If this seems familiar, it’s because it is. Each year as the season approaches its final days, I discuss the topic of storing your gear for the offseason, and what is needed hasn’t changed.

We all know about preparing our skis for the ski season, but what about the end of the season?

If you plan on using those same skis and other gear next season, taking the right steps before you put them away can guarantee a better experience to start another season.

For skiing, we make sure the bases of our skis are well saturated with wax. This is not just so they will slide easily, although that is a benefit. The base material is porous, and the wax is a protective sealer.

It’s equally important in summer. Without the protection of wax, the base can actually deteriorate.

Hopefully your skis are properly tuned, with the correct edge geometry and smooth sharp edges.

Flushing the bindings with water will take care of that vital part of your equipment.

Next use a citrus-based cleaner to clean the bases of the skis. Once dry, iron in a coat of universal ski wax. But unlike waxing for skiing, don’t scrape the wax. Leave it to protect the base over the summer.

Store the skis in a cool, dry place, and not standing on a concrete floor. I stand mine between the studs of an unfinished wall in the basement. They are standing on the wood plate and out of the way.

Whether you have only a single pair or a quiver with several pairs, each should have the same treatment for summer storage. If properly tuned all that will be needed in the fall is to heat the wax with an iron and scrape to be ready for skiing.

Next, and critically important, are the boots.

If you ski late into spring, the boot liners can be wet from perspiration after a warm day. Remove the liners from the shells and dry them thoroughly.

Once dry, replace the liners in the boots and buckle them as you would for skiing. Store them in a cool, dry place out of the sun. Sunlight can damage the plastic.

Poles should be hung. I happen to have a wall of old skis in my office, and poles are simply hung from the tips.

Take these simple steps and your skis and gear will be ready to go when you’re ready to start the next season.

You may have a few more days to ski before you store your gear for the summer, but take these important steps and you will have a good start for next season.

See you in November.

 

Dave Irons is a freelance writer and columnist who hails from Westbrook. He has been contributing to the Sun Journal for many years and is among the most respected ski writers in the Northeast. He also is a member of the Maine Ski Hall of Fame. Write to him at DaveiSkiGolf@aol.com. 

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