The GlideLite Mix skins from Black Diamond are for skiers who want the most reliable glue in a more manageable form than the Ascensions. The skins are lighter, have better glide, and are more packable than the nylons. Made with 65% mohair, the mix offers 65% of the glide benefit of natural goat fibers. BD placed them on a thinner, more supple backing so you have a better chance of fitting them in your jacket. The resulting skin is a couple ounces lighter than a comparable nylon. The strongest glue on the market keeps them attached to your skis. Buy the skins by the centimeter and affix with your favorite tips.
- 65% mohair and 35% nylon blends grip, glide, and durability.
- BD Gold Label adhesive is a top secret formula that just works.
- Packable design takes up 20% less space than nylon skins.
- 60g lighter than similar models of Ascension skins.
Enter your desired length in the quantity field, remembering you probably have two skis to cover.
ORDERING NOTE: These skins are sold by the centimeter (cm), meaning you should type in the Qty field the length (in cm) of skin you want for one ski “times two” for a PAIR. Unless you are making a backup skin, then just times it by one.
Questions & Reviews
2/13/2021
Can I cut the skins lengthwise to use on my cross country skies? The skies are 5 cm wide.
2/13/2021
Thanks for your question, Susan. You can definitely cut the skin lengthwise! Please let us know if we can help you with anything else.
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So, let's start with the good:
1. These are off the roll, which saves some cash, allows you to pick your tips, and even cut them short for your toddler's new setup.
2. BD glue is pretty good, takes glue touch ups well, and generally is sticky without being "Call for a SAR, I just tore my bicep getting my skins apart in -10F temps."
3. The performance of BD skins is like a Starbucks Latte: predictable, decent for the price (but a better deal off the roll as sold here), and without any pretense.
The bad:
1. They aren't the classic mohair "all black everything" that BD used to make. I have used many skins for many years, and *that* was a skin.
2. They aren't as hydrophobic as one might like, which means, keep 'em waxed, stash 'em in your jacket when skiing, and scrape them on the 'track to keep glop at bay.
3. Not wide enough for a splitboard as sold here (110mm)
1. These are off the roll, which saves some cash, allows you to pick your tips, and even cut them short for your toddler's new setup.
2. BD glue is pretty good, takes glue touch ups well, and generally is sticky without being "Call for a SAR, I just tore my bicep getting my skins apart in -10F temps."
3. The performance of BD skins is like a Starbucks Latte: predictable, decent for the price (but a better deal off the roll as sold here), and without any pretense.
The bad:
1. They aren't the classic mohair "all black everything" that BD used to make. I have used many skins for many years, and *that* was a skin.
2. They aren't as hydrophobic as one might like, which means, keep 'em waxed, stash 'em in your jacket when skiing, and scrape them on the 'track to keep glop at bay.
3. Not wide enough for a splitboard as sold here (110mm)
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1/11/2021
I am making kicker skins for Backcountry XC skis to replace my BD glidelite mix discontinued, :( , my skis are 65 cm waist. what can you recommend for replacement, if I halved these fatties id be a little too narrow 55mm , ??? what other skin has all purpose every condition very good glue?
1/11/2021
Hey Nicole, I would look at the Pomoca Race Pro Grip skin material. Those come in a 62mm width, which I think should be just fine for your skis, and they've got great grip!
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4/19/2020
I am looking for a replacement for my old purple ascension skins that will fit on my rossi 125 bc's and a some Kahru Jills amongst others of similar width. I admit I've been using my @20 year old 60 cm width skins all season going up and down the mountains behind my house but suddenly the black backing started ripping off the skin. Woe is me this new world of skins is confusing. The tip on my old purple skins is just a rectangular metal loop (inside measures 64 1/4 x 12 cm). What you recommend to replace them with :( Although they were much narrower than the skis they worked well enough to climb my slopes and here in Wyoming there is usually wind packed snow or powder, rarely ice so I think that is part of why they worked. If I could replace that black backing I'd happily continue on until the last fibers fell off the front but instead I need something new. Thanks!
4/20/2020
Claudia, your backyard sounds awesome! Unfortunately there aren't any products around to replace the backing on those old Black Diamond skins. If you plan on re-using the tip connector from your old skin, the black diamond GlideLite Mix sold per cm would be a great option and an upgrade. If you would like to buy a new tip I would point you toward the Black Diamond Adjustable tip loop, here. Assuming you have been skinning without any tail attachment I would also recommend looking at Black Diamonds GlideLite mix skin kit, here. The kit comes with everything you need including an edge trimmer since you will have to trim excess width. Both are good options but would encourage you to buy the GlideLite mix skin kit because it has everything assembled. When looking at sizes, I recommend buying a skin that is as wide as the widest point of the tail. If you have any more questions or concerns feel free to email us at help@skimo.co.
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In general, I'm not a BD fan, but this skin material is the best bang for the buck, in terms of durability, glide, and weight. I made custom skins for my SkiTrab Magicos, to be used for late season enduro tours. They performed really well in wet, sloppy junk. I do hot wax and brush them before every long tour. Skimo set me up with the tips. I messed up and ordered a little short, but was able to make them work. I have another pair of Glidelite skins with the BD tip and tail kits, but they fell apart quickly, so I recommend going the custom way.
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12/19/2018
Does it have glue on the entire surface of the skin or only the sides of the skin?
12/20/2018
Hi June, this material has glue on the entire surface of the skin.
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6/10/2018
Will you be selling the 125 mm width of the Black Diamond Glidelite in the future?
Best regards,
Gordon Bedford
Best regards,
Gordon Bedford
6/11/2018
Hey Gordon! No promises on future availability but we have definitely carried it in the past and had great success with it (the reason why it's sold out) so I'd imagine we'll be seeing it back in stock shortly, but quite possibly at the beginning of next season.
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9/16/2016
is this available Black Diamond mohair mix by cm ?
Thanks
Thanks
9/16/2016
Hi Pierre, unfortunately we are not able to get any more of this skin by the meter.
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2/5/2016
Just to confirm these are sold by the centimeter not millimeter like the Pomoca skins?
2/5/2016
Nevermind its in the title and the Pomoca skins are per cm as well.
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I have these on a couple pairs of skis, in an experiment to see whether they really are "the best of both worlds" in nylon vs. mohair. Through last season, it's clear they glide better and I'm not noticing any deficiencies in grip (on the wall-to-wall cut pair, as you might expect). Out of the bag, the plush feels very different than nylon, and much closer to mohair, which would make sense given their composition. They are a touch lighter and more flexible, but with the standard BD tip/tail attachments, and the standard BD glue, I'm not noticing much difference in use. At the very least I can say they have no noticeable deficiencies over BD nylon skins, and they show no signs of wearing out with plenty of mileage. Overall, what you would expect from good skins: if they're doing their job, you won't even notice they're there.
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