– The Backcountry Ski Touring Blog
  • Avalanches
  • Gear Reviews
    • Ski Reviews
    • Boot Reviews
    • Binding Reviews
    • Snowboard Splitboard
    • Book Reviews
    • Avalanche Beacon Reviews
    • Airbag Backpacks
    • Backcountry Electronics
    • Misc Gear Reviews
  • Podcast
  • Tips & Tricks
    • Ski Touring Basics
    • Boot Fitting
    • Fitness & Health
    • Gear Mods
  • Trip Reports
    • Fourteeners
    • Huts – Cabins – Lodges
    • Denali McKinley
    • 8,000 Meter Skiing
  • Stories
    • History
    • Humor
    • Land Use Issues
    • Evergreen Ski Touring
    • Poetry
  • Resources
    • All Posts Listed
    • 100 Recent Comments
    • Backcountry Skiing & Ski Touring Webcams
    • Ski Weights Comparison
    • Archives of WildSnow.com
    • Authors Page
    • Ski Touring Bindings
      • Trab TR2 Index and FAQ
      • Salomon Guardian & Tracker
      • Naxo Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Silvretta Pure Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Marker F10-12 Duke Baron
      • G3 Onyx Ski Binding FAQ
      • G3 ION Ski Touring Binding
      • Fritschi Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Fritschi Diamir Frame Bindings Mount DIY
      • Fritschi Diamir Bindings FAQ
      • Fritschi Tecton FAQ
      • Atomic Salomon Backland MTN
      • Dynafit Tri-Step Binding 2001-2003
      • Naxo randonnee alpine touring AT ski binding FAQ
      • Dynafit Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Dynafit Binding Frequently Asked Questions FAQ
      • Dynafit Beast 16 FAQ Review 1
      • Dynafit Beast 16 FAQ Page Two
    • History
      • Ski Touring Binding Museum
      • Trooper Traverse Intro & Index
      • Randonnee Ski Touring “AT” ski gear — What is Hip?
      • Chronology
    • Backcountry Skiing Core Glossary
    • Gear Review Policy & Disclosures

– The Backcountry Ski Touring Blog

  • Avalanches
  • Gear Reviews
    • Ski Reviews
    • Boot Reviews
    • Binding Reviews
    • Snowboard Splitboard
    • Book Reviews
    • Avalanche Beacon Reviews
    • Airbag Backpacks
    • Backcountry Electronics
    • Misc Gear Reviews
  • Podcast
  • Tips & Tricks
    • Ski Touring Basics
    • Boot Fitting
    • Fitness & Health
    • Gear Mods
  • Trip Reports
    • Fourteeners
    • Huts – Cabins – Lodges
    • Denali McKinley
    • 8,000 Meter Skiing
  • Stories
    • History
    • Humor
    • Land Use Issues
    • Evergreen Ski Touring
    • Poetry
  • Resources
    • All Posts Listed
    • 100 Recent Comments
    • Backcountry Skiing & Ski Touring Webcams
    • Ski Weights Comparison
    • Archives of WildSnow.com
    • Authors Page
    • Ski Touring Bindings
      • Trab TR2 Index and FAQ
      • Salomon Guardian & Tracker
      • Naxo Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Silvretta Pure Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Marker F10-12 Duke Baron
      • G3 Onyx Ski Binding FAQ
      • G3 ION Ski Touring Binding
      • Fritschi Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Fritschi Diamir Frame Bindings Mount DIY
      • Fritschi Diamir Bindings FAQ
      • Fritschi Tecton FAQ
      • Atomic Salomon Backland MTN
      • Dynafit Tri-Step Binding 2001-2003
      • Naxo randonnee alpine touring AT ski binding FAQ
      • Dynafit Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Dynafit Binding Frequently Asked Questions FAQ
      • Dynafit Beast 16 FAQ Review 1
      • Dynafit Beast 16 FAQ Page Two
    • History
      • Ski Touring Binding Museum
      • Trooper Traverse Intro & Index
      • Randonnee Ski Touring “AT” ski gear — What is Hip?
      • Chronology
    • Backcountry Skiing Core Glossary
    • Gear Review Policy & Disclosures
   

WildSnow Weekend — Yoga Pant Hairball Eliminator

by Lisa Dawson December 21, 2014
written by Lisa Dawson December 21, 2014
Anti  hairball skin savers.

