This is so you get your money’s worth and are able to enjoy the next ski season without having to spend more of your hard-earned money on new skis.
Storing your skis is a great way to ensure their longevity. The best way to score skis is to keep them inside, in a dry, shaded, and ventilated room at room temperature.
Cold conditions, exposure to sunlight, and dampness will damage the materials, reduce their longevity and have a negative effect on their performance.
Below, we’ll go into detail about how to best store your skis, and how to take care of them and clean them at the end of the season.
Where To Store Your Skis
Where you store your skis is crucial. Space is an issue for most people, and a lot of people store their skis in their attics or garages, but unless these spaces have the optimal conditions for storing skis then this can do damage to your skis over time.
Skis generally have a wood core, and so severe fluctuations in temperature will impact the materials. If possible the best place to store your equipment is inside your house, where temperatures are more stable.
We recommend storing them in a cupboard, under your bed, or anywhere in your house where humidity is low, has little to no sun exposure, and is well-ventilated.
Once you’ve found the best place to store your skis, you need to store your skis leaning against a sturdy surface, or lie them flat.
It’s important to not strap them together too tightly, or place them between objects that could warp them over time due to their weight. We also recommend storing skis separately or strap them together loosely.
If you own a ski big, storing them inside the bag is alright as long as it is dry. You should also leave the bag slightly open to allow fresh air inside and to avoid the build up of moisture.
We also recommend wiping your ski poles down, before drying them and storing them next to your skis in their own bag.
Taking Care Of Your Skis At The End Of The Season
Tuning your skis once ski season comes to an end is just as essential as maintaining your skis during the season. Once you return home from your ski trip it’s easy to put your gear to the back of your mind until ski season begins again.
But taking the time to properly service your skis before storing them is important for a carefree ski season!
Prevent Rust By Sharpening Edges
If you store skis with even the smallest amount of rust on them, then that rust is going to spread and deteriorate your pressure edges while they’re in storage.
The best way to get rid of rust and stop it from growing is to give your skis a good sharp edge before putting them in storage. Take your skis to a ski shop to get them tuned or waxed, or you can do it yourself with a Swix Gummy Stone to get rid of burrs and nicks.
Flat, sharp edges stop rust from growing and keeps your skis in optimal condition.
Prevent Dampness With Waxing
Once you’ve cleaned your base and sharpened your edges, adding a thick layer of wax is the next crucial step.
Hot wax on the bases will prevent dampness as well as rust from growing. Simply scrape off excess wax next season to reveal a fresh base!
Decrease Your Release Value
Ski bindings have a DIN value that determines how easily they detach from your boots if you crash.
It’s recommended to decrease your DIN value to the lowest setting before you store your skis as it assists the loaded springs in the bindings to soften and remain true to the indicators of the DIN dial.
To decrease your DIN, locate the toe and heel screws of the bindings and turn them counterclockwise.
How To Clean Skis
Before storing away your skis at the end of the season you should at first clean them.
Snow might appear clean, but there are many dirt particles in snow that need to be wiped away, particularly if you’re skiing in slushy snow, or your gear is exposed to the elements on your way home.
The best way to clean your skis and other skiing gear is with a cloth and warm water. Just give them a wipe down before leaving them to dry.
We advise against using hot water or a pressure washer to avoid forcing excess water into the bindings, and to avoid scratching the base with a powerful stream of water.
Once the tops and bases are clean, use a steel or bronze brush to get rid of any dirt that might be left on your bases. Gently rub the skis up and down before wiping with a dry, clean cloth.
How Long Will My Skis Last?
While you can use your skis for decades, their performance is affected after 100-125 days of skiing. So if you ski for 20 days a year, then you may notice the quality of your skis diminish after 5 years.
After every consecutive use, the wood core of your skis will gradually lose its pop.
While you can ski with old skis, it won’t support you as much as it previously did.
In fact, most skiers replace their skis every 8 years, and it is recommended that you replace your skis every 5-10 years depending on your skiing ability, how often you ski, and if you want to improve your performance.
The same is also the case with snowboards.
Final Thoughts
While it does take some effort to properly maintain and store your ski gear, it is totally worth it!
Not only does it ensure you get your money’s worth out of your gear, but it also means you can enjoy your skis for a lot longer!
Hi, my name is Jamie Andreas and I am a workaholic. I spent the best part of a decade climbing the corporate ladder, focusing on one thing and one thing only - my career.
Since then, I’ve stepped back in my job so that I have more free time to explore the wild. My mental health, clarity, and well-being have all improved by incredible amounts.
I now have a healthy work-life balance, and I want that for you too.
Life is too short to think of work only. Please enjoy my website and use it for inspiration for your next adventure. Maybe I’ll see you out there!
