Ever wonder how the Voile Strap came to be? It all started with a backcountry innovation from the early 1980s. Tune into the video below for the full rundown on the humble beginnings of the legendary Voile Strap. For those who prefer reading to videos, continue below for a full written breakdown of the Voile Strap origin story from Voile GM and Partner, David Grissom.

Voile Snake Skins: The Origin of the Voile Strap

Hey folks, this is Dave from Voile. I’m here to share a bit of the origin story behind the Voile Strap, one of our earliest products from the 1980s. It all started with the Voile Snake Skin, a polyurethane climbing skin.

The Snake Skin Design

The Snake Skin was made from a polyurethane belting material, into which we cut small slits. When stretched, these slits would open up into fins or teeth, allowing the skin to grip and climb effectively. To secure the Snake Skin to a ski, we radio-frequency welded a strap directly onto the skin material. This strap (the precursor to the Voile Strap) held the skin firmly in place by stretching it over the ski, which activated the fins for climbing.

While Snake Skins were excellent climbers, they had some limitations—they didn’t glide at all. Additionally, because they didn’t use adhesive, you had to tightly crank the Voile Strap around the ski to keep the skin securely in place. Despite this, the polyurethane material was incredibly durable and absorbed no water, making it a reliable option at the time.

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  An original pair of Snake Skins featuring the Voile Strap
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  Backside of the original snake skins

The Evolution of the Voile Strap

In the early ’90s, I personally used Snake Skins quite a lot. At the time, there weren’t many adhesive skin options, so they filled a niche. But it wasn’t just about Snake Skins—this product marked the birth of the Voile Strap.

The Voile Strap gained popularity when it was adapted for other uses, including as a toe strap on the original Merrill Super Comp ski boots. From there, ski shops began discovering the strap’s versatility, especially as a reliable ski strap. This led to the introduction of our custom logo program, which helped the Voile Strap take off as a multipurpose tool for all kinds of applications.

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  The legendary Merrell Supercomp
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  Supercomp in action

The Voile Strap Comes Full Circle

Fast forward to today, and the Voile Strap has come full circle. It’s now back on Voile Hyperglide Skins, where it’s used to improve the functionality and durability of our ski skins.

We’ve innovated further, creating a riveted plate to attach the skin material, alongside an adjustable clip made from the same durable material as the Voile Strap. This clip allows users to fine-tune the tension of the skin on their ski. The same design principles have also been applied to our splitboard skins, which feature an adjustable aluminum tail clip for proper tensioning.

A Durable Legacy

From the Snake Skin to the Hyperglide Skin, the Voilé Strap has made its way back onto our ski skins. It’s a testament to its durability and functionality, all while being proudly made here in the USA—right in Utah.

So there you have it: the Voile Strap origin story… born from innovation and built for lasting performance.