The Best Climbing Skins of 2024-2025

Kick. Glide. Kick. Glide. Repeat. That’s the experience you’ll have when you choose the Contour Guide Pure ($200-220) as your daily magic carpet. These glue-based skins made of 100% mohair offer the perfect balance between grip and glide, so we can go further more efficiently.

As our go-to skin for almost every day in the mountains over the past 5 years, we’ve tested these in deep cold smoke pow of the Sawatch Range to the super steep switchbacks of the always intimidating Teton Range. And, regardless of the temp, weather, or terrain, these skins always kept us on point for our summit goal.

Though these skins are the most lightweight on our list, we were surprised at their overall durability. Even though we skinned over ice, slush, debris, and mud (yep – we’re those people who are so antsy for winter that we start skinning in October), and we threw them in a truck bed filled with dog hair, we didn’t notice any unusual tears or impact on stickiness.

Because of their pliable material and minimalist hardware, these skins pack away and roll into a compact package that can be stowed inside a jacket pocket. This is perfect if you’re just doing a quick, pack-less dawn patrol lap at your local ski hill or if, like us, you stick your skins in your jacket to keep them warm in between multiple backcountry laps.

Of course, they’re not perfect. The tail attachments could use a little attention. Contour uses a “heat weld” method of attaching the tailpiece instead of installing a rivet or sewing it to the skin. Heat welding saves on weight, but it compromises durability. More than once over the past few years, we’ve pulled the tail attachment fully off the skin when transitioning.

In fairness, this has happened after extended use, but it’s pretty inconvenient and usually means the end of the day or switching to the backup skins we usually have in our packs. We have modified the Contours to avoid this issue by adding our own rivets.

However, we would love it if Contour would address this at a company level. One other note: the carpet (the colored part that touches the snow) of 100% mohair skins will not last as long as 100% nylon versions or even hybrid options, so if you don’t mind compromising on glide for a skin that will last longer than you, try the Black Diamond Ascension Nylon.

As the first company to use mohair in climbing skins, Contour is certainly an expert in the field and is known for creating high-quality products. If you’re looking for a daily climbing skin that performs well on lengthy, demanding tours and won’t fail regardless of the conditions, the Guide Pure is a valuable piece of gear to add to your backcountry quiver.

The legend continues with the skins that started it all, the Ascension Nylon Climbing Skins ($190) from Black Diamond. These durable, heavy-duty skins, which offer maximum grip on the climb and a solid amount of glide, are a favorite of many backcountry enthusiasts, and for good reason.

Made of 100% nylon, these glue-based skins work well in all weather conditions.  We’ve used them in ice storms, rain, hail, single-digit temps, and feet of fresh powder, and the Ascensions have never failed us. Even when we used them daily during a Wyoming cold snap (it went down to -10), they stuck to our skis and kept “snow creep” at bay. They even endured a few rips on those frigid days and kept sticking. Plus, the durable riveted tip and tail attachments are easy to use and will endure years of wear and tear.  

This reliability is part of what sets the BDs apart. Other options like the Contour Hybrid Mix start to lose their stickiness when the mercury drops to single digits, and they certainly won’t endure more than one rip at those temps. Others have tip and tail attachments that we have ripped apart during normal use and, therefore, can’t totally trust.  

When we’re miles into the backcountry, we need to know our skins will work no matter what the weather, snow conditions, or terrain. This proven reliability is why we carry a pair of the BD Ascensions in our pack as a backup on every big ski tour we take (if they’re not on our skis!).

Our only real complaints about these skins come as a result of their durability and grip. Their mega grip means you can climb up steeper terrain, but there is a bit less glide, decreasing our efficiency over the long haul. Their durable nylon is bulkier and heavier than less husky nylons. We couldn’t roll these up and shove them in our jacket pocket like we could with Contour Guide Pure.  

Another complaint you’ll hear among users is that they are very challenging to rip apart during transitions. Again, this is because of the bomber glue that makes them so reliable.

If you’re a backcountry lover with a “one-skin does-it-all mentality,” then the BD Ascensions are ideal. Those who are hard on gear and prioritize durability and grip over going light and fast should look no further than the truest, tested climbing skin in the game. The Ascensions will perform when you need them most and they’ll deliver years and years of hard-charging days in the mountains and are sure to outlast your aging knees.

With the Pomoca Climb Pro S-Glide’s ($220-240) perfect blend of mohair and nylon, glue-based backing, and a working moisture barrier, these climbing skins are taking the market by snowstorm. Hybrid skins combine mohair and nylon to maximize grip, durability, water resistance, and glide, and these perform on all counts.

Even on steep terrain, they grip the snow well with minimal slippage, so we could navigate to places other skins won’t go. Though they glide a little less freely than the Contour Guide Pure, we still moved across the snow steadily and only noticed a difference on the longest of days where efficiency is critical.

The S-Glides are heavy-duty skin in a lightweight, packable package. And, they come with a thin rubber moisture barrier to boot. We’ve taken these skins touring in nailing-biting temperatures and variable conditions and they haven’t failed us (in terms of not sticking to our skis) yet. Still, we noticed the magic of the moisture barrier most on our long springtime ascents; for example, one day in April on Mount Shavano (a Colorado fourteener), the snow got heavy and wet much earlier in the morning than we expected.

