G3’s new Escapist climbing skins may be the climbing skins of choice from the 2020 season onward. There’s nothing revolutionary about these skins, just a solid mix of good components from the grip and glide of the plush, to the stickiness of the glue, but my fave ingredients are the tip and tail kits.

Tip Fix Kit

For the most part, tip and tail kits, those wire/metal/plastic hooks that secure your climbing skins at both ends are functional and they work. Though all of ‘em do work, most are mediocre. Twenty years ago G3’s were in that class. Good, but not inspiring. Today’s next gen Escapist tip kit conjures up a different M word. Mmmmm, I’m thinking — magnificent. Seriously!

While not as simple as Colltex’s #26, G3’s Escapist tip hook is elegant, functional, and easy to install. It builds on the rotating hands that G3 first introduced in 2007 with their Alpinist skins. I liked the original concept, except they only came on a G3 brand skin because they were “welded” to the skin. At the time, I wasn’t too keen on G3’s glue or their classic tail hook either.

Fast forward to the last teenage year of the 21st century and G3 now makes the rotating hands concept available as an aftermarket product. If the tip loop you’re using has ever failed you, it’s time to switch and get a true upgrade, not like a software upgrade where you can’t say no and wish you could go back, but some solid hardware that you’ll appreciate. I promptly replaced Black Diamond’s Dynema® powered tip hook (that failed in the field). The Glidelite skins that Dynema tip kit came with are back on active duty again; this time with an Escapist tip hook. BD makes some nice tip loops, but they’re much harder to assemble than G3’s Escapist hook and the Dynema model hung funky anyway, so no loss there.

Here’s how easy the Escapist tip kit is to attach to your skins.

1. Attach the skin from the tail up to the tip.
2. Slide the tip hook under the skin at the tip of the ski
3. Mark where the base of the tip hook is on the skin plush.
4. Cut out the sides on the paper template G3 provides.
5. Align the center of the template along the marked line indicating the bottom of the Escapist tip hook.
6. Trim the skin to the shape of the template with a sharp, thin knife.
   Hint: start by trimming the overall length of the skin approximately 3”- 5” beyond the marked line, then trim to the template.
7. Pull out the stake at the bottom of the tip kit assembly.
8. Fold the skin over, glue-to-glue, and slide the fold into the crack where the red stake was.
   It may take a few tries to line it up, but once squeezed and aligned correctly it slides in remarkably easy.
9. Slide the red stake back in the center of the folded skin all the way until it latches.
10. Ta daaaaa.

Did I mention how often BD’s tip loop, the one that screws together, has drawn blood? Ah the hazards of being an amateur, but the Escapist shouldn’t draw blood unless you’re a klutz with a blade.

Tail Fix Kit

The other end of the tip fix options for the Escapist skins is purty nice too. In 2012 G3 introduced their answer to BD’s STS tail hook, still the best after market tail hook available for its simplicity and functionality. (Note: The STS was designed by Ted Ayliffe who also designed G3’s original bungee locking tail hook that you pull down on the bungee to snug up your skin so it is taut lengthwise.) The only negative to the STS is my tendency to occasionally kick it off the tail of my ski. 

G3 developed their Alpinist tail hook that hinges around the tail of the ski to provide solid camming action. It is also a lot less prone to getting accidentally kicked off than the STS hook. It is a more complex assembly of parts, but more reliable. Yeah, it has to be a bit heavier but I’m not worried about less than five grams. When introduced I was disappointed only that it wasn’t available as an aftermarket upgrade. I also had a picayune issue with the thickness and length of the bungeed tail. It was a pain to fold up with the skins and stash in their bag. I know, picayune, eh?

However, with the Escapist skin that thick bungee is replaced by a thin stretch of hypalon webbing that is sewn (not welded) to the tail of the skin. Not being welded gives me hope that some day, some way, this low profile, reliable, folding tail assembly will be an aftermarket product too.  I’m probably asking too much.

The Glue

It’s too early to tell the full story on the mixed mohair/nylon plush of the Escapist skins, but out of the box G3’s new glue formula is definitely too tacky for my taste. I only have half a dozen tours on ‘em, so it’s too early to tell how they will age. When transitioning I can’t “rip the hide” (yet), I can only peel the skin slowly with skis on. To be fair, this is a good sign for the future and cold temperature reliability. In the short run, especially on warmer days, it’s an inconvenience.

The Plush

It seems the waterproofing treatment on the plush is either wearing off quickly, or the mohair’s intrinsic ability to absorb moisture cannot be overcome at the factory. That’s okay by me as I find waxing skins to be a more reliable anti-ice vaccine anyway, as long as I rub it on at the trailhead.

Conclusion

While I might prefer a less tacky glue, you might prefer more. Even if you like a less sticky glue like I do, they all loose their tackiness to some degree over time. To me the real appeal is with the tip and tail kit; they’re both simple and reliable, and if you keep a pair of Escapist skins long enough for the glue to rip easily and barely hold on but nonetheless good enough you’ll really appreciate good anchoring at either end.

Escapist Tip Hook

MSRP: $35

Escapist Climbing Skins

MSRP: $177-$192 (Glide – 70/30 Mohair/Nylon blend)
MSRP: $152-$167 (Universal – 100% Nylon)

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