Tuning up your skis and snowboard has many benefits: helps you turn more smoothly, allows for better grip on hard snow and it will make your ski and snowboard gear last longer. Check out these tips for ski and snowboard tuneups 101 to keep you going down the mountain on your feet and not your butt.
Step One: Sharpen Edges
First, use your diamond stone to remove any imperfections, rust or burs – start with your base edge and then move on to your side edge, rub a wet diamond stone down the edges with smooth and even pressure.
Generally speaking, a degree-beveled angle is good for all mountain riding. Check with your board manufacturer to assure you are choosing the correct degree bevel for you.
Attach your file to the file guide at your desired bevel, working tip to tail in smooth strokes run the file guide down the board. If your board has been maintained, it should only require a couple strokes to sharpen the edge.
When your base edge is sharpened, move on to the side edge. Similar to the base, check with your board manufacturer to ensure you choose the correct degree of beveling for the side edge and repeat the steps above.
Trace over the edges with a gummy stone to polish and remove any final imperfections caused by sharpening.
At Outpost Sunsport we use our Wintersteiger Microjet Pro-Disc that uses a ceramic disc finish to guarantee a precise edge geometry, exact grinding angles and an absolutely smooth edge surface over the total ski and snowboard length. This means optimum skiing fun and precise carving control – even on hard and icy slopes.
Step Two: Detune Contact Points
Identify where the contact points on your skis or snowboard are. Typically contact points are two inches below where the edge begins.
File down the contact points using smooth strokes, rounding off the sharp edges.
Polish the contact points with a gummy stone.
Step Three: Clean the Base
Spray your skis or snowboard down lightly with a base cleaner.
Wipe clean and dry with paper towels.
Repeat as necessary in order to remove all old residue and dirt from your equipment.
The Wintersteiger Microjet Pro-Disc detunes and cleans each and every ski and snowboard to perfection.
Step Four: The Final Wax
Drip a line of your heated up wax down your equipment.
Working tip to tail iron the wax onto the board ensuring it is covering the entire base and running down to the edges.
Allow your wax to cool for about an hour before you start scraping excess wax from either your skis or snowboard.
Using a plastic scraper remove wax in full shavings at a forty-five degree angle.
At Outpost Sunsport we use our Wintersteiger Wax Future to provide the highest level of “Racing” quality waxing results, using the latest in infrared technology.
Step Five: Brush and Polish
Use a pad brush that you would use to clean your dishes, and working tip to tail in smooth strokes brush the base of your skis or snowboard.
Be sure to brush in one direction.
Wipe down each ski or snowboard with a pad to remove excess wax.
