Gear Review: G3 Scala LT Climbing Skins
Value Rating: 10
Durability Rating: 8
Overall Rating: 10
Location of Test: Cascades and Rockies
Duration of Test: Over the past several months
Product Name: Scala LT Climbing Skins
Product Brand: G3
Best Use: Ski Touring, Ski Mountaineering
Widths: 100mm - 115mm - 130mm
Lengths: Long (183-199cm) - Medium (168-184cm) - Short (153-169cm)
The Full Review:
My G3 Scala LT Climbing Skins have been my daily driver all season and I have been very happy with their performance in a variety of conditions. While most standard climbing skins feature a skin that runs all the way to the tip, the Scala and Scala LT introduced a hard-plastic scaled section at the tip. The benefits of this feature are twofold. First, the hard scales help to reduce drag while skinning by helping the ski tip glide more easily through deep snow and punch through snow crusts. The plastic tip also prevents snow creep from peeling off your skins during long days in the backcountry. This provides more reliable performance and peace of mind when setting out for a bigger objective. The nylon skin material itself is the same as the G3 Alpinist skins, providing reliable traction and decent glide. One last nice design feature of all G3 Skins is shorted skin which does not cover the tail of the ski. G3 has found that this portion of the ski really does not provide traction while skinning and only reduces glide.
When shopping for the right G3 skin for your skis it’s important to get the right width and length. As with all skins be sure to get a width that matches the widest point of your skis (not the underfoot measurement). G3 skins come in predetermined lengths, unlike others where the skin is cut to length.
The Good
Reliable grip all day and improved glide and trail breaking.
The Bad:
Not the lightest, slimmest, or best glide available in a skin.
The Bottom Line:
My G3 Scala LT skins offer a great combination of weight saving, glide, and traction making them an excellent daily driver for all conditions.
The Full Review:
My G3 Scala LT Climbing Skins have been my daily driver all season and I have been very happy with their performance in a variety of conditions. While most standard climbing skins feature a skin that runs all the way to the tip, the Scala and Scala LT introduced a hard-plastic scaled section at the tip. The benefits of this feature are twofold. First, the hard scales help to reduce drag while skinning by helping the ski tip glide more easily through deep snow and punch through snow crusts. The plastic tip also prevents snow creep from peeling off your skins during long days in the backcountry. This provides more reliable performance and peace of mind when setting out for a bigger objective. The nylon skin material itself is the same as the G3 Alpinist skins, providing reliable traction and decent glide. One last nice design feature of all G3 Skins is shorted skin which does not cover the tail of the ski. G3 has found that this portion of the ski really does not provide traction while skinning and only reduces glide.
When shopping for the right G3 skin for your skis it’s important to get the right width and length. As with all skins be sure to get a width that matches the widest point of your skis (not the underfoot measurement). G3 skins come in predetermined lengths, unlike others where the skin is cut to length.
The Good
Reliable grip all day and improved glide and trail breaking.
The Bad:
Not the lightest, slimmest, or best glide available in a skin.
The Bottom Line:
My G3 Scala LT skins offer a great combination of weight saving, glide, and traction making them an excellent daily driver for all conditions.