Last month we received a message in our inbox:
I’m hoping you’re going to do something like this and I’d be surprised if it didn’t come up before hand. This is the first year I’ll actually have a pair of nice skis that I want to get ready for the ski season and I was wondering if you’d have tips on what to do to “get them ready.”
- Adam
Apparently someone actually clicked the Contact Us link at the bottom of the sidebar. Usually we only get messages from SEO spammers and appendage-enhancing-pill-pushers. It was refreshing to get something from a reader.
So we thought we’d help Adam out.
Last season staff writers Jason Whitehouse and Jeb Admire created a series of tuning articles and videos that are just what the doctor ordered. While looking through those, we came across a few others that will help you get your skis ready for winter.
Brand New Skis? Detune Your Edges
Detune your edges
First thing to do with new skis: de-tune your ski tips and tails. By de-tuning—or taking off the edge—of your tips (and tails on twinips), you’ll save yourself the trouble of having to control squirrely, dive-y tips and tails so you can focus on having fun, instead.
How to Detune Ski Tips and Tails »
Season 2 or More? Deburr Your Edges
Deburr your edges
Catching an edge on manky snow sucks. Deburring your ski edges smooths everything out when you’re making turns. Here are some easy steps to deburr your ski edges.
Fix Core Shots
Fix core shots
Rocks, stumps, and other hard sub-snow nasties want to eat your skis bases, and if you aren’t wary, they’ll eat your ski right out from under you. Fortunately, we have some triage tips for when the ski-eaters pounce.
How to Fix Core Shots and Deep Scratches with P-Tex »
Wax Your Skis
Wax your skis
A waxed base glides better—making it easier to control and easier for you to maintain your balance and weight distribution. The Dude wouldn’t roll on a dusty lane—why would ski on an ashy ski base?
Sharpen Your Edges
Sharpen your edges
Face it—you aren’t going to carve like Bode or afterbang like Tom Wallisch unless your blades are sharp and tuned, so check out our videos and learn yourself about keeping the chrome crisp.
Backcountry Touring? Get Your Skins Ready
Cut your skins
Most skins require at least some custom trimming to your skis before you can paste them on and set off into the backcountry. Here are a few tips for cutting your new skins to fit and keeping them fully functional throughout the season.
On A Magic Carpet Ride: Cutting & Caring for Your Skins »
Renew Your Glue: Skin Rejuvenation
Renew skin glue
From Andrew McLean on his blog StraightChuter: I love the idea of regluing skins, not just because it is all eco earth friendly and vegan approved, but because a pair of moderately worn nylon skins have such a nice feel to them – they glide, climb and fold-up like butter.
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Tags: DIY, do-it-yourself, How To, ski tuning
Several years ago I purchases a pair of ski boards (short 100cm skis with non release bindings).
I had a torn meniscus and was trying to get back into skiing by reducing the “leverage” on my knees.
The skis wobble dangerously when used making me feel totally out of control, so I never used them, and the ski shop where I purchased them went out of business. I am looking for tips on tuning them that might make them useable. Currently they have no depression at all on the bottom that I have seen on some skis, so in addition to detuning the edges front and rear, I was hoping that cutting a shallow one might give them a bit more stability without ruining the skis. I am open t any suggestions, otherwise I have to just throw them out and buy new ones.
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