Before you get ready to hit the beach, go camping or take the Summer off, let’s talk about those new expensive skis you bought or that snowboard that your parents bought you. There are a couple of easy things you can do before you put them away for the Summer to ensure they will be in good condition when the snow flies next Winter.
Caring for your equipment is very important throughout the year. In the winter it is important to wax your skis or snowboard roughly every five days of use. If you don’t wax your skis or board the base will dry out; you can see this by looking at the bases and seeing the white stuff that looks like hair. This is not what you want to happen because your skis or board will not glide properly, which impedes your ability to turn. What most people do not realize is that ski and snowboard bases can dry out even when you’re not using them. This can have a real impact on equipment in storage for an extended period of time (such as over the summer).
It’s rather easy to get your gear ready to spend the summer in the closet:
- Wipe your equipment down and look for any damage that may have been hidden under a layer of mud or in your bag.
- If there is rust on the edges of your skis or board, remove that with a stone and a file (if you are not sure how to do this, bring your gear into The Ski Bum and we can help). If you leave the rust on the edges they can become pitted from excessive rust erosion.
- The best way to prevent rust from happening is to wipe them clean and then put a coat of wax on your skis or board before they get put away for summer. More is better; you want the wax to saturate the base and spill over the edges. This can be a bit messy, so make sure you are being careful and waxing in a safe environment.
- Once you’re done waxing, store your equipment in a temperature-controlled environment inside your house–not in an unfinished basement or attic, which often encounters widely changing temperatures and humidity levels.
If you are unsure of how to properly get your gear ready for summer vacation, just bring it into either Ski Bum location and we can have it done for you. Our tune shop is open all summer long!
Think Snow!
The Ski Bum
