Tuning & Wax

Ski And Snowboard Tuning and Wax

You wouldn’t buy a new car and never get the oil changed would you? No, that would be crazy and would eventually damage the vehicle. Much like an oil change to a car, skis and snowboards need to be tuned and waxed to keep your skis or snowboard in prime condition and prolong the life of the gear.

It is recommended that skis be tuned and waxed at the beginning of each season. The edges do not need to be tuned as much as the base needs to be waxed. It is recommended that skis or snowboards get waxed every 10 to 12 days on the snow. For recreational skiers and snowboarders edge tuning can be done as little as once or twice a year. It is best to tune based on the condition of the edges. If the edges are burred or dull then they should be tuned.

Waxing is done on the base material, called P-tex, of the skis or snowboard. Wax helps clean out the porous p-tex material as well as keeping it properly hydrated. P-tex which is properly hydrated will glide better than p-tex which is dry or has dirt in the pores.

Waxing skis or snowboards is a fairly simple process. Essentially wax is applied to the base material using heat generated either by rubbing it on with a waxing cork or melting the wax on with an iron. Once the wax has cooled, the excess should be scrapped off using a plastic scrapper. To finish the base material should be brushed using one or more wax brushes to clean the excess wax out of the pores of the p-tex base material for the bottom of the skis or snowboard. Waxing skis can get more complicated for expert skiers and racers. For more information about waxing skis please check out the informational guides and videos in the Ski-O-Pedia.

Tuning skis or a snowboard is a bit more complicated than waxing them, but is still a relatively simple process. In order to properly tune skis you will need a guide for the base and side edges, respectively. Additionally, you will need a file and stone. A tuning file is supposed to take off edge material. Tuning stones are designed to polish the edges for a smooth finish. Files and stones are available in different grits. The coarser the grit the more material will be removed with each pass. The guide will hold the file or stone at the appropriate angle to ensure that your edges are being sharpened evenly. For more detailed information about tuning skis and snowboards please check out the informational guides and videos in the Ski-O-Pedia.