The G3 Splitboard+ Glide skins provide the user-friendly features of the Splitboard+ Series, in an advanced package. These skins have excellent glide, are relatively lightweight, and provide good value. The camming tail clip is a stand out feature so you can glide on the approach with peace of mind. However, the larger plastic tip clip makes for a particular rolling technique to become compact, but we were fine with this trade-off. The Glide is an excellent choice for splitboarders that are confident in their technique and looking to get after it.
Secure and easy attachment system, efficient skinning
All-purpose, good ratio of grip to glide, camming tail clip, easy to align tip clip
Durable, good grip to glide ratio
Good glide, rolls and folds small, robust adhesive
Beefy skins with great grip, durable, excellent attachment system
Cons
Adequate grip, particular rolling technique
Awkward folding
Can be hard to pull apart, more involved initial setup
Initial setup is a bit more involved, small range of size adjustments
Bulky, inefficient, tough to pack
Bottom Line
Great skins for proficient skinners who know they want an efficient skin for big days
Great grip-to-glide ratio and solid all-around performance in a user-friendly package makes it a great choice for most people
Whether it's your first day or 100th day, these skins are appropriate for all skill levels
Straightforward and streamlined performance
Great skins for beginner splitboarders who want all the help they can get ascending
Rating Categories
G3 Splitboard+ Glide
G3 Splitboard+ Univ...
Black Diamond Ascen...
Black Diamond Glide...
G3 Splitboard+ Grip
Glide(25%)
9.0
8.0
7.0
8.0
6.0
Grip(25%)
7.0
8.0
8.0
7.0
8.0
Ease of Use(15%)
8.0
9.0
6.0
7.0
8.0
Attachment System(15%)
9.0
9.0
8.0
7.0
9.0
Glue Icing Glop(20%)
7.0
7.0
8.0
8.0
7.0
Specs
G3 Splitboard+ Glide
G3 Splitboard+ Univ...
Black Diamond Ascen...
Black Diamond Glide...
G3 Splitboard+ Grip
Manufacturer
G3
G3
Black Diamond
Black Diamond
G3
Weight per pair
560 (g)
674 (g)
658 (g)
650 (g)
580 (g)
Weight per skin
280 (g)
337 (g)
329 (g)
325 (g)
290 (g)
Material
Nylon plush
Nylon plush
Nylon
65% mohair and 35% nylon
Nylon plush
Glue
Non-toxic adhesive
Non-toxic adhesive
Non-toxic adhesive
Non-toxic adhesive
Non-toxic adhesive
Tip Attachment
Asymmetrical steel hands
Asymmetrical steel Hands
Snap-fit attachement
Coated cable
Asymmetrical steel hands
Tail Attachment
SPLITBOARD+
SPLITBOARD+
STS
STS
SPLITBOARD+
Precut Option?
No
Yes
No
No
No
Bag Included?
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Cheat Sheets Included?
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
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Our Analysis and Test Results
The G3 Splitboard+ Glide is a well thought out skin that helps create an enjoyable skinning experience.
Performance Comparison
Skins can bring you to awesome places.
Credit: Laredo
Grip
The Glide skins are made up of 70% mohair, which helps glide, and 30% nylon to aid in durability and grip. That being said, don't expect to be looking at your friends behind you while motoring straight up; it's just not what they were designed to do, nor is it the most efficient way to skin. With good technique, these skins provide plenty of grip, especially when touring on the ideal skin track angle of 15-20 degrees. The skins provided enough grip to make it to where we wanted to go, with a bit of added focus in very steep sections.
Literally side by side comparisons.
Credit: Isaac Laredo
Glide
Glide is a critical metric that intermediate to advanced splitboarders appreciate for bigger days. The G3 Glide shines in this particular metric. Have you ever switched from a town bike with mountain bike tires to a bike with slick road tires? Riding to the bar or work instantly feels faster and easier. That is what using the Glide skins feel like after being on an all-nylon skin. The glide quality of these skins is excellent, and the energy efficiency gains associated with this are significant.
The Glide thrives in lower angle terrain where having additional glide is rewarded.
Credit: Isaac Laredo
Ease of Use
The Glide is equipped with the same user-friendly features as the Splitboard+ series. It comes with a pre-cut edge for the straight edge of your splitboard. G3 also provides our favorite trimming tool that is easy to hold and brace against the board when cutting. The goal here is to get you on the skin track faster with perfect cuts.
The folded Splitboard+ Glide.
Credit: laredo
As with most skins that have complex attachment systems, rolling can be a challenge and result in a bulkier or awkward package if done incorrectly. Since the Glide utilizes mohair and a consistently shorter hair length, the skin has a lighter weight and small packed size. This translates to having more space in your pack, less weight on your back, and less weight on your feet, all of which is a major addition by subtraction.
These features are discussed in greater detail in the review of our award-winning G3 Splitboard + Universal.
Attachment System
G3 has blessed the splitboard community by providing a camming tail clip with a versatile tip clip. The clips are user-friendly and secure. The metal tip clips hold the skin to the board with ease and are relatively easy to attach.
The camming tip clip of the G3 Glide is our favorite attachment system.
Credit: Isaac Laredo
The tail clip requires a specific sequence of steps to adjust the length, which we would recommend doing at home. Once we sized them appropriately, we never lost a tail clip, even on swallowtails or unique shapes. The Splitboard+ Series uses the same attachment system across the line.
The fixed steel hands for the tip attachment are very adaptable across shapes and is the easiest to align the skin with the board.
Credit: Isaac Laredo
Glue and Glop
When selecting the glue and waterproofing of the Splitboard+ Series, G3 prioritized environmentally friendly compounds without sacrificing performance. The Glide utilizes a PFOA free waterproofing that prevents or minimizes glopping, even when our partners were lifting glopped snow bricks with every stride.
G3 utilizes a non-toxic glue that stuck as good on the first day as it does today. Our experience with the adhesive and glop performance matched the results of the Universal skins, and we discuss that in greater detail in the Universal review.
Snow between the base and Splitboard+ Glide.
Credit: Laredo
Value
This skin isn't the cheapest, nor is it the most expensive mohair mix option on the market. It differentiates itself with its camming tail clip and overall ease of use. In the mohair category, the Glide provides a good value.
Conclusion
The G3 Splitboard+ Glide skins are excellent choices for experienced splitboarders who get after it. The Glide is not the best skin for beginners, but for those who have figured out the Jedi skinning skills necessary to push it farther into the backcountry, the Glide skins may be the best choice.
GearLab is founded on the principle of honest, objective, reviews. Our experts test thousands of products each year using thoughtful test plans that bring out key performance differences between competing products. And, to assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. No cherry-picked units sent by manufacturers. No sponsored content. No ads. Just real, honest, side-by-side testing and comparison.
