# Ski mountaineering · Sport Extreme Livigno

> Sport Extreme, at Via Prestefan 14 in Livigno, sells ski mountaineering skis, pin bindings, boots and skins from ATK, Marker, Scarpa, Salomon and Black Diamond, and helps you put together a light, compatible set-up for training uphill.

Fonte: Sport Extreme, Via Prestefan 14, 23041 Livigno (SO) · tel. +39 0342 996863 · info@sportextremelivigno.com · aperto tutti i giorni 09:00–12:30, 14:00–19:30
Pagina: https://sportextremelivigno.com/en/shop/ski-mountaineering/
Aggiornato: 2026-11-05

In ski mountaineering you skin uphill to train and reach the top as fast as you can. You need narrow skis, pin bindings, light boots and a close-fitting race suit: the descent comes later.

Brands in store: ATK, Marker, Scarpa, Salomon, Black Diamond, Mammut, Deuter, Osprey, Leki, Uvex, Level

## The kit, piece by piece

- **Helmet**: Light and well ventilated, because your head heats up on the climb. A helmet certified for mountaineering (EN 12492) and for skiing (EN 1077) works both on the way up and on the way down. (Salomon, Black Diamond)
- **Sunglasses**: Goggles fog up on the climb, so you wear wraparound sunglasses, category 3, or 4 at high altitude. Goggles stay in the pack for the descent or for wind. (Uvex)
- **Race suit**: Close-fitting, thin and one-piece: it doesn't flap and lets sweat out. Inner pockets keep skins and gloves warm, ready for the transition at the top.
- **Gloves**: Thin, breathable softshell gloves for the climb. At the top you swap them for a warmer pair from your pack. (Black Diamond, Level)
- **Backpack**: 15–20 L, narrow and close to your back, with straps to carry your skis when you bootpack. It holds shovel, probe and a warm layer; the transceiver is worn on your body. (Deuter, Osprey, Black Diamond)
- **Skis**: Narrow and light: under 70 mm underfoot and under 1 kg per ski for training and racing, 80–90 mm and 1.1–1.4 kg for touring. They're a few centimetres shorter than piste skis, so kick turns are quicker. (Salomon)
- **Skins**: Mohair glides better and is lighter, nylon grips better on steep sections and lasts longer. Racers use thin mohair skins, cut to the shape of the ski with the edges left free. (Black Diamond)
- **Bindings**: Pin bindings, no brakes: on the climb your heel is free, for the descent it locks into the heel piece. A race binding weighs around 100 g, a touring one up to about 400 g; your boot needs pin inserts. (ATK, Marker, Salomon)
- **Boots**: A race boot weighs around 500–800 g and closes with one lever and a wire dial. The lighter and freer it is on the climb, the less it controls the ski on the way down: for touring you want a stiffer boot. (Scarpa, Salomon)
- **Poles**: For training, fixed carbon poles a little longer than piste poles, to push on every stride. For touring, adjustable ones you can set for the climb, traverses and descent. (Leki, Black Diamond)

## How to choose

- **Weight**: On the climb you feel every gram on every stride. For training, skis under 1 kg each and a race boot around 500–800 g; for touring, 1.1–1.4 kg skis are worth it for more control on the descent.
- **Width**: Under 70 mm underfoot to climb fast and to race; 80–90 mm for touring, where the descent matters more. Wider means steadier, but heavier.
- **Skins**: Mohair glides better and weighs less, nylon grips better on steep slopes and lasts longer; mixed skins sit in between. They're cut to the shape of the ski, leaving the edges free.
- **Bindings and boots**: Pin bindings and boots with inserts have to be compatible. The more range of motion the cuff has, the longer and more natural your stride.

## Where to skin up in Livigno

At Carosello 3000, the Ski-Alp Track starts from the flat area between the gondola station and Plaza Placheda and climbs to the summit, with about 1,000 m of vertical, marked by orange and blue poles. Livigno also has other managed ski touring routes, groomed after every snowfall and marked with blue and orange poles; some of them start with a transceiver checkpoint.

## Why do you climb?

- **To train**: Skis under 70 mm, light pin bindings and a boot with plenty of range of motion. Only skin up pistes where the operator allows it, and keep to the edge.
- **For tours**: 80–90 mm skis, touring pin bindings and a stiffer boot: on the way down you'll meet every kind of snow. Always carry a transceiver, shovel and probe.
- **To race**: Race rules set minimum sizes for skis and bindings and a list of compulsory gear, transceiver included: read them before you buy.

## Gear that works together

We help you put together skis, bindings, boots and skins that are compatible, choosing across brands to suit the way you climb. The same shop has transceivers, shovels and probes from Mammut and Black Diamond. Livigno is a duty-free zone, so no VAT is applied.

## Frequently asked questions

### What's the difference between ski mountaineering and freeride?

In ski mountaineering the climb is what counts: narrow, light skis, pin bindings and boots with lots of range of motion, to reach the top as fast as possible. In freeride the descent in fresh snow is what counts: wide, heavier skis, and if you skin up, it's to ski down. Much ski mountaineering training happens on groomed routes.

### What do I need to start ski mountaineering?

To start you need touring skis with pin bindings, boots with a walk mode, skins, poles and a helmet. On top of that, a transceiver, shovel and probe, which in Italy are compulsory where there is avalanche risk. Before your first outings, it's worth taking a course and going out with experienced people.

### Can I skin up the pistes?

In Italy, going up pistes on skis is normally prohibited: it's only allowed where the operator authorises it, keeping as close as possible to the edge of the piste (art. 24, Legislative Decree 40/2021). Livigno has dedicated routes, such as the Carosello 3000 Ski-Alp Track, marked by orange and blue poles. Before you go, check the ski area's hours and rules.

### Mohair or nylon skins?

It depends on what you want: mohair glides better and is lighter, nylon grips better and is more durable. Mixed skins, usually mohair blended with nylon, sit in between and are a good choice to start with. Whichever you choose, they are cut to the shape of your ski with the edges left free.