While there are places where the skiing is still great (150 inches of snow at Mt Bachelor and more on the way), many of you are ready for spring pursuits. It is a good idea to take care of your skis now so that they will be ready for the first training and racing next winter.
First, you want to be sure that the ski bases are clean. I skied for a couple hours last weekend and the snow was pretty old and dirty with needles, twigs, dust from China, a bit of hydraulic fluid from the groomer. I took a look at my bases and decided to do a “hot scrape”. This will remove dirt from the ski base without drying it. I use Solda Base Universal for the hot scrape. Any warm wax with a low melting point will do. You should apply a good thick layer of wax to the base and iron twice moving the iron from tip to tale in one continuous motion. After the second ironing, while the wax and base are still warm, use a clean, sharp plexiglass scraper to remove the wax. If the ski is dirty, you will see the gray discoloration in the wax peels. If the wax comes off clean, terrific. If it is gray (black in some cases), repeat the process until the scraping is clean. Set the skis aside to cool and then brush them out.
Now you are ready to wrap them up with storage wax and put them away until new snow flies next season. On my own skis I start with crayoning a layer of Solda HC28. The ski bases have a carbon additive in the base material. The HC28 helps replenish the carbon in the top layer. Then I apply the wax that will remain on the ski for the summer. You can use the Solda Base Universal. It is soft and penetrates the base well. It can, if the skis are stored where the temperature fluctuates a bit, be absorbed and leave the skis dry. For this reason I like to use a combination of Solda Performance Red and Solda UF7 mixed 50/50. This is a great combination that will withstand temperature changes and will be a great base for skiing next time. It should be applied with a good thick layer. Iron twice from tip to tail moving the iron in one direction and heating the wax and base all the same. If the layer looks thin in places, add more wax and do it again. The whole storage wax practice keeps the bases clean and keeps them from drying. Exposure to oxygen, dust and dirt is not good for good glide. Storage wax is a simple and efficient way to care for your favorite skis and be sure they start up as well as they finish.
Now if only I could storage wax my fitness so that by resting in the garage all summer it is the same in November as it is in March. I am afraid I will need to work a bit more while my skis rest. Now it is time to check out the rollerskis.
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