Ski season is about to come to an end, and you know what that means: It’s time to store skis and snowboards in a safe, secure location. You want your items to stay in good condition until next season comes along. To ensure that happens, you just have to take the proper steps to storing skis, snowboards, and all of your winter sports gear. Ready to get started? Simply use this guide to learn all you need to know.
Inventory Your Winter Sports Gear
You cannot rightly know what you need to store until you take an inventory of your winter sports gear. By the end of the season, it’s common to acquire lots of extra equipment, including goggles, ski boots and liners, and ski bags.
You can’t simply go off your inventory from last year. Instead, get out a pen and paper—or a spreadsheet if you prefer—and see what gear you have to store until winter comes back into view.
Find Your Ideal Storage Solution
Whether you’re a skier or a snowboarder, it’s important to find the ideal storage solution for your needs. Ideally, your storage space should be a temperature controlled, secure environment.
Heat, light, and moisture can wreak havoc on your gear, especially if left unchecked until the next season arrives. Heat causes skis to become brittle, while humidity promotes the development of rust on the ski edges and other metal surfaces.
So, go with a closet, insulated garage, or storage unit as your ideal way to store ski and snowboard gear during the off-season. If you have the room, it’s often nice to store your skis and snowboards on your wall using a purpose-built rack. When going that route, don’t forget to find a place for the rest of your ski gear, like a ventilated bag for your boots.
Prep Your Skis, Snowboards, and Other Gear
Prepare your winter sports gear for storage by following these tips:
- Inspect all your buckles, bindings, and other materials for signs of damage
- Use plain water to clean your winter gear—For stubborn debris, use citrus solvent
- Thoroughly dry all the surfaces of your skis, snowboards, and other gear
- Coat the skis’ and snowboards’ bases with storage ski wax to minimize oxygen exposure
- Change the DIN spring rate for your bindings to the lowest setting
Oftentimes, it’s also a good idea to remove burrs from the edges of your skis and snowboards. You’ll want to perform that step before cleaning to avoid leaving any extra material on their surfaces. Not sure how to remove burrs? Watch the video below or take your gear to a local ski shop for service.
Arrange Your Items Carefully
Once your items are ready for storage, you’ll want to take the time to arrange them carefully. Start by lightly strapping the tips and tails of your skis to keep them from scissoring.
Then, place your skis and snowboards in a neutral position while actively avoiding putting pressure on the camber. Use a rack or other device to keep your equipment off the floor. Since they release moisture, concrete floors are a definite no-no if you want your skis to stay in good condition.
All your other items should stay with your skis and snowboards, so you know where to find them. You can use plastic storage containers for your snow pants, jackets, hats, gloves, and goggles. Set the helmet on a flat surface with the buckles turned inward.
Just like with your bike, how to store skis and snowboards truly matters if you want to go out for fun and adventure each season. Do yourself a favor, though, and get into the ski shop for a tune-up before hitting the slopes. By doing that, you can get the inside scoop on the condition of your gear, ensuring you stay safe and have a fantastic time all winter long.
