Skiing and snowboarding are extreme sports and taking care of your
equipment has to be a priority if you want to be safe and give your best
performance. All responsible and smart skiers and board riders know
that if they take care of their sport gear, then it will take care of
them. Beginners and dabblers in winter sports are more likely not to
understand this, and therefore put themselves at risk. In this article,
we'll be discussing how to wax and tune your skiing and snowboarding
equipment to help keep you safe.
If you're too eager to get moving to do a proper tuning/waxing job,
then we'll say this about waxing. Using any quantity of wax at all on
your skis or board can really make a significant difference in how they
behave in the snow. At the very least, apply cold wax to your bases,
working it in to the best of your abilities. If you want better results,
you have to apply hot wax to your skis or board, but cold wax is the
next best thing.
Follow the advice of the manufacturer regarding the edge angle when
edging your skis.
Skiers who have been doing this for a while, of
course, develop their own preferences in this regard. Unless you are
confident in your own judgment, however, it's best to do what the
company suggests. The edge angle will usually vary from between one and
three degrees. A lot of people prefer to use an appropriate file plus
the file guide. If you are very adept at filing you may not need a file
guide, but it can be helpful. After you've used a file on every edge,
then you'll want to go over them again with a diamond stone. If the
diamond stone is a little damp before you use it, it will work better.
A brush should be used to remove any wax from the base that's left
after you've edged your skis. A horse hair brush or another stiff type
of brush should first be used. Then, if you want the best results, you
should also use a nylon brush. When you brush, you'll start at the ski
tip and work down to the tail. When you're finished brushing you won't
see hardly any wax getting brushed out.
Skiing and snowboarding can be fun and exciting, and keeping your
equipment tuned is one aspect of these sports you can't overlook.
Learning how to tune and maintain your gear will keep you safer, and
it will mean your equipment lasts longer. If you're going to own quality
equipment, you may as well take the best possible care of it. You can
get some good information about equipment from people in shops where
it's sold, but it's also good to do your own research. Only you can
decide how to care for your own equipment. If you want to be safe and
enjoy winter sports for years to come, keep your gear in great
condition.