Anti hairball skin savers.

After weeks of sunny skies, a large storm is raging outside. It’s been snowing since last night and should drop 10-24 inches of fluff in our backcountry mountains. With a week of storms forecasted ahead we’ll have a lovely white Christmas here at WildSnow HQ.

New snow on top of a weak layer causes avalanche conditions to be high so we’re spending the day inside. What to do when we can’t ski? Modify gear of course!

Louie left behind fabric scraps after his yoga pant hacks. His goal was to fashion backcountry gear with nothing more than scissors. I’m not such a purist.

The skin savers he made for me work well but I still stuffed them into a skin bag in order to keep my skins as clean as possible. Would it be possible to streamline this? Childhood memories helping my mom fold socks gave me an idea. I pulled out my sewing machine.

I went to our local fabric store and bought swimsuit spandex, on sale from last summer.  Here are my directions to make your own Hairball Eliminator Skin Saver: Cut a piece 12x24 inches and fold over so it's 6x24 inches. Sew along the 24 inch side so you have a tube 6 inches wide.

I went to our local fabric store and bought swimsuit spandex, on sale from last summer. Here are my directions to make your own Hairball Eliminator Skin Saver: Cut a piece 12×24 inches and fold over so it’s 6×24 inches. Sew along the 24 inch side so you have a tube 6 inches wide. This will make one skin saver for one climbing skin. You’ll need to repeat these instructions for your other climbing skin.

Cut another piece 12x10 inches. Fold over so it's 6x10 inches and sew along the 10 inch length, making a tube that is open on each 6 inch side.  Pin both thickness of the 10 inch side to one thickness at the end of the 24 inch tube, leaving the 24 inch tube open at both ends.

Cut another piece 12×10 inches. Fold over so it’s 6×10 inches and sew along the 10 inch length, making a tube that is open on each 6 inch side. Lay the 10 inch tube on top of the 24 inch tube. At one end, sew both thickness of the 10 inch tube to one thickness of the 24 inch tube, leaving the 24 inch tube open at both ends.

Turn the 24 inch tube inside out and insert your arm with the 10 inch tube hanging by your elbow.  Grab the tail of the skin, glue side up.

Turn the 24 inch tube inside out and insert your arm with the 10 inch tube hanging by your elbow. Grab the tail of the skin, glue side up.

Pull 24 inch tube over skin.

Pull 24 inch tube over skin.

Fold other end of skin over skin saver.

Fold other end of skin, glue side down over the spandex skin saver.

Roll up skins toward 10 inch sack and pull it over the roll. Climbing skin is now compact and protected.  Repeat with other skin.

Roll up skin toward 10 inch sack. Pull sack over the roll. Climbing skin is now compact and protected. Repeat these instructions for your other climbing skin.

G3 introduced me to skin savers with their Love Glove. G3 Love Glove is made with slightly heavier spandex than my swimsuit version, but if you’d rather ski than sew, we highly recommend G3 Love Gloves for keeping your climbing skins clean and organized. G3 Love Glove on sale here.

Recap of WildSnow posts: December 15 to December 19, 2014:

Black Diamond Coefficient Hoody — Review

Training for the New Alpinism — Book Review

Cajon del Maipo in the Summer — Chile

Dakine Concourse Double Ski Bag — The Quiver Carrier

Dynafit Beast 14 Retail Version Blasts Our Workbench

Cold Feet at 4,000 meters — or 8,000? Here’s a Solution

Scott Alpride Airbag Rucksack — Experiments in Mass Reduction

Lisa Dawson

WildSnow Girl, Lisa Dawson, is the luckiest girl in the world. Also known as Mrs. WildSnow.com, she tests whatever gear she wants. She gives the WildSnow family of websites the feminine voice.

www.wildsnow.com
10 comments
0
Email
previous post
Scott Alpride Airbag Rucksack — Experiments in Mass Reduction
next post
Triple Treat — Dynafit Speed on Fischer Hannibal, Spiced with Maruelli

10 comments

ron December 22, 2014 - 5:43 am

Awesome! Can’t wait to try it, thanks!

