Product: FJELLTECH M44 Skin Skis
Price: $449.95
Store: Track n’ Trail
The FJELLTECH M44 Skin Skis are fantastic as they are multi-purpose! They have metal edges for backcountry skiing, and synthetic skin is placed on the middle underside of the ski to offer traction when climbing up hills. Note that the strip of skin is under the front part of the boot and not under the heel. This forces skiers to apply pressure on the front part of the boot in order to use the skin effectively. Glide wax is applied every one-hundred and forty kilometres to the tip and tail of the skis to provide a nice glide when skiing in the tracks. Grip wax isn’t required for these skis. These skin skis will encourage you to get outside and discover 10 Reasons to Love Cross-Country Skiing.
Our tester found that these skis can feel quick when the conditions are fast and the turns are sharp. This prevents a skier from maintaining control and inhibiting one to slow down to a comfortable speed. At Cooking Lake-Blackfoot, the double-tracked trails can be narrow, and the downhills sometimes have tracks and don’t offer space for snowplowing. This makes it challenging to create a pizza shape with the skis, which allows one to slow down and feel more confident in one’s abilities.
Tip: Placing a ski on the outer edge of the track will help gain some control.
A buyer will need to save up money for these skis as they are a bit pricey at $449.95. If you need new bindings or boots as well, this will add up to a lot more money.
Table of Contents
Skin in the Middle of the Ski
When skiing in tracks, skin skis are wonderful. They have non-removable skins built onto the skis. You don’t have to deal with a sticky skin, which is fantastic! The skin is lightweight. Applying grip wax that depends on snow temperatures is no longer required with the skin in the middle of the ski. Skin skis work in mild climates compared to grip wax skis that had the potential to accumulate snow in the middle of your ski if it’s too warm.
If skiing in the backcountry, a sticky heavy skin is useful as it offers more traction when climbing up hills in deep snow or for slowing down a skier to allow control when descending hills.
Metal Edges
The metal edges allow you to carve into the turns and plow with more control or while out backcountry skiing.
Glide Wax
A yearly glide wax can be put on by your ski retailer and the skier can add their own glide wax every one-hundred forty kilometres. It’s nice not to have to deal with sticky grip wax as I did with my non-skin skis or to have to apply it every time I went cross-country skiing. This glide wax which is liquid instead of solid needs to be applied much less often, which is wonderful!
How They Were Tested
Our tester used the skis when going down a steeper hill controlling themselves by carving the metal edges into the turns. They proceeded to go down a less steep hill while maintaining control. Our tester also used them while going uphill. They pressed their foot in the middle of the ski with the synthetic skin on the underside of the ski to create traction in the snow while climbing up the hill. It prevented the skier from backsliding or having to walk with their skis following a herringbone pattern to maintain grip. The glide wax at the tip and tail of the skis created an easy movement when gliding forward in the tracks.
Our tester used the skis in the following instances:
- going down a steeper hill
- going down a moderately steep hill
- going up a hill and then on flatter ground
Overview of FJELLTECH M44 Skin Skis
Pros
- It’s a multi-purpose ski for regular skiing and light backcountry skiing, climbing up hills and gliding nicely in the tracks.
- The glide wax only needs to be applied every one-hundred and forty kilometres instead of every outing for grip wax.
- It’s easier to stay in the tracks with the skin and not have to herringbone uphill while maintaining grip.
Cons
- The skis can feel fast in sharp corners if there is insufficient space to snowplow.
- They are expensive.
- It takes some practice to get used to skiing with skin skis, as the skin is under the forward part of the foot. One has to adjust applying weight on the front part of the boot when climbing hills.
FJELLTECH M44 Skin Skis are Best for:
- Providing additional control when going downhill using the metal edges.
- Mild climate.
- Skiers who like traction when going uphill.
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