NSW Nordic Ski Club
Storing your Skis in Summer
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By Pete Vordenburg taken by kind permission from "Ski Post"
Proper summer ski storage will insure the longevity of your skis and their continued performance by protecting them from the heat and dry air of summer. For classical or touring skis one should use a wax remover and fiberlene (or tissue paper) to thoroughly clean all kick-wax and klister from the kick zone, sidewalls and tops of the ski. Next, the glide zones must be cleaned. You clean the glide zone of a classical ski (tips and tails) the same way you clean the whole base of a skate ski. This is done using a soft wax (yellow) With your iron at a low temperature (so as not to over-heat the base) drip a generous amount of wax on the entire base. Next, slowly heat the wax and the base by walking the iron from tip to tail. A generous amount of wax is used as a protective layer so the base is not exposed to too much heat. Walk your iron in a slow continuous motion from tip to tail as many times as it takes (about 3-5 slow passes) until the whole base is covered in a molten, liquid layer of wax. Ski bases respond very positively to low heat. This simple method allows for superior wax absorption, and the heat from the iron will open up the pores in the base allowing the dirt, grime and filth hidden therein to rise up into the molten wax. While the wax is still molten, take a sharp plastic scraper and scrape the liquid mess off your ski. Next, while the base is still warm, use fiberlene or tissue paper to wipe off the remaining wax. Let the ski cool a little bit. As the base cools, the pores squeeze a little more wax and dirt out. Gently scrape the base again and brush with a nylon brush. The next step is applying the summer layer of wax to the base. A thick layer of pink wax will protect the base and will not melt as easily in the summer heat as something soft like yellow. You do not need to apply any wax on the kick zones of your classical skis or touring skis (or do anything special to them other than clean them), but if you feel compelled to do so, use a hard kick wax such as Swix Special Blue or Toko Green - don't glide wax your kick zone or pattern as that will make it harder to get grip next winter. With a layer of wax on the base, store your skis in as cool a place as you can find. You do this for the sake of the base and also for the sake of the glue that holds the binding-plate down. In very warm conditions even the glue that holds the ski together can be affected by summer heat. To avoid softening the camber of your skis, store your skis with your ski-ties loosely fastened. Skis should not spend the whole summer strapped tightly together, especially in hot conditions. If you take the time to care for your skis, they will run fast for you next winter.
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