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How to Care for Ski Gear

You’ve made the investment in your own pair of skis, and you’ve taken them out for a few runs down the slopes. Now that you’re back on the bottom of the mountain, it’s time to start thinking about how to maintain your skis so you can keep getting great use out of them for years to come. Read on for our advice about maintenance and storage, the two most important parts of taking care of your skis.

Regular Maintenance

A tune up is recommended about every five uses and at the end of the season before you store your skis. It could be more or less depending on the conditions in which you ski. For example, icy slopes take more of a toll on your skis than soft powder and are easier to navigate on tuned up skis.

Although taking your gear in to the shop can get expensive—anywhere from $20-$70 a visit—these trips are crucial to ensure you get the most out of your skis. A tune-up has three basic parts: base repair, waxing, and sharpening the ski’s edges.

• Base repair: During base repair, old wax is scraped off, the bases are cleaned, and any scrapes or gauges are filled in. Usually these repairs are done with P-Tex, a thermoplastic that fills in scratches when it’s melted.
• Waxing: A layer of wax on the bottom of your skis helps you glide across the snow smoothly and makes your skis water resistant.
• Edge sharpening: This involves filing the edges of the skis to ensure they are sharp, which helps you pivot and move side to side.

For the handier among us it’s also possible to do ski tune-ups at home. Talk to your local ski shop’s employees to see what you’ll need based on the type of skiing you do.

Proper Storage

No matter when it is in the season, you should always store your skis in a dry place off the ground where the temperature is fairly constant.

At the end of the season, though, you’ll need to do a little more to prepare your skis for their summer vacation. First, take your skis in for a full tune-up so that they’re ready to go the next year. You’ll also want to make sure there’s a thick layer of wax on the base and the edges to keep the skis from rusting. Then, release the spring tension in the bindings, noting their original settings.

If you tell your shop employees to prepare your skis for storage, they should be able to do all these things for you. Or, at the very least they’ll tell you everything you’ll need to know about how to prep your skis for long-term storage.

Keeping your skis in good shape is easy as long as you stay on top of it. Happy skiing, and remember to follow our tips on taking care of your snow gear so you can get the best use out of it!

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