Your boards, be it skis or snowboards are like your car...they are finely tuned machinery that deserves your attention on a regular basis. Some of the maintenance you can do yourself and other things can only be done by a professional shop. The shops at the ski areas are best suited to serve your maintenance needs because they know what's up and work in the ski industry for a living. The large sporting goods places in the cities just don't cut it in most cases when it comes to knowledge about your boards and the expertise to tune them up.
Here are few tips from the Crested Butte Sports experts...
It is a good idea to have a shop put a layer of storage wax on your boards at the end of every ski season. The soft wax penetrates the pores of the bases therefore sealing them from impurities. The wax also helps prevent rust on the edges and keeps the boards from drying out.
Pre-season binding inspections are a good idea since your skis or boards have been stored all summer in perhaps less than ideal conditions such as high humidity or excessive dust. Remember, they are machines just like your car and need a good looking over every now and then. A pre-season ski binding test will exercise the bindings which makes that first day just a little safer for you.
Everybody knows that you can ski or board faster than you can walk when it comes to getting from the parking lot to the slopes, but don't do it! There is nothing you can do worse for your boards than drag them across patches of pavement or small gravel used on the road surfaces. Not to mention the oils and such that are imbedded in the snow from passing cars.
After a day on your boards take a minute to wipe down the bases and the bindings with a soft rag. This will get any residue off that might otherwise end up in the pores of the bases. The ski racks on the buses are particularly bad for junking up your boards and bindings as road splash ends up all over them.
There are ways to keep your boards out of the shop for longer periods of time and one of them is to use a small flat diamond stone on them everyday you ski or ride. You simply run the stone up and down the side of the edges until all the little burrs are gone (the many burrs that accumulate on the edges eventually get folded over which causes the edges to round and become dull). * Note: You must hold the stone squarely against the side edge taking care not to round the right angle cut of the edge and you do not have to apply much pressure, just enough to hold the stone firmly in place as you move it.
Waxing the bases of your boards have almost as much to do with the way they perform as a good tune. The wax helps the ski to glide evenly and without hesitation as you weight in and out of a turn. The wax also keeps the bases from drying out. When the bases dry out they have a white powdery look to them, or you can see the tiny base hairs sticking up. You can wax your boards yourself but it it not recommended until you have gone through a clinic with a shop mechanic...you can melt the bases of your boards or delaminate them if you are not careful.
We hope these little things help you keep your boards on the go. If you have further questions feel free to call or email us. 1-800-301-9169 or cbsinfo@crestedbuttesports.com