How to Repair a Tear in Your Skinbased Climbing Skin

This blog post walks through the necessary steps to fix and repair a torn Skinbased skin. While possible, a field repair is rather complicated, so we recommend performing this bit of maintenance at home. However, if required, it is possible to make a quick fix by using super glue.

Necessary equipment for skin tear repair

Start the repair by collecting the following materials. Let the skis dry over night before beginning the repair process.

• A piece of cardboard or other material for mixing the glue on
• Small block of wood
• Glue - we recommend transparent Pattex® contact adhesive
• Utility knife / X-ACTO knife or similar
• Wooden barbecue stick or similar for spreading glue
• Small piece of foam mat
• Clamp
• Pliers

Start by identifying the torn/delaminated area. Clean the area (ski base and backside of skin) of any debris. You can use pliers to gently lift the skin while cleaning the ski base with a knife. Avoid causing any extra damage to the skin or ski.

Apply evenly a thin layer of glue to both surfaces (ski base and back of the skin). Avoid touching skin hairs with the glue and be careful not to apply too much. A piece of cardboard is handy in this process. It works doubles as a protector for the skin material while applying the glue.

After both surfaces are treated, let the glue dry for 15 minutes. Keep the surfaces away from each other during this period. Once the time is up, place the skin in its correct position and press hard, for 3 seconds, by hand.

For best results, clamp the repaired area for at least an hour. Position a piece of foam mat over the repaired area. Place a piece of wood on top and clamp them gently against the ski. Be careful to not apply too much pressure. After the clamping time has ended, check the torn skin area and cut away any loose yarn or string from skin backer. Once the skin is dry, it is recommended to treat the skin with Skinbased Skin Wax. Once finished, the skis are ready for the next adventure.