Big Sky Mountain Products Rambler Nylon Splitboard Skins Test | Photo Preston Due Mountain Weekly NewsBig Sky Mountain Products is a small company based out of Montana that specializes in manufacturing reliable, no-fuss climbing skins. Having used other 100% nylon skins in the past with nearly zero glide, I was impressed with the quality of the Big Sky Mountain Products Rambler Skins.
Big Sky Mountain Products Rambler Grip/Glide
The Big Sky Mountain Products Rambler Skins are 100% nylon, which generally means they are more focused on grip over glide. It’s no surprise that a 100% nylon skin will excel at climbing, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that these skins have quite a bit of glide as well.
According to BSMP, they use a “low-angle plush” on their skins to improve glide – and it seems like they’re onto something because these skins glided just as well as my 70% mohair / 30% nylon skins from a different manufacturer.
Glue
One thing you won’t have to worry about with the Big Sky Mountain Products Skins is whether or not they will stick to your splitboard on the fourth or fifth transition of the day, because this glue is STICKY. The stickiness of the glue would make these skins a very reliable option for long multi-transition tours, winter camping, and hut trips.
Initially the glue was quite difficult to separate while transitioning, but after a few days of use it became easier. This could also be mitigated with some skin saver sheets, but I prefer storing my skins glue to glue.
Packability
BSMP favored reliability and durability over weight and packability with these skins. With that said, they still pack down well enough to be a non-issue when stored in a pack. If you’re storing them in your shell between transitions, you may notice a little more bulk compared to a lighter weight skin. The weight increase was marginal – I measured about a 40 gram increase per skin compared to my lightweight skins cut for the same board. I didn’t notice the slight weight increase while skinning and took them out for 6000 feet of vert my first day on them.
Big Sky Mountain Products Rambler Cutting & Skin Setup
The Big Sky Mountain Products Climbing Skins require more work than most others to initially set up, but I found this to be a fair tradeoff given their competitive price and ability to fit nearly any splitboard size and shape. Setup requires a razor, a nail, rivets, a sharpie, and a hammer. The razor, nail, and rivets are provided but you’ll need to be sure you have your own hammer and permanent marker. Following the steps for set up was easy, as BSMP has a great how-to video on their website. From start to finish, it took me about 45 minutes.
The advantage of this lengthier setup process is that you can cut the length of the skins and the angle of the tip clip to fit nearly any splitboard. The skin itself was 145mm wide by 180cm long – offering more than enough coverage for the vast majority of splitboards on the market. The tail clip comes attached to the skins, while the tip clip is attached during setup.
Tail Clip Compatibility on the Big Sky Mountain Products Rambler Skins
The shape of the tail clip connector will be accommodating of most splitboard shapes. The tension system in the tail clip allows for a very secure connection to the tail of the board and is a great feature.
There is an option to buy the skins “naked” if you’re worried about them fitting a very unconventional swallowtail shape, which means they would ship without the tail clip attached to the skins. This allows you to attach the tail clip in a position that would better fit an unconventionally shaped splitboard.
Big Sky Mountain Products Rambler Nylon Splitboard Skins Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Excellent grip and surprising glide performance
- Highly sticky glue ensures reliability
- Can be easily customized to fit any splitboard size and shape
Cons:
- Initial glue separation can be difficult
- Less packable compared to lighter skins
- Lengthy setup process for initial setup
Overall Impression
I am very pleased with the BSMP Rambler Nylon Splitboard Skins ($199.99) and will continue using them as my go-to skins for long and committing tours where glue reliability is paramount.
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