{"id":6564,"date":"2015-12-07T11:37:06","date_gmt":"2015-12-07T19:37:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=6564"},"modified":"2020-04-01T19:11:47","modified_gmt":"2020-04-02T02:11:47","slug":"kick-off-the-snow-season-with-a-ski-wax-party","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/snowsports\/kick-off-the-snow-season-with-a-ski-wax-party","title":{"rendered":"Kick Off the Snow Season with a Ski Wax Party"},"content":{"rendered":"

Well, it\u2019s December and you\u2019re pulling your skis (or snowboard) out of the garage for the first time in 6+ months. While they\u2019ve been neglected for your warm-weather toys, they\u2019ve lost their tune. Now\u2019s the time to give them some much-needed attention before you head out on the slopes for your first day of the season.<\/p>\n

Reconnect with your Snowsports Friends<\/h4>\n

Since your skis need some work, you might as well use the opportunity to reconnect with some of your long-lost ski friends. Pool your tuning resources, stockpile your beers and get the crew together to prep. It\u2019s a great time to make plans for the season ahead, maybe even light a ceremonial bonfire to sacrifice old skis to the snow gods.<\/p>\n

Find a Location<\/h4>\n

\"Snow<\/p>\n

First you\u2019ll need to find the best location to host your tuning party. Pick a well-ventilated spot in your garage or yard that can get messy\u2013ski waxing is not a clean chore. Find a workbench to work on with ski vices (if possible). If that\u2019s not an option, find something you can set under the tips and tails of your skis. A couple of shoeboxes or trash cans will work in a pinch.<\/p>\n

Scraping Off the Storage Wax<\/h4>\n

If you were smart and had the foresight to put a coat of storage wax<\/a> on your skis last spring, kudos to you! I was not one of those people.<\/p>\n

If you did apply that coat of storage wax though, your work will be easy. Scrape off any excess wax that\u2019s still visible and start applying a fresh coat.<\/p>\n

\"Snow<\/p>\n

If you didn\u2019t apply that storage wax, take a moment to clean your bases. Use some citrus solvent and brush them with a nylon scrubber pad or ski base brush, creating some texture to absorb the wax. Then apply a fresh coat. Remember to let that wax cool before scraping or you\u2019ll pull it all off. Cool your heels by testing out that new shot-ski, or have another beer.<\/p>\n

\"Snow<\/p>\n

Once the wax has dried, scrape off any excess. Work from tip to tail with your scraper until there is only the thinnest layer of wax left. And don\u2019t forget to scrape your edges, as it\u2019s common for wax to drip down the sides.<\/p>\n

Finishing Touches<\/h4>\n

Many people will stop here and call it good (myself included). However, if you\u2019re a perfectionist, you can use a series of progressively softer ski wax brushes to create a fine texture, making your bases smoother and faster.<\/p>\n

\"Snow<\/p>\n

You\u2019re done! Put your ski brakes back on, sweep up all the wax scrapings and get out there. You can\u2019t wax your skis too often and you\u2019ll only get better the more you do it. It takes practice, so don\u2019t be discouraged your first couple of outings. If it still seems a little daunting, look into a ski-waxing clinic at your local REI.<\/p>\n

And a quick disclaimer: This is not the definitive guide on how to care for your boards. I\u2019m not a ski tech by any stretch of the imagination. I\u2019m a ski photographer and spend a lot of time on skis, and this is what I do with my gear. Take it for what it is.<\/p>\n

Check out How to Tune Skis<\/a> or How to Tune a Snowboard<\/a> for more information.<\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Well, it\u2019s December and you\u2019re pulling your skis (or snowboard) out of the garage for the first time in 6+ months. While they\u2019ve been neglected for your warm-weather toys, they\u2019ve lost their tune. Now\u2019s the time to give them some much-needed attention before you head out on the slopes for your first day of the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":6579,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[333,473,472,66],"internal-tag":[],"class_list":["post-6564","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-snowsports","tag-ian-coble","tag-skiing","tag-snowboarding","tag-tips"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rei.com\/blog\/snowsports\/kick-off-the-snow-season-with-a-ski-wax-party","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Kick Off the Snow Season with a Ski Wax Party","url":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/snowsports\/kick-off-the-snow-season-with-a-ski-wax-party","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/snowsports\/kick-off-the-snow-season-with-a-ski-wax-party"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/12\/Valdez-1-DSC-0139.jpg?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/12\/Valdez-1-DSC-0139.jpg?fit=1500%2C996"},"articleSection":"Snowsports","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Angela Crampton"}],"creator":["Angela Crampton"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Uncommon Path \u2013 An REI Co-op Publication","logo":""},"keywords":["ian coble","skiing","snowboarding","tips"],"dateCreated":"2015-12-07T19:37:06Z","datePublished":"2015-12-07T19:37:06Z","dateModified":"2020-04-02T02:11:47Z"},"rendered":"