Hi,
I've been using nylon skins and trying to get a feel for mixed fiber. How do Contour Hybrid Mixed compare to Pomoca Free Pro 2? I see a glide measurement on Pomoca's site, but don't have anything to compare it to.
Also, what size would fit best for Salomon QST 99 (138-99-120) in length 181?
Thanks for the help!
Contour Hybrid Mix Skins
The Hybrid glue system from Contour solves the stickiest skin problem. That is designing a glue strong enough to adhere to the backing but not so strong that you can’t separate a skin from itself. Contour achieved this goal by using multiple layers of glue. An especially sticky formula rests against the skin which is covered in another layer of less tacky glue that keeps the interface manageable. The resulting Hybrid glue system is easy to use and reliable. It’s also easy to maintain, since you can simply wash the skin with detergent to refresh the stickiness. Attached to the fancy adhesives is a mix of fibers that also blend multiple goals: grip, glide, and durability. This is achieved with Contour’s signature mohair woven with some rugged nylon. The Hybrid Mix skins offer the benefits of newer glue formulas with the reliability of traditional fare.
- Hybrid glue technology offers good adhesion even in low temperatures.
- Glue is easy to pull apart and can be washed to refresh the tack.
- 65% mohair / 35% nylon blend is a good all-around fiber formula.
- Attached adjustable tail clips fit securely on just about any ski out there.
- A wire bail tip attachment keeps things simple and reliable.
- Two included cleaning wipes help refresh the adhesive side.
- Also includes a carry bag and a trimmer for customizing the side cut.
- Backing foil has a center strip for mess-free trimming.
* Please note the kits labeled Universal (without a length range) come without the tips attached so you can cut them to any length.
| Skin Size | Tip Bracket Width |
| 115mm | 85mm |
| 135mm | 95mm |
Update 2020/21: Contour changed out the tips to be sleek metal buckles that are permanently riveted on (previously they used Vario tip hardware with swappable buckles). They also changed to an offset-style cutter which doesn't require repositioning the skin between cuts like the previous letter opener.
| Specifications | |
| Weight per skin (with backing) | 312g [115mm x 169-176] |
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Questions & Reviews
11/3/2020
11/3/2020
Hi Reed, either will be much faster than your nylons! I feel the Contours glide a bit better than the Free Pros, and actually grip a touch more as well, especially in powder with the longer hairs. The Free Pros pack down smaller if that's your main criteria. I would grab the 135x 177-184s for that ski.
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10/29/2020
Hi there, I have 170mm Volkl 90eights (133-98-116). Which size would you recommend? Also, what is the 'Universal' option?
I also see that Contour Hybrid Mix skins come in a split version that doesn't require trimming - any downside to going that direction?
I also see that Contour Hybrid Mix skins come in a split version that doesn't require trimming - any downside to going that direction?
10/30/2020
acousticbiker,
Thanks for the great question! For the Hybrid Mix skins I would suggest the 115mm 169-176cm sizing for your skis. You will get full coverage through the tail for plenty of grip, and the bit of exposed base up front will increase glide without sacrificing grab on the uphill. The idea behind the split skins is to save on weight and to increase glide, but there is an inevitable loss of grip that comes along with that design. If speed is your top priority it could be an interesting option, but for steeper skin tracks, or to make sure you have proper grip I would stick with the traditional skins. Hope this helps!
Thanks for the great question! For the Hybrid Mix skins I would suggest the 115mm 169-176cm sizing for your skis. You will get full coverage through the tail for plenty of grip, and the bit of exposed base up front will increase glide without sacrificing grab on the uphill. The idea behind the split skins is to save on weight and to increase glide, but there is an inevitable loss of grip that comes along with that design. If speed is your top priority it could be an interesting option, but for steeper skin tracks, or to make sure you have proper grip I would stick with the traditional skins. Hope this helps!
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2/10/2020
Hi! :)
I have Alpina Discovery 102 Skis, they are 158cm back/cross-country skis.
Do you think these skins are a good match? If so, should I get the XS or S?
Thank you very much!!
I have Alpina Discovery 102 Skis, they are 158cm back/cross-country skis.
Do you think these skins are a good match? If so, should I get the XS or S?
Thank you very much!!
2/10/2020
Nyla,
The correct size for your skis would be the Small size (153-160cm) in the 115mm skin, which we are out of at the moment, but expecting more soon! I would check out the Pomoca Pro S-Glides (155-170cm length in the 100mm width), or the G3 Minimist (150-166cm 100mm width). Given the dimensions of your skis the 100mm width skins will be a better fit out of the box before trimming. Happy trails!
Patrick // Skimo Co
The correct size for your skis would be the Small size (153-160cm) in the 115mm skin, which we are out of at the moment, but expecting more soon! I would check out the Pomoca Pro S-Glides (155-170cm length in the 100mm width), or the G3 Minimist (150-166cm 100mm width). Given the dimensions of your skis the 100mm width skins will be a better fit out of the box before trimming. Happy trails!
