an interchangeable tip buckle, T-Bar 95 and the MultiClip tail.

Best for: Fit, efficient tourers who value glide on long approaches and rarely skin steep icy tracks.

$$ · mid-range

Why we like it

• Kohla specifies 100% mohair, the plush type built for the most glide per stride.
• The interchangeable tip buckle, T-Bar 95 and MultiClip tail include a solution for twin-tip skis with rounded ends.
• Fiberseal Technology for water repellence and Smart Glue are listed, and the skin is described as fluorine and PFAS-free.

Know before buying

• Pure mohair grips less than nylon or a blend, which shows on steep or icy skin tracks.
• This universal version is listed in one 130 mm width and one 190 to 199 cm length only.
• Kohla does not publish a weight for this skin.
• Pure mohair is generally the least hard-wearing plush, so it suits careful owners more than heavy daily use.

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We'd skip it

Black Diamond

Black Diamond Ascension Skins

Skip it

A durable nylon fixed-length skin with Gold Label glue and an STS tail, offered in one 135 mm width.

Best for: Skiers who already own a pair and only need a like-for-like replacement for the same skis.

$$ · mid-range

Why we like it

• Nylon plush and Gold Label glue give strong, simple traction for new tourers.
• Tip and tail hardware come pre-fixed, so setup is mostly trimming the width.
• Black Diamond covers its products with a two-year warranty.

Know before buying

• Black Diamond lists 660 to 740 g by size, the heaviest figures in this group.
• Only one 135 mm width is offered, so there is no wider option for big freeride skis.
• Black Diamond's own Glidelite Tour is described as lighter, more packable and better gliding than the equivalent Ascension.
• The same page lists both 15 cm and 17 cm of STS tail adjustment, so check the fit before you trim.

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How we judged the field

Five things decide whether a climbing skin is a good buy. The plush matters most: nylon grips hard and lasts, mohair glides more freely, and blends split the difference. Fit comes next, because a skin has to cover the base between the edges and match your ski length. Then the tip and tail attachments, which hold the skin on when snow tries to creep underneath and decide how fast you can transition. Adhesive matters because glue that fails in the cold ends a tour. Finally, weight and packability, which you carry on every stride and in your pack on every descent.

The field splits into fixed-length skins with hardware already fitted, and cut-to-length or universal skins that you trim yourself. We picked a premium mohair blend, a value nylon skin you cut to length, a pure mohair skin for glide-focused tourers, and a popular nylon fixed-length skin that its own maker now outclasses.

The Pomoca Tour Pro is the skin we would put on most touring setups. Pomoca lists a 65% mohair, 35% nylon plush, which aims for the middle of the glide and grip trade-off: more glide than nylon on long approaches, more bite than pure mohair when the track steepens. It is also the one skin here with a clear published weight, 224 g per skin for a 110 mm by 170 cm piece. The Ready2climb version comes in widths from 100 to 140 mm and sizes from XS to XL, uses an adjustable tip loop, and Pomoca says it can be cut to a specific ski in about two minutes without special tools. EVER DRY 3.0 is a PFC-free water-resistance treatment, and the page also lists Pomoca’s GLIDE process, aimed at glide and anti-glopping. The trade-offs are price, a page that says little about the adhesive and tail, and the faster wear you can expect from any mohair-based plush. It is for regular tourers who rack up distance and want less effort per stride.

The G3 Escapist Universal is the value pick and a sensible first skin. It is a cut-to-length nylon plush skin: you set the length, trim the edges with the included G3 trim tool, and one size covers skis up to 175 cm (S) or up to 200 cm (L). On the 100, 120 and 140 mm widths you get G3’s self-aligning stainless steel hands, which G3 says fit any ski tip shape, plus a tail connector, a removable rip strip that makes the skins easier to pull apart, skin savers and a PFC-free waterproofing treatment. The catch is that nylon gives up some glide against a mohair blend, setup takes longer than a fixed-length skin, and G3 only lists weight as ranges, up to 432 g for the long size. The 50 and 70 mm widths drop the steel hands for a metal tip loop meant for skinny and nordic skis. It is for new tourers and anyone moving one pair of skins between several skis.

