Climbing skins are an easily overlooked piece of backcountry gear, but investing in good skins can make a huge difference in the mountains. Pomoca photo. With backcountry skiing and snowboarding exploding in popularity this season, we’ve had a lot of discussions about what gear to bring in the backcountry. Last week, we chatted about our favorite pieces of mountain and avalanche safety gear – like Mammut beacons and Somewear Lab satellite communicators – and we’ll be checking out next year’s best skis, boots, and boards soon. However, one thing that we’ve found is often overlooked are climbing skins. You gotta get up to get down, right? Well, turns out not all skins are made the same. We’ll readily admit that all those different options can get confusing: mohair vs. nylon, glide vs. traction, glue vs. glueless. Well, turns out many of your favorite pro skiers swear by a particular skin: Pomoca. Look on the bottom of their skins, and you’ll find that telltale purple plush that enables them to float uphill to conquer the lines of their dreams.