How to Store Ski Gear

Modern ski gear is extremely durable. It will put up with heaps of
abuse before you actually ruin it--but that doesn't mean you can't.
Skis slide better, bindings are safer and boots more comfortable when
given a few minutes of attention at the end of the season.

Instructions

1. Dry off all of your equipment. Wipe the ski bases with a towel. Make sure no water is trapped in any binding recesses. Boots need the soft inner liner pulled out of the hard plastic shell to allow both to dry completely.

2. Wax your skis or have a ski shop do it. Make sure the edges are well covered with wax to keep the metal edges from rusting and prevents the plastic base material from drying out.

3. Remove the spring tension in the bindings. This preserves the springs by allowing them to relax during the summer. Note the tension number on each binding toe and heel piece. All four binding pieces should be set at the same number. Write it on each ski with a felt-tip pen. Using a large screwdriver, turn the large screw at the end of each binding piece counterclockwise until the binding tension setting is near the bottom of the scale. (Do not unscrew too far.) Skip this step or get help if you don't have a thorough understanding of how the binding works.

4. Reassemble your boots. Push the liner back into the shell. The tongue should be fully inside the boot, not jammed between the liner and shell. Buckle the boot loosely and store it in a dry place.

5. Stand your skis in a dry closet. If you own multiple pairs, build a rack with a cross piece roughly 3 feet (.9 m) off the floor. Slide single skis in, bindings facing out. If the skis tumble into each other, install pegs 6 inches (15 cm) apart to keep them upright.

Tips & Warnings

• Ski boots may fit differently after they've been in storage, due to expansion of the soft liner. Wear your boots for an hour or so before your first ski day.

• Remember to reset your binding tension at the beginning of next ski season.

• Incorrect binding adjustments increase risk of injury. Don't adjust them if you aren't sure what you're doing.

• Never pile a bunch of garage junk on top of skis. Stay away from wall brackets or hanging pegs that grasp the ski just under the tips and distort their shape.