After a thrilling skiing season comes the off-season.
And you know what? It’s time to store your ski gear ready for the next season.
It might surprise you that many people don’t know how to store their ski gear.
As a result, they miss out on some benefits.
Proper care for your skis, boots, and other ski gear not only keeps them in tip-top position but also helps them perform better and last longer.
Are you one of the people that don’t properly store their ski gear during the offseason?
If you are nodding in agreement, you would be forgiven, but after reading the below handy guide, proper storage of your ski gear shouldn’t be taken for granted.
Let’s begin.
Skis
The amount of care depends on the frequency and intensity of use.
If it suits you, you could take your gear to the local ski shops for a tune-up, but if you are one of those people that like taking matters into their own hands, the below DIY tips should get you going.
- Clean your skis: You could use running water to wash off any dirt from your skis. You could also use a soft cloth to remove any remaining dirt. Air them to dry. Be sure to sand down rusty edges to deter rust from spreading further. Use steel wool or Scotch Brite pad to remove stubborn rust.
- Apply wax: Brush and scrape the edges to remove the old layer of wax. A brass, copper, or bronze brush might come in handy together with a mild base cleaner for proper wax removal.
Afterward, apply a hot layer of wax evenly to the base and edges.
Use twice or thrice the amount you could have used during the season.
Why so?
This layer of wax prevents rusting, preserves elasticity, and keeps the edges from drying out.
Avoid liquid waxes when preparing your skis for storage.
And remember to scrape off the wax for the next season before hitting the slopes once again.
- Strap them together carefully: Don’t stick the skis together by entangling the brake levers. This could compromise the tension on the binding. Avoid the edges from rubbing out against each other.
Remember not to strap your skis in such a way that the rocker and the camber are compressed.
This could result in warping.
Use a non-abrasive strapping material to avoid skis from scissoring.
Store indoors: It’s advisable you store your skis indoors but not in a ski bag. A ski bag could be damp, increasing the chances of rust.
There is no requirement for climate-controlled storage, but avoid storing your skis in areas that heat up more than usual.
Your garage, basement, or attic could be a perfect storage area.
Just ensure that your skis are not susceptible to leaks and cannot fall off.
Should I sharpen the edges?
It’s not a must, but there is nothing wrong with getting all your stuff ready for next season.
Ski Boots
After hitting the slopes, your boots could be full of mud collected on the parking lots.
Before storing them, ensure that your ski boots are properly cleaned and dried.
Wash the toes and heels of your boots’ lugs properly. Tighten any loose screws.
Pay attention to the liners.
In fact, it’s a good practice to clean your liners after every skiing activity.
This care extends their life and keeps off any odor.
You can use a boot dryer to dry off any moisture.
But in case you don’t intend to invest in a dryer, hanging them out to dry works just fine.
Other storage tips for your boots include:
- Buckle your boots: If your boots are left unbuckled for an extended period, they could lose their shape. The cuff of a boot is made of plastic. If not buckled appropriately, the plastic may go back to its flat, natural shape. For long-term storage, ensure that your boots are clasped and buckled loosely.
Storage: Avoid storing your boots in the garage. Pests may find a natural, warm habitat in your boots.
Worse still, animals could defecate in your boots, destroying them.
I am sure you wouldn’t want that for your treasured pair.
Instead, store your boots in a ski boot bag for optimum safety.
Remember to avoid storing your boots in hot storage.
Heat could leave your boots stretched or, worse still, melt the plastics.
For fresh-smelling boots, you can use shoe deodorants.
Bindings
Your bindings serve as the bridge between you and the skis.
They are loaded with springs that keep your boots hooked in them, enabling you to release them when necessary.
With this in mind, taking proper care of the bindings ensure that your skiing experience doesn’t drop any bit in the next season.
To that end, observe the below storage tips for your bindings:
- DIN settings: When storing your bindings, set the springs to the lowest setting to reduce tension. Keeping an eye on your DIN windows’ numerical indicators, turn the DIN screws anti-clockwise for the lowest setting.
Remember to reset the DIN screws to the original settings before using your bindings in the next season.
Otherwise, you risk being ejected.
- Clean your bindings lightly and store them dry. Your attic or garage can act as the storage terminus for your bindings.
Ski poles
Well, for these guys, thorough cleaning and drying them properly will do them just right.
Keep them away from wetness to deter rust.
Please keep them in pairs to avoid scratching your head when looking for them the next season.
You can invest in a ski rack to take your storage of ski poles to the next level.
Goggles
Skiing goggles play a critical role in protecting your face from snow, rainfall, and other debris. Googles also cushion your eyes from bright light in the snow.
Have you ever heard of snow blindness?
A common phrase when you only see white around you.
Thankfully, goggles come in handy in such instances.
With this in mind, you can’t afford not to take care of your goggles ready for the next season.
Are you wondering where to start?
Don’t worry. Follow the below tips, and you will be set to go.
- Cleaning: Clean your goggles with warm water, mild soap, or plastic lens cleaning detergent. If unsure, make a reference to the manufacturer’s manual on the proper way to clean your goggles. Ultimately, use a soft-micro fiber cloth to clean and buffer your goggles.
While cleaning, avoid touching the inside of the lens with your bare hands.
This could leave fingerprints that could be difficult to clean.
It could also interfere with the anti-fog coating, making your goggles fog up in the future.
- Storage: Use a protective soft covering to store your goggles. You could also store them in that box that they came with. Hard cases are preferable as they protect your goggles in case of knocks or falls. You can store them in the ski boot bag as well. Be sure to replace any scratched goggles.
Ski clothing
During the season, it’s okay to clean your ski apparel with water and soap.
However, for an extended period of storage, you could use special detergents.
But remember to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations to avoid damaging the fabric.
Please do not use any fabric softener as it clogs up the poles.
Ensure that your clothing dries out completely.
A little ironing could also fixate fabric protection.
Replace any worn-out apparel.
For your socks, turn them inside out to remove any dead skin and any other particles.
Keep your socks soft without interfering with the antimicrobial properties.
If you find washing your ski apparel challenging, you can involve professional cleaners.
It will cost you, but the peace of mind is well worth it.
Make sure you store your apparel in a cool, dry place.
Avoid direct sunlight or any other form of heat as it can fade the colors or degrade the fabric.
A few other things to consider
Having looked at the storage tips of various ski gear, you could also consider the following additional tips for the general storage of your ski gear:
- Spare closets or under your bed could act as storage.
- Avoid storing your ski gear on concrete. Concrete is moisture-prone, which could cause rust to your ski edges.
- Store your ski gear together and organized. If possible, keep your ski gear and apparel in one place to avoid misplacing.
Final Word
Folks, there you have it. As you can see, storing your ski gear isn’t as daunting as you thought.
Do not be caught flat-footed when the next skiing season beckons by having misplaced and faulty ski gear.
Observe the above tips to ensure that your skis, boots, and other gear remain in great shape even as you enjoy your break.
Take care of your ski equipment, and they shall take care of you.
When you properly maintain your ski gear on and off the season, the snow gods will shower blessings your way when the snow starts falling again.