Our climbing partners had major snow buildup under their skis, and their skins were soaked through with moisture, while ours didn’t have any buildup, and our skins didn’t soak up as much moisture as the competitors. This made for much more skinning and less slogging.

Our only real issue during testing was the tail attachment ripping out after a short use time. Similar to the Contour Guide Pure, there can be an issue when brands focus on saving weight here. In this case, Pomoca sews the attachment on, which doesn’t provide the strength to create a durable attachment point that will last hundreds of rips. (We have ultimately put our own rivets through most climbing skins so that we don’t rip off the tail attachments, which is an option for you, too.)

The S-Glide Pro is a reliable, performance-driven addition to Pomoca’s rainbow of colors. It’s glue-based adhesive, combo of grip and glide, and reliability leave you with nothing more to worry about than how you’ll rip the descent. Perfect if you’re a casual uphiller who does a couple of laps on the ski hill or if you’re an adrenaline junkie skiing the highest peaks around.

Simple, yet innovative; that’s how we describe the G3 Alpinist + Glide ($211-229) in a nutshell. These heavy-duty, durable climbing skins grip incredibly well and have a few interesting innovations that make them unique.

At first glance, some of these innovations make the skin look odd. For example, the innovative plastic tip attachment resembles a fishtail at the top of your skin. Despite its weird appearance, it greatly minimizes “snow creep” (snow working its way under your skin and eventually undermining its ability to stick to your skis) as you glide through deep powder. Unfortunately, the chunk of stiff plastic also makes the skin very bulky and decreases packability.

The elongated tail attachment is made of rubber, which is better in the cold than plastic and offers an increased grip for pulling your skin off during transitions. So far, the tip and tail attachments have performed well and stayed attached, but we will continue testing this season to determine longevity. One place we did have an issue, however, was the top sheet-mounted tail connectors. Though a great concept in theory, we snapped the plastic attachment after the first few cold days of us, rendering it completely useless. (Hey, ski manufacturers! Stop using plastic. It’s cold outside.)

We have had trouble with G3 skin glue in the past, but this glue performs well. After many uses in all conditions and temps, these skins stay attached to our ski bases with no slippage or glue residue issues.

As their name suggests, G3 markets these skins as “optimized for glide.” However, we definitely didn’t feel this during any of our tours. They’re extremely powerful on the uphill; it almost feels like you have four-wheel drive and can go anywhere. But, this amount of grip compromises our ability to glide forward. Our ability to glide in the Alpinist + Glide feels more comparable to the 100 % nylon Black Diamond Ascensions than other hybrid skins.

Overall, the G3 Alpinist + Glide climbing skins are a good option for recreational skiers looking for an innovative design that is durable and will propel them over a range of terrain.

Rip with ease when you choose a pair of the Contour Hybrid Mix Climbing Skins ($200-220). Unlike other skins, the Contour Hybrids don’t stick together like crazy, and it’s also incredibly easy to rip them off your skis.

So, what’s different? With this hybrid technology, Contour moves away from the traditional glue-based adhesive and replaces it with a proprietary blend that combines two types of adhesives: one on the outside that sticks the skin to the ski and another behind it that adheres that outward-facing glue layer to the skin itself.

Contour released this hybrid technology in 2012, so it’s not new, but we’ve only seen these skins widely available in the US for a few years. This hybrid adhesive makes skins easier to remove from your skis and easier to pull apart between uses, making transitions quick and effortless and appealing to users of all abilities and experience levels.

This also means easier cleaning and refreshes. If you’ve ever scraped dog hair, tree sap, or pine needles off a glue-based skin, you know it’s almost impossible. Well, scrape no more. Simply wash these at home using soap and warm water (or Contour’s cleaning solution) to remove debris and refresh stickiness. Other than the glue, there’s not much that’s unique about this model. They use the same tip and tail attachment as most other leading Contour models with that “heat weld” technology securing the adjustable tail attachment.

But, if they don’t stick to each other or your skis, how well will they actually perform? Unfortunately, during our testing, they failed often and early. In temps above 25, they stuck well. But, anything colder, especially single digits and lower, the skins didn’t stick well. Sometimes, the lack of stickiness allowed snow to creep in, while other times, the adhesive completely detached, and our skin fell off mid-climb.

Even in warmer temps, when we did multiple laps, the adhesive would get less and less secure with each rip. It’s not fun to be on pins and needles in the backcountry wondering if your skins are going to get you to the next rise, and this is often how we felt.

If you do use these, be extra vigilant about keeping them, and your bases, snow and ice-free. We also recommend bringing a pair of backup skins just in case.

After years of testing the Contour Hybrid Mix, we’ve decided these are best for the laid-back skier who enjoys a casual fair-weather tour with friends. They’re easy to handle, packable, and offer a good amount of glide, but they aren’t grippy enough for steeper terrain and can’t be relied on for long adventures or in stormy or cold weather (when we most want to be skiing).