In order for cross-country alpinists to take on hills in the backcountry, they traditionally strapped mohair or nylon skins to the underside of their skis. Mohair skins remain in use because of their glide up the hill, when the woven fibers lay flat, while any backwards slide is prevented by the fibers when they stand on end. Mohair’s counterpart, nylon skins, are used mostly for their durability. Whereas the fibers of mohair wear out over time, nylon polymers have incredible plastic memory and return to their original, manufactured shape again and again, although this same benefit produces some resistance when moving forward.
Fischer Profoil ski-base attachments combine the benefits without the problems of their predecessors. Fischer cut the Profoil’s underside in a low-profile fish scale pattern that catches snow, to prevent any slide backwards, while allowing for an easy glide while moving forward. The glide of the lightweight polyethylene allows for longer strides while going uphill, and faster downhills when skiing over more varied backcountry terrain. And unlike mohair and nylon, the polyethylene material is 100 percent waterproof, keeping the skins lightweight, even during soggy conditions in shoulder season. This efficiency saves your legs so you can explore more of the backcountry. It’s innovation as a means of returning to nature, faster and farther than ever before.