Washing your technical clothes, cleaning your ski boots and crampons, and drying your climbing skins properly is very important to store your gear at optimal conditions after a long day on the slopes. In this article, we will share some tips to take the best care of your skins.
Let’s start from the basics: after your tour, you will need to pack your skins into their cover. To do so, you can stick them together on the glue side. You can also fold them individually. Start from the top and fold them toward the middle, then do the same with the bottom side– this is the easiest and most efficient way to avoid folding them offset or unevenly. Remember to immediately take them out of their case as soon as you get home.
Ideally, you will need to use a cheat sheet every time you pack your skins. When this is not possible, stick the skins together. Keep any exposed glue away from snow, dirt, and any material that could damage them.
Once home, it will be time to dry your skins. Remove them from their case and lay them flat or hang them somewhere warm but not close to any heat source or exposed to direct sunlight. Make sure the area is not dusty! Let them air dry overnight and, once fully dry, cover them with a cheat sheet and fold them back. Cheat sheets are essential to protect your skins from dirt, extend the glue’s lifespan, and easily attach them when it’s time to hit the slopes.
To perfectly fold them, follow the instructions you can download for free from Contour’s website: lay the skins flat and stick a cheat sheet on the top half. Fold the bottom half over and stick it evenly with no air bubbles, aligning both sides perfectly. Fold them again and stash them in a bag or case.
Check out Contour’s download page for additional care instructions.
Cover photo: Sean Sullivan Black Diamond
