S kis and snowboards aren’t exactly cheap.
You know this, especially if you’ve recently purchased your own fancy gear, likely featuring some of the best technological advances money can buy.
How long your gear lasts and how well it works, however, is up to you.
Depending on how often you get out, your skis or snowboard may need anywhere from annual to weekly maintenance.
Keeping your board or skis well tuned and waxed will improve your ride, making that coveted sweet serenity on the slopes all the more likely (and safe).
| Get skis ready
If you’re on a short timeline for tuning, plan ahead. Some shops may need a few days or at least 24 hours to tune up your skis. * Cascade Crags – 2820 Rucker Ave., Everett, 425-258-3431, www.cascadecrags.com; offers some hand-tuning services. * The Hill Billies – 617 Croft Ave., Gold Bar, 360-793-0221; offers ski and snowboard tuning, as do the following businesses: * G.I. Joe’s – 519 Highway 9, Lake Stevens, 425-293-0707; 19310 60th Ave. W., Lynnwood, 425-712-9200, www.gijoes.com. * Mt. Pilchuck Ski &Sport – 10822 Highway 99 S., Everett, 425-353-3400, www.mtpilchuck.com. * Play It Again Sports – 19513 Highway 99, Lynnwood, 425-670-1184, www.playitagainsports.com; ski and snowboard tuneups off-site. * REI Alderwood – 3000 184th St. SW, Alderwood Village, Lynnwood, 425-640-6200, www.rei.com. * Sports Authority – 19800 44th Ave. W., Lynnwood, 425-712-0900; 505 SE Everett Mall Way, 425-347-8988. |
Question: Why should I get a tuneup?
Answer: To work as intended and to last a long time, skis and snowboards need sharp metal edges as well as smooth, evenly waxed, undamaged bases.
Question: What happens if I don’t have my edges sharpened?
Answer: If your ski or snowboard edges are dull, it can make it harder to turn, which can cause you to run into obstructions or other skiers.
“Sharp edges are going to help you if you’re skiing turns,” said Corinne Olson, a sales associate at Cascade Crags in Everett. “You’re going to be able to dig into ice or make a cleaner cut into the snow. It’s all about control and performance.”
Question: Why does ski equipment need wax?
Answer: If your snowboard, for example, isn’t adequately waxed, you’ll not only be exposing its high-tech surfaces to the elements, which can cause damage known as “base burn,” but you’ll also increase the friction between your board and the snow, making travel more challenging.
“It’s basically like oil in a car,” said Brian Long, an accomplished skier and tuner at Mt. Pilchuck Ski &Sport in Everett, which offers a variety of tuning services. Sticking with the metaphor, Long’s coworker, Andy Wilson, added: “If you oil it regularly, it’s going to run clean and last longer.”
Some people avoid waxing their skis because they are afraid the smoother surface will send them flying down the mountain.
While wax does indeed make skis and snowboards ride faster, it doesn’t make skiing more dangerous; quite the opposite, said Mike Palmer, co-owner of Cascade Crags.
Smoother surfaces help with turns and stopping maneuvers for increased safety.
“You skis will slide sideways easier as well,” Palmer said. “You’re actually safer to have them waxed.”
Question: What happens during the average tuneup?
Answer: At Mt. Pilchuck Ski &Sport, a full-service tuning includes a trip through a set of machines.
One grinds the base of the ski to make sure it’s flat and free of old wax. Another machine, called a stone grinder, adds tiny pocks to the bottom of the ski to give it structure and texture. This allows air to sneak underneath the ski, which prevents a suction effect between your skis and the often-sticky Northwest snow.
Yet another machine sharpens the thin metallic edges to give them a 1-degree to 3-degree bevel on the bottom and the sides.
Finally, tuners apply wax, with either a warmed spinning roller or by hand with a hot wax iron, which is the preferred method because it allows the surface to more deeply absorb the wax.
After the wax dries, tuners typically buff the surface with a series of brushes to add a bit of texture to the ski base.
Question: What if my gear is damaged?
Answer: If your skis or snowboard have deep gouges or scratches caused by rocks or other debris, tuners can fix them as part of a tuneup, usually for an extra charge.
Question: How much does all this cost?
Answer: Prices range from $10 to $50 or more, depending on what you want done.
At Mt. Pilchuck, for example, a full tuneup costs $30 and includes everything but repair work. If you want a basic tuning, which includes edge sharpening and a hot wax, expect to pay about $20. If you want just a hot wax, it’s $12 for a snowboard or $10 for skis.
Meanwhile, prices at Stevens Pass Ski Resort range from $25 for an edging and a hot wax to $40 for more advanced service packages.
Question: How often should skis be tuned?
Answer: If you’re like the average Western Washington skier, you’ll probably hit the slopes 15 times or fewer each season, which means an annual tuneup before the season starts should be enough.
Wilson said more frequent skiers should get their skis fully tuned every 15 trips to the mountains for optimum performance.
Question: How often should skis be waxed?
Answer: Wax is like moisturizer for the face of your skis, so keeping them covered is just good preventative maintenance.
Though typical skiers can get by with one hot wax a season, Wilson recommends a hot wax every 10 trips for the best possible performance. You can also supplement your wax base with a quick machine wax for a few bucks at on-site wax stations at ski resorts such as Steven Pass.
If you want to be a true wax nerd, you can buy supplemental rub-on wax for $3 to $5 per bar and use it before every outing. You can also buy your own hot wax equipment, including wax, a tuning iron and scraper for less than $50.
Though most tuneups include all-temperature wax suitable for any weather, there are hundreds of types of wax for various snow textures, temperatures and conditions. Palmer recommends warmer temperature wax for spring skiers who often find themselves on extremely sticky snow.
Question: How do I know if my ski bindings are working properly?
Answer: Bindings can sometimes be a part of an annual tuning. If you have gained or lost weight or have increased your skiing or boarding skills it’s a good idea to have your ski bindings checked during tuning to make sure they are set to the appropriate tension-release settings or “DIN.” DIN is short for Deutsche Industrie Normen, a German organization that sets standards for binding release tensions.
According to REI.com, low DIN settings are best for beginners while higher settings are for more advance skiers: “The lower the DIN setting, the more easily the binding releases while a higher DIN setting is harder to get out of.”
Question:What should I do at the end of the season?
Answer: If possible, it’s best to store your skis indoors to avoid prolonged exposure to heat or moisture in the off season.
But before putting your skis or snowboard to bed, visit your favorite ski shop and ask for a thick protective layer of “storage wax” or “summer wax” to keep out the elements.
“That helps preserve the base,” said John Gifford, general manager of Stevens Pass. “Your skis will last longer.”
Reporter Sarah Jackson: 425-339-3037 or sjackson@heraldnet.com.
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