Skins adhesive not so adhesive when wet

This bears repeating: DUCT TAPE, DUCT TAPE, DUCT TAPE! Or something similar. Wax products will only help you in a narrow range of conditions, and you can't affix your boot to a broken binding (make a splint, repair a coat, etc.) with Nikwax...

Straps doing double duty are good, too. You won't have that soaking wet problem very often...drying the ski surface with a bandanna and hanging those wet skins off your poles/skis, in the wind can help alot, too.

Never liked the BD tail fix system, tends to drag too much. Then again, I don't like BD stuff in general...overpriced and poorly made!

I REALLY like the idea of using Voile straps if all else fails to keep the skins and glue dry. I'm embarassed I didn't think of that, although I only had the one that I use to strap ski tips together when boot climbing.

Be aware that if you DO have to resort to Voile straps, you shouldn't expect the same performance that your skins would provide if the glue was working properly. Adhesive skins held on with straps are no longer adhesive skins--they're strap-on skins.

Strap-on skins were common in the 1970s when I started backcountry skiing. They don't edge nearly as well as adhesive skins on hard snow. The skins, being secured at just one or two points along the length of the ski, will shift around as snow works between the skin and the ski. It helps to have the skins well-tensioned (tip to tail) and to stamp the skis on the snow in a way that minimizes side-to-side movement. It's not ideal, but it's much better than having no skins at all.

Good takeaways, tree.  BTW, my remark about skiing in the rain wasn't a poke at you but at myself and Marcus who- ahem - have been known to ski in the rain from time to time.

There is no rain in the PNWet -- it is all powder snow -- Utah has 4% water content powder, Mt Baker has 13% water content powder and Snoqualmie Pass often has 100% water content powder!

Thumbs up for STS versus other clips. Not only you can field-retension them as Mofro says, but the adjustment range from the strap notches helps to multi-purpose skins so that you can use them on multiple pairs of skis. Very useful when you screw up and bring the wrong match of ski-skin on a trip. Can get even more adjustment range if you have non-sewn tip loops. And for 11 bucks you can retro any skin to STS.

On the cases I've needed it I have never had edges cut thru the duct tape but then again I don't usually keep edges on touring skis all that sharp. I'm more likely to cut myself on an overtuned edge than I am to ever need that extra degree of edge-in for most tours I do where wet skins are also a possible issue.

My next time up I'm going to A) have my skins waxed with Nikwax...

I've had pretty good luck over the years using

as a poor man's substitute for Nikwax. Helps keep skins from getting water saturated in the summer and pretty much eliminates the snow stcking to the bottom of the skins in the winter. Also seems to improve skin glide a bit.

Ron J,

Curious.
Have you been doing that for an extended period of time with the same set of skins?

I've had pretty good luck over the years using

as a poor man's substitute for Nikwax. Helps keep skins from getting water saturated in the summer and pretty much eliminates the snow stcking to the bottom of the skins in the winter. Also seems to improve skin glide a bit.