May 1st is the traditional start to the Nordic ski training season! Before you start thinking about training for next season, be sure to take care of your skis now so that they are ready to go when the snow arrives next winter. Below is a step-by-step guide to help you get your skis ready for the off season.
- Kick Cleaning: Use wax remover and fiber wipe to clean the kick zone.
- Glide Cleaning: Use Start glide zone cleaner and fiber wipe to clean the glide zone.
- Use a fine steel brush to clean excess dirt from base.
- Apply a layer of Start Base glider (or Start Service or soft non-fluoro glider like Start SG2) to glide zones.
- While wax is still soft use a scraper with low pressure to “hot scrape” wax and further dirt away.
- Follow with fiber wipe and then a fine steel brush again to remove dirt while refreshing the base further. Repeat steps 4 and 5 as necessary until no more dirt is seen coming from base. \
- If you suspect your skis have any base damage (i.e. base sealing) consider having the skis stoneground to reveal a fresh base in the spring before summer storage. A fresh base is the most important feature in a skis ability to hold wax and to glide.
- Once you have a clean and refreshed base it is time to saturate the base with a summer storage wax. In the glide zones, melt in a thick layer of Start Base (or Start Service or soft non-fluoro glider like Start SG2) and let it cool. If all the wax has been absorbed into the base at any point add another layer on top. Let cool and leave it on the ski all summer.
- Skis should be stored in cool, dry place, out of sunlight and not near heating elements nor near the roof where temperature can rise over 50˚C. Skis should be stored loosely strapped with no pressure on the camber so that there is no risk that heat and pressure can alter any of the ski’s camber characteristics.
It’s better to do something than nothing. So, at the very, very least crayon your softest glide onto your glide zones right now!
-Jason Hettenbaugh