It's getting to be the time of year when we are putting our skis away for the off season. It can be tempting to simply throw your skis in the garage or closet and forget about them until next season, but did you know that there are some things you should do to prep your skis for the summer?
You can certainly take your skis/snowboards to a shop and have them do everything for you, but most people can do it easily themselves without spending much. There are a few steps that you will want to take. Firstly, you will want to clean off any excess dirt or grime on your skis, which is common to have on them after some time spring skiing. Be careful not to get your bindings too wet, but you can simply take a wet cloth or towel and wipe down your skis, getting rid of any visible debris that may have collected on your skis. If you do have some tuning equipment, or know someone who does, it's wise to sharpen your edges or get rid of any knicks where rust may form over the summer. In addition to hitting your edges with a file to prevent rust, you should also wax your skis for the summer. Differently from winter care, you'll want to leave the wax on your base without scraping off the excess, as well as try to cover the edges of your skis, as this will prevent any moisture to get onto the metal edges and the porous base of your skis, which will keep them from drying out throughout the summer season. For those of you who do not feel like doing the work on your own, several ski shops throughout Summit County, such as Mountain View Sports, would be happy to put a summer coat of wax on your skis, even a base grind if you'd like, so that all you have to do is find a safe place to store them during the summer.
Once you've gotten your skis prepped, you'll need to store them somewhere. Try to avoid having them outside where temperatures and humidity changes frequently. Try to keep them somewhere that is climate controlled to avoid any outside factors to affect their summer hibernation. Also, try not to have them held together by Voile straps or velcro straps, as this can put tension on the skis and bindings, especially since they will be sitting for a while. If you are a snowboarder, it's wise to remove your bindings from your snowboard or at least loosen the screws, as the board does deal with a lot of tension where the bindings are attached. Don't neglect your boots either! It's good to keep them in a similar environment as your skis throughout the summer. Make sure that they are fully dried out and keep your buckles loose, but clipped to keep your boots from losing their shape.
While it's sometimes hard to admit that winter is coming to a close and take those steps to put your skis away, make it easier for yourself so you will be ready to go when the snow starts to fly next winter!
Written By: Elizabeth Constantine