Union Splitboard Skins Review

Splitboard Skins are an essential component of any setup. A high quality pair will grip well on steep compacted skin tracks but still glide during long traverses to save you energy. I have been testing the Union Splitboard Climbing Skins on multiple tours in and around the Tetons and they have continued to impress me.

Union partnered with Montana International for the design and manufacturing of these skins. Montana International has been producing skins for many decades and their commitment to the craft clearly shows in their products. These skins are a well designed piece of gear that will work great for many backcountry snowboarders.

How Do the Union Splitboard Skins Grip and Glide

Union chose to use a 65% mohair to 35% nylon mix for their skins which provides an optimal balance between glide and grip. Typically a full mohair skil will have fantastic glide at the sacrifice of less grip. Additionally, mohair is less durable which will require the user to replace their skin’s more frequently. In contrast, a full nylon skin will have optimal grip with significantly less glide. Union’s chosen blend finds a great middle ground. I was impressed by their ability to glide along mellow traverses but still grip on steep icy tracks. For typical backcountry tours I would be confident to use the Union Splitboard Climbing Skins in any condition.

Weight and Packability

The skins, skin saver, cutting tool, and storage bag | Photo Wills Bird

Reducing weight on your feet during a long day in the backcountry is one of the best ways to improve your comfort and performance. These Union skins offer a very competitive weight advantage over many of the other skins on the market. Their lighter weight is great on the uphill as it reduces the energy required for every step.

On the downhill their slim design will occupy less volume in your pack. For shorter downhills, and quick transitions, I was easily able to fit the skins into a jacket pocket so that they would be ready to go when I reached the bottom. Although these skins are on the lighter side of the spectrum I do not believe they have accomplished this at the sacrifice of durability. Their partial nylon design will ensure they last many days even if that includes some early season bushwhacking.

Hardware

Union is utilizing high quality metal hardware for both the tip and tail clips. The tip clip is a rectangular loop of metal that is designed to fit a wide range of splitboards. This design will work best on boards with a traditional pointed nose. Fitting these skins on my Telos DST with its blunted nose took a few tries but ultimately I found a way for the clip to sit securely around the nose.

This is unlikely to be an issue for most splitboards. The tail clips have two potential methods of being attached to the skin. This allows them to work on both traditionally shaped snowboards in addition to blunted or swallowtail designs.

Glue

The glue on these skins is some of the strongest that I have used. I was grateful for the included skin savers as separating these skins from each other without them would have been a very difficult task. In time I’m sure the glue will ease up and I plan on ditching the skin savers in order to save some weight and bulk. On a recent tour involving four transitions I was impressed by the glues’ ability to stick to my splitboard despite them being cold and damp. I have no doubts that the glue will hold up for long days and prolonged use. 

Union Splitboard Skins Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Optimal balance between glide and grip
• Competitive weight advantage for backcountry use
• High quality metal hardware for secure fit

Cons:

• May have difficulty fitting blunted nose splitboards
• Partial nylon design may affect durability

Overall Impression

Union has designed a very competitive pair of skins that would be great for any splitboard user from novice to advanced. Their blend of nylon and mohair combines the best qualities of both materials without making any noticeable sacrifices in. I appreciated the Union Splitboard Skins great packability, high quality hardware, and very strong glue.

The only drawback with these skins was their ability to fit a splitboard with a significantly blunted nose. However, with some fiddling it is certainly possible to make them fit. Coming in at ($249.95) the Union Splitboard Climbing Skins are totally with the price if you’re looking for a do it all skin.

Related Splitboard Skins

1. G3 Glide Splitboard Skins
2. Montana International Splitboard Skins
3. Contour Splitboard Climbing Skins