Patrick // Skimo Co
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1/27/2020
Would the 169-177 length fit a 184cm DPS Wailer 112?
1/27/2020
Hi Kelly, that length will be a bit too short, but keep your eyes peeled for the imminent arrival of some more skins in the longer size!
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1/26/2020
Looking for these skins for my 180cm, Atomic Bent Chetler 100's (129.5-100-120). Assuming neither the 169-176, nor the 169-177 lengths will work? I could probably go with the 115, but the 135 would be better? Any idea when you might have them in stock? Thanks
1/27/2020
Hey Jon, the 169-177cm length *might* fit in a pinch, but if you wanted to be safe, we should have a shipment of Contours coming to Skimo Co shortly!
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1/22/2020
My Line Sakana's are 166cm long with 150-105-138 widths. Since they're swallowtails and the cutout is 11cm deep, I believe I should get the 135mm, 153-160cm skins. Could you check my thinking? I'm also curious if you think the tail Contour clip will be accommodated within the Sakana's cutout, which is about 3.5mm wide just before it begins the interior curve. If not, do you have any suggestions for swallowtail clips? Maybe the BD style would integrate better.
1/25/2020
Hi Kimber! Wow, interesting skin dilemma. We are big fans of swallowtails here at SkimoCo although typically our swallows, or should I say ~rondines~, fly in from Italy. For your American breed, I'd likely recommend a narrower profile to the tail clip such as what's available on the Black Diamond Ultralites. If you want a more specific recommendation feel free to reach out to help@skimo.co with a photo of the tail plumage in question!
1/26/2020
Kimber's husband here. We ended up getting the Contours based on their glue's rave reviews by a few friends. I had a pair of STS tail hooks that I had picked up for hut-trip repairs awhile back. The plan was that if the Contours clip wouldn't fit, we'd just cut off the original clip and add the BD ones. Turns out, the Contour clip sits in the Sakana's swallowtail cutout pretty well. She'll tour on them later today, so we'll see how they are in transitions.
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1/22/2020
Will you get more of the 115mm x 169-176 this season? If so, do you have an ETA? Thanks!
1/25/2020
Hi Gaston, we are likely going to be seeing those skins within the next 3-5 days, keep your eyes peeled!
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1/17/2020
Hi - outfitting my first AT set up and looking for Contour Hybrid skins for my DPS Wailer Alchemist 106s-168cm. Sidecut is 136/106/124. Do you have a recommendation for best fit for these skins? Thanks!
1/17/2020
Hey Marty, welcome to the world of the backcountry! The 115mm x 161-168cm would fit your skis well, or you could bump up to the 135cm if you were concerned about having full skin coverage.
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1/10/2020
I have a pair of 184cm Volkl VTA 98s (133-98-116). What width/length combo would you recommend?
1/12/2020
David, you would need the 115mm x 175-184cm. Sorry, we are out now. I tried the 185-195cm, but that won't work. Email us if you would like to be set up for Email notification when we get more in.
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1/9/2020
Hi,
Would 169-176 be long enough for 178 long DPS 112 Tour skis (you are out of the one up longer size)?
Would 169-176 be long enough for 178 long DPS 112 Tour skis (you are out of the one up longer size)?
1/9/2020
Hey Tom, the 169-176cm skins would fit your Drake PowderworkS water skis just fine! Contour skins have a generous amount of length on the adjustable tail clip.
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12/8/2019
I have a pair of 168 cm DPS wailer 99's (125/99/11). Would you recommend the 161-168 width? Seems likely, but the pomoca's I bought last year based on the pomoca size chart were too long.
12/13/2019
Carol, there can be variations in fit due to ski tip shape and the skin tip. I put the 161-168cm on your Wailer 99 and the tail clip will fall right in the middle of the tail strap. So the 115mm x 161-168cm will be perfect for your ski.
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11/29/2019
Folsom Ski Company is building me a pair of 186 length skis with 138 106 124.... based on reading the Q&A's...It sounds like you'll recommend purchasing the 135mm x 177-184cm and cutting to 122cm(-ish) from top to bottom?....or Do I want a little wider up around tip?
11/29/2019
I’d recommend purchasing the 135mm x 185-195cm. To trim the skins, you can attach the skins to the base of the skis, use the included cutter to trim one edge, remove skins, reattach skins to the base of the ski a few millimeters over(to ensure the skin is narrower than the ski to leave the metal edges exposed), trim the second edge, and you’re done!
12/2/2019
Thanks Teddy. Down below in 11/3 Q&A you wrote "We tend to base skin width off of the ski’s tail because you don’t usually very much grip out at the tip of the ski." .....So didn't know if should cover the entire tip width (minus edges) or cut tip width the same as the tail width?
12/2/2019
Hey TR, when Teddy refers to the "skin width" he means the manufactured skin width, i.e. 115 or 135mm. Once you receive the skin in either of those widths you can trim to fit without being concerned about trimming the tip to match the tail, or vice versa.
