(Post sponsored by our publishing partner Cripple Creek Backcountry.)
Contour likes their new laser cutting table. They had to rent an entire building to hold the thing. It is enormous due to the ventilation system (lasers make smoke) and the skin material roll dispenser.
My somewhat annual report on happenings at Contour (Koch Alpin): We liked the original Hybrid glue that Contour began testing in fall of 2014 (they distributed 100 pairs that first season). There were a few glitches along the way, but nothing heinous (and everything is backed up by warranty).
Going forward, for 2018-2019 the Hybrid glue boasts ever stronger bonding to the skin fabric, with more tack to your ski base. It is still washable, and cleanable with wax remover (cleaning can bring the skin back to 100% factory tack). In my view, what’s coolest is they’ll be selling the Contour skins with NO re-usable storage backing. They’re confident in their chemistry. You will never chase those wind flapping flags again — store glue-to-glue and be done with it. (Boxed retail skins will be sold with a non-reusable warehouse liner, tricked out to make cutting skins easier, see below.)
Eventually, all the Hybrid skins will have this black bonding layer, interfacing the glue with the actual climbing skin textile. While similar in weight, the black has several advantages for ski touring. It’s more supple, thus providing a friendly flexible feel and easy packing. The black should be beneficial for sun drying (you can leave Hybrid glue in the sun without damage, doing so with most other glues can be problematic.) Most of all in terms of “end user” benefits, as pictured above the black does a better job showing dirt contamination (footprint shown), so you’ll know when to clean. This will be an ‘inline’ change, you’ll see it filtering into retail around November.
For simplicity Contour will sell their custom cut skins in only two widths (115 and 135 mm). They’ll come with a pre-cut glue liner. For cutting, you’ll strip out the middle part of the liner, leaving the nearly friction-less edges stuck to the glue. Adhere to the ski, you’ll have plastic over the edges so you can slide the cutting tool with virtually no resistance. I tried it. Revelation. This configuration is terrific for DIY skin cutting, and should speed up things at the retailer as well.
Cutting. Liner plastic remains on the skin, over the ski edges, allowing the cutter to move like you’re spreading warm butter on a thick slice of Austrian Hausbrot.
Contour makes branded skins for several other companies. Check the Hybrid mini site for the list.
Contour will continue their hot glue skins as well. They’re available in 100% mohair or nylon-mo mix.
These guys are located in Hall, Austria. The historic old-town rivals Innsbruck in ‘historic’ feel, without the tourist crowds. Locals like to explain that the dollar was “invented” here, as a silver coin called the “Taler.”
A few more items: Contour will change their standard tip loop to a riveted version. To swap tip loops, you’ll need to drill out the rivets, then re-do with supplied replacements. They’re doing this because the formerly supplied Varioclip was fiddly as a standard tip fix system, thus sometimes installed incorrectly by users. We like the Varioclip. It’ll remain available. Likewise, Contour’s excellent accessories such as the Shark tail-hook. Incidentally, we were told the new black bonding material was in once case tested with 120,000 vertical meters of real-life ski touring use!
It should be mentioned that Contour’s excellent split skins will remain available. We’ve found these to be a life saver for ski testing. Options in this are the “Hybrid Free” for skis at minimum waist 95 millimeters, and the “Hybrid Fat Free” for minimum 108 mm.
In a previous post I called Hybrid “The Tesla of ski climbing skins.” Contour owner Werner Koch and I joked that perhaps that’s not such a great analogy these days, given the twists and turns of Tesla. So I’ll amend, how about the “Daimler?” Nah, German company, Contour is Austrian. “Ferrari?” Dead simile. Readers, can you rescue me? Huquavarna of ski climbing skins? Dreamliner?
We’ve done an enormous amount of Contour ski touring climbing skins coverage, try a site search.
WildSnow.com publisher emeritus and founder Lou (Louis Dawson) has a 50+ years career in climbing, backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering. He was the first person in history to ski down all 54 Colorado 14,000-foot peaks, has authored numerous books about about backcountry skiing, and has skied from the summit of Denali in Alaska, North America’s highest mountain.
