Poorly maintained skis or snowboards can make skiing or riding far more difficult than it needs to be.

 Good ski or snowboard equipment isn't cheap.  So, how do you go about protecting your investment, and getting the best out of your equipment?

 The majority of skiers and snowboarders have absolutely no interest in learning how to maintain their equipment, just as the majority of motorists have no interest in learning how to do an oil change. That's fine. Look for a ski shop with a workshop, and drop your skis or board off from time to time for a quick wax and edge sharpen.

 With the proper tools and a little know-how, however, almost anyone can learn how to keep their equipment in tip-top shape.  Doing it yourself isn't rocket science, just a little messy and time consuming, and it can help you get the most out of your holiday.

Waxing

Waxing is important. Not only to help you go faster, and to keep your skis sliding smoothly but to prolong the life of your skis or board.  Waxing is rather like applying a moisturiser to dry skin - it will prevent your bases from drying out - and give them a protective coat.  Snow crystals are actually very sharp and without waxing the snow can inflict considerable wear. 

 For the best performance you should re-wax your skis or board and touch up your edges after every week or so on the slopes- depending upon conditions.  Some skiers re-wax, almost religiously, every day.  Unless they are international racers, this comes under the heading of obsessive behaviour. Almost no snowboarders are known to suffer from this syndrome.

 You can get as technical as Lasse Kjus about your choice of waxes. For the very best performance, new snow and colder temperatures require harder waxes than old or warmer snow. For most of us, a single "all-purpose" wax does the job amply. The old way of waxing, using an old iron, is still probably the best as a heated base absorbs more of the wax, but it's messy and smelly, and who wants to carry an old iron with them on holiday. There are now a range of easy-apply pastes and swipes that do the job nearly as well.

  

Edge Sharpening

 Having sharp edges can make a huge difference to your enjoyment on the slopes, particularly when it hasn't snowed for a week or so and the icy patches start to appear.

 Once again, you can be obsessive and sharpen your edges every evening, but you won't have many friends. Aim to take off the worst burrs with a small knife-grinder's stone (available cheaply in all good hardware stores and at huge cost in some ski shops) once or twice a week. Do a full sharpening job every week or so, either yourself or by dropping your skis or board off overnight at a workshop.

 Remember good workshops smell of wax, and you can wander in and have a look at the technicians working.

  

Summer Storage

 For summer storage, wipe your skis or board down after your last day on the slopes, and make sure the place you are storing them is dry. If you are driving home and they have been exposed to road salt, make sure you rinse them before storage.

 Don't stack other heavy items on top of skis or boards when they're not in use, or you may find they lose their camber, and avoid extremes of temperature for the same reason (i.e. not to near to the hot-water pipes in your loft).

 It is generally recommended to use a light coating of wax or oil on the edges of skis and boards to prevent rust, to leave a layer of unscraped wax on the bases so they don't dry out. Ideally you should turn down the release settings on your bindings to limit the strain on the mechanical components of the bindings and prolong their useful life, but only do this if you can remember the DIN settings and be sure to reset them before your next holiday.

 Many people have their skis and bindings serviced after their last afternoon on the slopes, so that they are stored in top condition.

    

Boots

 There's nothing worse than skiing in wet boots, so always dry them out after using them - though beware of standing them next to radiators - the shells are plastic after all, and plastic will melt at high temperatures!  The best solution is probably to invest in a boot dryer, but failing that don't be afraid to pull your boot inners out from the shells, which will help them to dry quickly.

 When you're not going to be using your boots for a while, buck them lightly, making sure that the various layers are aligned correctly. This will help to ensure that the plastic holds its normal shape without distorting.

  

Bindings

 Of course there are some tasks which it is always best to leave to the professionals. Consider the consequences of binding blocking in a bad fall - get them checked at least once a season by a technician certified by the manufacturer.

That's not to say that there aren't some simple checks you can carry out for yourself in between times.

 ·               Are they clean?  Salt and dirt will corrode your bindings, not only shortening their life, but possibly causing them to malfunction. If you carry your skis on the roof of your car, always keep the bindings covered, and if possible transport your skis in a bag, which will protect edges and bases too.

·               Is the binding securely mounted?  If it rocks relative to the top of the ski the mounting screws may be loose or broken, which at best will mean you'll have poor edge control, at worst you'll be risking injury if the ski and binding decide to part company at the wrong moment. 

·               Are the brakes bent?  This could mean that they'll either catch in the snow while you're skiing, or that they'll fail to stop your ski disappearing over the horizon when the binding releases, with consequent dangers to other slope users. 

·               Are the anti-friction plates (plastic sections usually found just behind the toe piece of the binding, although some bindings use mechanical anti friction devices) present, smooth and clean?  If not it will affect the way the binding releases, and they should be replaced.  This is a relatively easy and inexpensive operation. 

·               Are the front and rear din setting windows broken or missing? This could mean that water will be able to freeze inside the binding, preventing it from releasing normally.

 But perhaps the most important advice is to check every week or so that your boot is securely held in your bindings. As you walk around, you wear down the toe and heel of your boots. The most likely cause of any malfunction is simply that over time your boot changed shape and you didn't readjust your bindings. Don't be caught out.

 Look after your equipment, and it will look after you. Enjoy the ride!

 

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