As Vail Mountain’s original closing day has come and gone, it is now important to consider what to do, or to have done, with your equipment. While we were all sad to have what was an amazing season cut short, we certainty can’t complain with the great days we were able to ski at Vail. Now that they are behind us however, it is important to consider how to summerize your gear, so that you can come back to them in great shape next season.
At Vista Bahn Ski Rentals we recommend all of our customers get their skis or boards ‘Summerized.’ This is a relatively simple process that ensures equipment doesn’t dry out or rust while it is tucked away for the coming months. At VBSR the ‘Summerizing’ process is a simple tune, with a thick layer of wax that is left on the skis instead of being brushed off and buffed.
Depending on the condition your equipment is in there are a few steps to make sure the ‘Summerizing’ works as best as possible.
- 1. Make sure the bases are in fair condition; small scratches can be left, but any serious damage, deep gouges or core-shots, and scratches against the edge should be repaired first. We always recommend a full tune, or at least an edge ad wax, before the ‘Summerizing’ so that the skis/board are ready to go for the upcoming season.
- 2. The skis must be totally dry; if there is moisture in the bases, or on the edges the thick coating of wax (which will be left on the skis for the duration of storage) can allow for corrosion of the base, or rusting and pitting of the edges.
- 3. Make sure the skis are stored somewhere dry, and ideally out f direct sunlight. This is usually not a problem for people living in the mountains, but should be considered nonetheless. Most skis live in a garage or a closet for the summer and that is great fr their maintenance.
- 4. Prepping for the upcoming season is simple once the skis have been ‘summerized’ for their long break. If we have taken care of them at VBSR then simply bring them back in and let us take care of them. All they need to be ready is to be buffed out, to get the storage wax off, and re-waxed with whatever temperature specific wax is appropriate for the conditions.
Follow these four steps to store your equipment and not only will it last longer and be happier, but the first few days of the upcoming season will be a breeze.
We appreciated everyone who came to see us over the winter, either seasonal customers, or those just coming in for tunes or to say ‘hi’. We look forward to seeing everyone next winter for a great (FULL!) ski season!
