Skins and back country in Oz

[AllAboutTheTele]

G'day everyone,

I am looking to buy a pair of skins for my tele skies, well converted to tele salomon 1080s, but I haven't done any backcountry stuff in Oz so am not sure who sells them? All my backcountry time has been in the Sierras, especially around Lake Tahoe, in California.

Any general info of what the snow, weather, etc tends to be like out on the main range near Perisher and Thredbo. Am going out there with a group of mates towards the end of July (only time we have in common off from work, uni etc). Plus will probably try and do a long weekend trip in august.

[John Deere]

Mate you can buy skins from Paddy Pallin or Wilderness Sports in Jindy, or you could try PMing Paul O or Teckel, they might be able to help too!

Snow on the main range is best described as variable....blue ice to powder can all be experienced in one run! Weather can get nasty......keep an eye on the forecast as if it is bad and you brave it, there is not much in the way of escape options if your out Carruthers way!

Snow Blowey has a website ( www.ozbc.net (http://www.ozbc.net) ) and it has some pretty good info!

[skijacski]

I have these, which I fit to a whole range of skis. They are good for different sized skis and also for ice conditions in Australia, but I have also used them overseas in powder - they are amazing.

http://www.backcountry.com/store/BLD0794/Black-Diamond-GlideLite-Nylon-STS-Skins.html

On the report below from Richard last year, it was bullet proof ice, and I still managed to climb up Signature Hill.

http://www.ciau.com.au/snow/rrhist3.asp?rrid=328&mth=6/01/2007

You might be able to find them else where, but I like these and they are a good price. The Outlet shop has some G3's on special so you can try them too, they have the same fittings.

[John Deere]

I have both those ones SJS and the G3's.....there is not alot of difference in performance!

[Barcoo]

most mountain/Adventure stores sell them such as Kathmandu in Kent st Syd.

[John Deere]

Do Kathmandu really sell climbing skins??? I didn't know that!

[karen97]

I doubt it!

[Simo_tele]

comming from cali you'll find that the skins and such that we use over here are the same stuff, just more pricey. G3's, BD skins etc, much of muchness.
One tip is to find a good skin wax as the snow over here has a nasty habit of imitating wet, white stuff rather than soft dry snow.

[Teckel]

Originally posted by John Deere:
Mate you can buy skins from Paddy Pallin or Wilderness Sports in Jindy, or you could try PMing Paul O or Teckel, they might be able to help too!
No, not yet. That's one of the things I plan to do in the future.

[AllAboutTheTele]

I am not actually from Cali. I am aussie, I just spent a few seasons teaching skiing over there. If its one thing I never got is why things are so much more expensive here, especially when the aussie dollar is so ridiculously strong ahead of a winter.

[Taxman]

Originally posted by AllAboutTheTele:
...If its one thing I never got is why things are so much more expensive here, especially when the aussie dollar is so ridiculously strong ahead of a winter. Demand and competition. However, things do seem to be changing for the better.