Alpine Ski Tuning Information

A great day of downhill skiing begins with skis that are perfectly tuned. However, if your skis are not tuned or waxed properly, your day of fun and adventure could quickly crash and your bumps and bruises will tell the stories. To ensure that your day on the slopes is fun and safe it is best to make sure your alpine skis are tuned properly.

Significance

There are a couple of reasons why you should tune your skis. The first is that your skis will perform much better on the snow. You will notice that your skis will glide much faster. After tuning, your edges are sharp and can grip the snow better, causing your skis to easily cut across the mountain as you turn.

Tuning your skis regularly will also help the base of your skis last longer. The protective coating of wax will stop the base from drying, which makes it easier for dirt and rocks to scratch and damage.

Time Frame

At minimum you should wax and sharpen your edges twice during the season. For the best results, there are steps you should perform after every time you ski. These are simple and easy steps you can do at the end of the day before putting your skis away. Simply inspect the base and edges for obvious damage. Repair any damage; otherwise simply wipe down your skis and dry.

If you are an avid skier it is best if you perform weekly and monthly tuneups, which include hot wax and edge sharpening. Hot wax will keep your bases from drying and ultimately slowing down, and sharp edges are key to perfect turns. Staying on top of your alpine tuneups are key to more fun on the mountains.

Steps

When downhill skiing, you may run across small rocks or other objects in the snow; these objects can scratch or gouge the base. If the gouge is deep and you can see the core of the ski, you will need to fill it with a wax-like substance called P-Tex. After the P-Tex is dry, you will have to remove any excess by sanding the base of the ski.

Waxing

There are two main types of base wax: hydrocarbon wax and fluorocarbon wax. With both wax types, you will use a hot iron to melt the wax over the base of the skis. After the wax is applied, you will run your iron up and down the base to melt the wax further into the base. The wax will cool and you will have to scrape and brush the excess wax off the base. Any excess wax will slow your skis. You are looking for a polished look on your skis. The wax will form a protective layer over the base, which helps the skis glide over the snow.

Sharp Edges

You'll need a file or bevel tool for this. Your edges can become dull or have burrs on them over time, or if you accidentally run across a rock. Run a specially designed file from the tip to the tail of your edge to remove any burrs and sharpen the edge. After sharpening, your edges should appear polished. A sharp edge allows for your ski to easily cut through the snow and allows you to turn easier.

Effects

Whether you tune your skis yourself or have a ski shop do it, properly tuned skis are key for a faster, smoother ride on the slopes.

References

• Steps to Tune your Skis and Snowboards