Traditional nylon and mohair skins are great for the uphill, but they have almost no glide. Which is fine if you only are going up. But, whether you’re skinning up the resort for fitness (what’s known as uphill travel, a big trend at resorts across the country) or looking for powder deep in the backcountry, most routes to the top also invariably involve flat sections of terrain or even small descents.
Knowing this, Fischer’s designers decided to try something new: a climbing skin with enhanced glide. Made entirely from lightweight polyethylene, the Profoils have a fish-scale pattern adapted from Fischer’s cross-country skis that supposedly offers traction on the way up and a bit of glide on the way down. And because the plastic material is 100 percent waterproof, the Profoils won’t absorb water—and thus get heavier—on the ascent. Available this fall.
Read about our other Gear of the Show winners from SIA SnowShow 2015.
$275,