Joe John December 22, 2014 - 8:39 am

Great stocking stuffer. Merry Christmas.

Mark Worley December 23, 2014 - 7:13 am

My wife has a super sewing machine and talent to go with it. Perhaps she could sew me some. My new skins deserve it.

Rachel Bellamy December 23, 2014 - 8:23 am

Wow, whether made into skin savers or a swimsuit, that fabric is crazy! Nice idea Lisa!

Wayne Hare December 23, 2014 - 9:27 am

Sorry, this is an off- topic post. I searched this site, but couldn’t find anything relevant, so…Does anybody have any experience improvising a backcountry litter, especially to be built and pulled by just one person? I know there are some skis that covert to litters, and some lightweight commercial litters. But any ideas on improvisation? Maybe somehow with a tarp…or something? I’ve thought about it a lot. I teach wilderness medicine, including litter improvisation, but have not come up with anything really worthwhile for backcountry skiing. Just one of many things I worry about.

Lou Dawson 2 December 23, 2014 - 9:48 am

Hi Wayne, that’s an old topic that’s been covered to one degree or another here and elsewhere for years. I know we’ve got some content, sorry the search function can’t find it. Best bet is Brooks Range, they’ve been making transport devices for years. Also, K2 sells a conversion kit for skis.

https://www.wildsnow.com/5855/k2-rescue-shovel-review/

Lou

wayne hare December 24, 2014 - 6:14 pm

Thanks Lou for that info. I’m going to go ahead and purchase that Brooks Range litter. The cost isn’t bad, the weight is negligible, and it’s more functional than anything I could fabricate.

Dale December 25, 2014 - 8:07 am

Wayne
You should first look at the Rescue Bubble or Alpine Threadworks ski guide tarp, before you decide on the Brooks Range kit.

wayne hare December 25, 2014 - 9:31 am

Thanks Dale. More to think about. I like that the Threadworks system can do triple duty as a sled, a bivvy, or a shelter. But I like the skis incorporated into the Brooks Range system. And trying to find a video on the Rescue Bubble. Thanks again. I’ve abandoned the idea of fabricating my own make-shift system. Better to have one that absolutely works.

wayne hare January 2, 2015 - 11:13 am

Hmmmm….someone commented somewhere – but I can’t find it now – that it seemed reasonable to just go to your local thrift store and buy some spandex pants and cut the legs off and use them. That’s what I did. Hand sewed one end. Works fine. Now I’m buying more pants and making these for my ski partners. The G3 Love Glove site, above, has a good video to show how this all works.

Comments are closed.

Trip Reports

  • Revisiting a 2011 Trip Report: Adventure in the Pickets — Thread of Ice Ski Descent

    December 9, 2022
  • Feeding the Backcountry Soul on Crete

    August 25, 2022

Totally Deep Podcast

  • Totally Deep Podcast 107: Dialing it Back with Blase Reardon

    January 30, 2023

Tips & Tricks

  • Transition Efficiencies 101 with Tech Binding Heel Units

    January 6, 2023
  • Visualizing the Backcountry as a Splitboarder: Minimizing the Challenges of Movement by Anticipating Terrain

    December 5, 2022
  • TURBOCHARGE YOUR TRAILHEAD BEACON CHECK

    November 15, 2022

Recent Comments

  • Jason on Staying Warm with Stellar Equipment’s Ultralight Down Pants 2.0
  • Jon Canuck on Staying Warm with Stellar Equipment’s Ultralight Down Pants 2.0
  • Travis on Staying Warm with Stellar Equipment’s Ultralight Down Pants 2.0
  • Al on Ripping with Elan’s Ripstick Tour 94

Newsletter Sign-Up

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • About Lou Dawson
  • Authors Page
  • About
  • Contact
  • Copyright & Legal
  • Website Security

@2020 - All Rights Reserved. Designed and Developed by WildSnow


Back To Top

Read alsox

Staying Warm with Stellar Equipment’s Ultralight...

February 1, 2023

Ripping with Elan’s Ripstick Tour 94

January 31, 2023

Totally Deep Podcast 107: Dialing it...

January 30, 2023