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IVGID Tip of the Week: Put your ski gear away the right way

Carl Hill
Special to the Bonanza
Diamond Peak Director of Skier Services Carl Hill applies a coat of summer “storage wax” to a pair of skis from the Diamond Peak demo fleet.
DIAMOND PEAK SKI RESORT |

After a long and snow-filled ski season we won’t soon forget, it’s getting to be the time of year when most of us start swapping mountain bikes for skis and snowboards.

But before you forget about the gear that served you so well this season, spend a little time preparing your skis/snowboard for the summer storage period, so that you’ll be ready to pick up where you left off when the snow starts to fly again next winter.

Put your skis/boards to sleep



Take a look at the bases of your skis/snowboards. If you used them during the spring, chances are there’s a bit of dirt sticking to them, and maybe some edge damage from those spring surprises poking through the snowpack those last few weeks.

Give your boards a good cleaning first to remove surface dirt, and if you have edge damage or major base repairs needed, consider getting those taken care of now (while your local ski shop tech still has time and the equipment set up).



Next up, you’ll want to apply a coat of “storage wax” to your skis or snowboard to prevent your bases from drying out and oxidizing over the summer. Start by scraping any leftover wax off your bases with a plastic scraper and wire/nylon brush, and then get out your waxing supplies.

Pretty much any ski or snowboard wax will do for the summer — you don’t need to spend a ton of money on a high performance wax just for storage — and you’ll want to apply a liberal coat of wax, which you won’t scrape off. Cover the entire base of both skis or your entire snowboard base plus the edges, let the wax fully cool, and then find a good place to store your equipment where it won’t be too hot, too dry, or too damp.

Keep your other gear in shape

Ski and snowboard boots are pretty easy — just make sure they’re clean and, in the case of ski boots, buckled up loosely to maintain their shape. Then store them somewhere that little critters won’t make nests in them.

Outerwear should be cleaned per the manufacturer’s instructions. Each piece may require a different type of detergent, might have different drying instructions, etc. So be sure to read your labels and follow instructions.

Carl Hill is Director of Skier Services at Diamond Peak Ski Resort in Incline Village, Nev.


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