​Ski Tuning: When to DIY and When to Take it to a Pro

You can feel it in your bones: the snow is coming. It’s time to take out your skis and prep your gear to hit the tracks or slopes. You dig them out of your storage room, wipe the dust off and set them by your door - ready to go.

But they aren’t ready to go, are they? Upon closer inspection, you notice some rusting on the edges, the base looks dry and you wonder when was the last time they were tuned.

Whether it’s pre or mid-season, your skis need some TLC. So, you have a choice to make: Should you do it yourself or take them to a pro? In this post, we are going to discuss why you might choose to take on the job yourself and when it’s best to leave it in the hands of a professional. 

But, why should you bother tuning your skis?

To put it simply: It helps your skis last longer and makes skiing more enjoyable.

The amount you need to tune your skis will vary, depending on where you ski, when you ski and how you ski. With maritime weather, our skis endure a lot. Hard packed snow, and ice - typical on the East Coast - will wear down your edges and wax a lot faster than powder.

It is good practice to wipe down your skis after each use and give them a once over. Take note of how the edges feel by running your finger along them. If they feel rough or you notice any rust, a tune is in order. When inspecting the base, you are looking for any dings or scratches, as well as the overall look. A well waxed ski base should shine so if it’s looking dry (or white and flakey), a wax is highly recommended.

Alright, let's get into Doing It Yourself vs. letting a professional ski tech handle it.

WHEN TO DIY

A simple wax will do

If your base is in relatively good condition, and the job isn’t too involved - doing it yourself may be the way to go. This is likely the case if you maintain them regularly and they are stored properly in the off-season, (which you can read about here).

You WANT to

This might seem obvious but generally speaking, you need to have some interest in it to be willing to take on the task. If you're generally a fan of doing things yourself and you think it sounds like a nice way to spend an hour or so, go for it. Bonus: It’s a great time to listen to some good ‘tunes’.

You have the time, tools and space.

Besides the time you need for learning how to wax your skis, there is a bit of an initial investment to gather the appropriate tools. As with any DIY project, you can spend as much as your budget allows. Once you have the necessary tools (listed below), it could save you cash in the long run. This is especially true if you plan to ski a hefty amount - and therefore you plan to wax your skis a lot.

DIY Ski Waxing Tool Kit:

• Waxing iron
  
• Pencil groove scraper
  
• Plexiglass scraper
  
• Brush
  
• A block of glide wax
  

You are also going to need some space to wax your skis. A workbench in a basement or garage with some vices to keep your skis in place would be ideal. One thing to keep in mind, if you are taking on the project yourself, is the temperature of your space. You don’t want to be waxing your skis in the middle of a cold snap, in your garage, without heat. If your space is too cold, the wax is going to cool and harden too quickly so you won't get enough absorption into the base. As Leif Sunde puts it, in  Gear Junkie's video, you'd be "wasting your time, a six-pack and $15 of wax."

It’s for daily maintenance.

Competitive skiers (Alpine or Nordic), are typically waxing their skis before every outing. Same goes for the average cross country skier as well. While it’s not always needed, depending on the conditions you ski, adding a quick wax before each day on the tracks can go a long way. Typically, you would be using a  deodorant or liquid spray wax. This is something you can keep in your ski bag to apply before an outing. It’s great for maintenance but not intended to replace a melted wax tune.

If you do decide to go the DIY route, REI has a great explainer video on how to wax skis.

WHEN TO TAKE IT TO A PRO

Start off on the right foot

The first tune of the season is best to leave to a pro. They can help you kick off the season with your gear in its best condition, which will set you up for success. They have everything needed for a full ski tune so nothing will get missed.

Major basework

Some simple chip repairs can be done as a temporary fix but they will likely need further repair work. It’s best to leave base repair - especially any major base repair (like the one below) - to a highly experienced ski tech.

Photo above: Major ski base repair job by Shawn Bethune

Save some cash

If you are only tuning your skis 1-3x per season, it likely isn’t worth the investment of the tools to do it yourself. Ultimately, you just need to weigh your time and dollars to decide if this is right for you. Bonus, the cash you do spend on ski tuning will go towards supporting a local business.

Let's review 

Basic or Daily maintenance and you have the tools: Do It Yourself
Everything else: Take it to a Pro.

If you're questioning whether or not your skis need to be tuned, feel free to bring your skis to us and we can take a look to let you know either way. One thing to note though is waxing your skis is never a bad thing - truly.

Essentially, maintain your skis throughout the season and take them to your local shop when it's time for a full tune. Regardless of your skill level and the type of skis you own, you will notice a difference when your skis are well maintained and freshly waxed. Think of it like skating. Sure, you can glide along the ice with dull skates, but man oh man, can you ever move after they have been sharpened. 

If you are keen on the DIY path but still not sure what you need, take a read through this 'How-To' post. Until then, check out the tools we have in store and reach out if you have any questions.

Happy skiing!

References
https://skicanadamag.com/ski-tuning/
https://braveskimom.com/should-you-tune-your-own-skis
https://www.skimag.com/gear/three-ski-tuning-myths-debunked/
https://www.nordica.com/china/zh/story/ski-bible-tuning
https://www.salomon.com/en-ca/nordic/nordic-advice/how-wax-nordic-skis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Xt1gZfZ2Rw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qj3rgIedWnk