12/2/2019
Hi TSB, thanks for update. Just to add a little more context to Teddy's quote. The Questioner of Teddy's answer was saying he has Black Crows Navis Freebird from last year in 179 (133/102/118) and Teddy said 115 widths...so that leaves 18mm at the tip exposed.... Jeff M just below said = "The less you cover at the tip and tail will help improve glide" so this is why I asked the first question... If my new skis are 138 106 124 it sounds like I could cut the skins at 122 at tail and tip?...or maybe 130ish at tip and 122 tail (and not cover the entirety of the ski). Hope that makes sense
12/2/2019
Hey TR, thanks for your close-reading and keeping all the details straight! In brief, yes, the less skin you have on your bases, the faster your ski will glide in the skintrack. However, most folks won't trim their skins any narrower than they come out of the box *unless* the skin overhangs the edges of the ski, in which case they will trim it inboards by about 1mm on each side (to expose the edges). Hence, folks choose skins that come out of the box at the approximate width of their skis' tails. Make sense? So, in a traditional situation, you would start out with a 135mm wide skin out of the box that you would trim to match the edges on the waist and tail of the ski, and then at the tip you would not have to trim it because the skin would still sit inboard of the edges (135mm skin < 138mm shovel). If you did want to make the skin glide faster, you could go the non-traditional route and further trim the skin inboard on the ski, using a paper template such as the one found on Skimo Life. All you'd need was a pair of sharp scissors and your trimming template. Hope that helps -- give us a ring in the shop if you're looking for more advice!
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11/29/2019
I have a pair of Atomic Backland 107 (137-107-124) on 182 cm length. What size do you suggest?
11/29/2019
Raj, the 115mm will cover all you need for traction. So the 115mm x 177-184cm will be good. The less you cover at the tip and tail will help improve glide.
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11/15/2019
In the pictures the tip and tail connectors are black. Is the rest of the skin different from the white version at all?
11/19/2019
Dan, if you are referring to the white Contour Race skins, those are 100% Mohair. These are Nylon/Mohair mix.
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11/4/2019
I just bought new Fischer Ranger 102's at 184 cm. Their dimensions are 138-103-128. Which size Contour Hybrid mix skins should I buy?
11/4/2019
Tom, Ideally with least trim, somewhere half way in between the two sizes. If you want full coverage the 135mm is the way to go in the 177-184cm.
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11/3/2019
I just got some Black Crows Navis Freebird from last year in 179 (133/102/118) so was looking for something around 125 width for skins...would you recommend the 115 or 135? And would the 169-176 be long enough or should I get the longer ones? Thanks so much!
11/3/2019
Hey Jon, the 115mm x 177-184cm would likely be a good choice. We tend to base skin width off of the ski’s tail because you don’t usually very much grip out at the tip of the ski.
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10/21/2019
I would like to use these skins for on my Salomon X-Alps. How does the vario tip clip work? Can it be converted to use a rubber Dynafit tip clip?
10/22/2019
Hi Travis, the Vario Tip Clip is actually designed to swap between different sizes of wire loop that fits over the tip of the ski in traditional, tip-and-tail-clip skin style. To convert to race-style rubber or cord bungees at the tip of the ski, we recommend purchasing aftermarket tip-rip kits (e.g. the Colltex race set: https://skimo.co/colltex-race-tips) and doing a home modification to convert your skins; or you could have us build you a set with one of our rolls of skin material (e.g. the Kohla Mohair-Mix skin: https://skimo.co/kohla-mohair-mix).
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3/7/2019
Hi Guys- Any chance you have Contour Hybridmix for the Voile Hyper V8s I bought last week? They are 181cm. What do you guys think about the Contour 2-strip skin for wide skis? Are they a hassle to put on? Are they much lighter? How does grip compare? Thanks - Chad
3/7/2019
Chad- We dont have the correct size left for you but we do have the Atomic Hybrid multifit kits which would work, using the same Hybrid glue. The split skins are a hassle to deal with outside of your living room. Grip is going to be less with the splits as well.
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3/3/2019
Greetings. I have 176 long Hannibal skis. Will the 115 mm 161-168 cm model be long enough?
Thanks, Tobias
Thanks, Tobias
3/3/2019
Hi Tobias, unfortunately not! You'll likely want the 169-176cm length.
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4/10/2018
Hi, I bought these Hybrid Mix skins from Skimo and they have been awesome. Was getting some glopping in new snow at around freezing last week. Figure some kind of wax will help this issue. I see the liquid wax and bar wax from contour. Can I assume the liquid is more a general purpose glide wax, and the bar is for glopping? Thanks for any guidance
4/10/2018
Hi Paul, both waxes have their place. I like to use the liquid as a pre-treatment to help with glide and prevent saturation and the bar wax as a field treatment when glopping becomes a problem.
4/10/2018
Thanks Nate..figured that might be the case...so i bought them both! And as far as how much to use...I suppose I'll just "know" by feel?
4/11/2018
Hi Paul, I'd say to make sure you cover the skin thoroughly but not to excess.
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