The Kohla Alpinist PRO Universal is a strong skin for one kind of skier. Kohla specifies 100% mohair, the plush built for glide, with Fiberseal Technology to keep the skin dry and Smart Glue for easy application and removal. The hardware is thoughtful: an interchangeable tip buckle and T-Bar 95 at the tip, the MultiClip System at the tail, and a solution for twin-tip skis with rounded ends. It comes in a universal length, listed at 190 to 199 cm, that you trim to size with the included template. The trade-offs are real, though. Pure mohair grips less than nylon or a blend, which you feel on steep or icy tracks, and it is generally the least hard-wearing plush. This universal version is listed in just one 130 mm width, and Kohla does not publish a weight. It suits fit, efficient tourers who spend long hours on gentle approaches and rarely fight for grip.

The Black Diamond Ascension is a familiar name with durable nylon plush, Gold Label glue that Black Diamond says sticks when needed and rips cleanly, pre-fixed tip and tail hardware, and an STS adjustable tail. It is easy to set up and backed by a two-year warranty. We would still skip it. Black Diamond lists it at 660 to 740 g by size, the heaviest figures in this comparison, and offers only one 135 mm width, so wide freeride skis have no wider option. The bigger problem is that Black Diamond’s own Glidelite Tour, a 50% mohair and 30% nylon skin, is described on its page as lighter, more packable and better gliding than the equivalent Ascension, for a modest step up. The Ascension page also lists both 15 cm and 17 cm of STS tail adjustment, so check the fit before you trim. It only makes sense as a like-for-like replacement on skis it already fits.

Pomoca Tour Pro vs G3 Escapist Universal: which should you buy?

The Pomoca Tour Pro and the G3 Escapist Universal take different routes to a good skin. The Tour Pro is about efficiency: its mohair blend glides more freely than nylon, it carries a light published per-skin weight, and the Ready2climb set is quick to cut. The Escapist is about durability, fit and price: nylon plush that grips hard and lasts, G3’s self-aligning steel tip hands, and a cut-to-length design that suits any ski up to 200 cm.

Choose the Tour Pro if you tour often, cover long approaches or do multi-day trips, where saved effort on every stride adds up. Choose the Escapist if you are starting out, ski steep skin tracks on firm snow, share skins across several skis, or want to spend less. Both use PFC-free waterproofing, so neither is a compromise on that front.

What to look for

• Plush material: Nylon grips and lasts best, mohair glides best, and a blend is the safest all-round choice for most tourers.
• Width: Buy a skin at least as wide as your ski’s widest point, then trim it so the steel edges stay exposed.
• Length system: Fixed-length skins are quicker to set up, while cut-to-length and universal skins fit any ski precisely.
• Tip attachment: Look for hardware that fits your ski’s tip shape securely, such as steel hands or an adjustable loop.
• Tail attachment: An adjustable tail clip or strap lets you tension the skin and fit twin-tips or rounded tails.
• Listed weight: Prefer makers that publish a clear weight per skin or per size, since you carry it on every stride.

Our final take

For most ski tourers, the Pomoca Tour Pro is the skin to buy: its mohair and nylon blend gives better glide than nylon while still gripping on the climbs, and Pomoca backs it with a clear per-skin weight and a quick-trim Ready2climb set. If you are new to touring, share skins between skis or want to spend less, the G3 Escapist Universal is a durable cut-to-length nylon skin with excellent tip hardware. Pick the Kohla Alpinist PRO Universal only if glide matters more to you than grip. Pass on the Black Diamond Ascension, which is heavier than its own Glidelite sibling. For the rest of your touring kit, see our avalanche beacon, probe and ski pole comparisons.

Deciding between the top two? See our head-to-head: Pomoca Tour Pro vs G3 Escapist Universal.

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