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Skis in cargo box traveling over summer

SabaRocks

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We are getting ready to head out for a year-long trip with a travel trailer. We are in the mid-Atlantic and plan on leaving in July for the Northeast and then work our way down to the Southwest by fall. Once winter hits, we plan on storing the trailer somewhere near Salt Lake and headed up to Montana to ski for a couple months hitting a couple ski resorts on the way up there. Can't wait!

Our plan was to store our skis in a Yakima cargo box for the first and last part of the trip. Everything fits but now I am beginning to worry about the heat on the skis in the cargo box during the summer months. Anyone ever try keeping skis in a cargo box for an extended period or have experience with this? If so, do you think we will be OK just periodically opening the box when stopped to allow the air to vent out of the box to keep the heat down?

Thanks!
 

crgildart

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Slather them with a thick coat of universal wax and don't scrape it.. Leave it caked on the edges to protect them from humidity/moisture so they don't rust badly. I doubt the heat will do anything that hot boxing wouldn't. Boots, on the other hand, should probably not be left in a HOT car or trailer or anywhere that can get over 150 F for any extended period of time.
 

mister moose

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Wax starts to liquefy at 250F, (Is your cargo box black?) but I'd be more concerned about grease in the bindings departing. My grease gun produces a puddle even in summer garage temperatures. High surface area to volume ratio in a roof cargo box - lots of solar collector, small space to heat. On second thought, what if wax flows into the binding and pools someplace undesirable?
 

BS Slarver

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Sounds like a really fun trip !
After a x county trip last year with a box full of skis my opinion is don’t do it !
With the above mentioned thoughts and suggestions, the cargo box is going to be a hot mess not to mention the skis if not individually wrapped are going to rub each other and everything else in there over that length of time.
How many pairs are we talking 2,3, 4 -
More ? Perhaps think about shipping them to a shop or lodging location near or at your first on snow stop.
 

Kneale Brownson

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Do you have a place to store the trailer at Salt Lake? Perhaps you could ship the skis there. If your first use of skis will be uphill from Salt Lake, I live in Heber City, just down the road from Park City and could store some skis for over the summer.
 
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SabaRocks

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Thanks all. We have 4 pairs. If we were to ship them to a local ski shop, what’s the best way to do that? Do you think the ski shops are normally down with that (particularly if we buy some boots when we get out there for the kids)?
 

DanoT

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I would send skis to a lodge because they normally handle baggage and would have a secure area for them. A ski shop on the other hand may agree to accommodate your needs but if they don't normally store skis for long term for people then I would be nervous about someone making a mistake and selling or renting out your skis, or nobody remembering where they put them.
 

David Chaus

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Or...don’t take your existing skis with you. Leave them at home. Buy something new in SLC or Bozeman that would work as a one ski quiver for where you will be skiing (MT and UT). Sell them here on Pugski when you’re ready to head home, or take them with you if you really love them.
 

Wilhelmson

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I'd say buy some used demos around SLC.

Otherwise UPS has hold at location services. Ask a friend to ship them ground and worst case rent in Little Cottonwood or goof around in Park City.
 

Brad J

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Heat is never good for most anything, and ski’s made with epoxy is no different, I would either buy or rent once you are out there. Are the ski’s you are bringing suitable for western skiing?? Or are you bringing you eastern narrow hard pack ski’s. Unless you really dislike you current ski’s, leave them home or ship them
 

Mendieta

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Thanks all. We have 4 pairs. If we were to ship them to a local ski shop, what’s the best way to do that? Do you think the ski shops are normally down with that (particularly if we buy some boots when we get out there for the kids)?


Obligatory comment: Wow! This trip sounds so cooool! Enjoy!

:pug:

I am going to ask the obvious now, but depending on the car you have it could make sense: have you even considered bringing the skis inside a couple ski bags, inside the car? In an SUV, you can probably fit them, part of them in the cargo area and in-between the two back seats. Not _ideal_, of course. But I've done it. Granted, not for one year :)

Regardless, I would bring some basic tuning tools. You are going to be skiing so much! You'll save a fortune if you can touch up your edges every now and then.

:yahoo:
 

Carolinacub

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Well since you're doing the travel trailer I'm thinking that if you pay attention to the weather you can probably make this work. if it's hot outside you take the skis and put them in the trailer while you travel and then put them in the cargo box after you park for the day. Heck, when we traveled with a camper most of the time we used the shower facilities at whatever place we were at and rarely used the one in the camper, that could be a great place to stash them regularly.
 
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SabaRocks

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Good ideas here. The original plan was to buy out west but found exactly what we wanted at our local ski shop for half off at year end sale a couple months ago. Got some QST 99s that I demoed and loved at Jackson Hole last year after bringing my east coast ice skis (narrow Volkl RTMs) out there for a guys trip - mistake. I got similar width range for wife and kids too so I think these will be a good one quiver skis for us - If not, don’t tell me now. :)

We could work the shower in the trailer and all that but I am thinking the ship and store idea may work (or have family ship or something. We do have them all in bags now, but it sounds like the box may not be the best idea. We can still put all our poles, winter gear, etc. up in the box - a years worth of stuff takes up a lot of space! We have a pickup to tow with, so no interior space for skis.

That Lifthouse place looks really promising. Any thoughts on best way to ship or should I search around forum for that? Thanks, y’all!
 

raytseng

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Agree, I don't think it's a good idea, if your starting now and going through summer.
If you have friends or family, I definitely think the ship route is the best way when you're ready for it.

Have you never mailed skis before? (You can do a search here on how to ship skis).
Typical way is box them up in cardboard boxes meant for skis, then you can just ask a friend to label it or go to Fedex or UPS to send it out when you're ready.
Here is Powder7's video on how to box IF you've got a box.


If you don't trust cardboard; alternate is if you purchase a hardcase (e.g. sportube) that is also shippable. I don't think you can or should ship in a softbag due to possible damage/loss.

Even if it costs you $50 to $60 to ship it, it'll be worth it rather than lugging them around all summer as dead weight. You could evaluate just the fuel for carrying the deadweight cancels out the shipping cost and I'm sure some of it cancels out; but really it's the the convenience costs of the box space that you can use that to bring or access other things easier making your trip more luxurious.

Plus your plans may change, so keep things simpler for now until you need it.
 
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SabaRocks

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We have a tonneau cover on the bed with a bike rack built into it on top for 4 bikes for the family. Gotta bring enough toys for all seasons of the year!
 

raytseng

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LoL, maybe just start packing everything up, but postpone the skis for phase2. After the first pass of packing; I think you'll have a better idea how much space you have left!

Overall to your initial question I'd say not a great idea to leave skis in super hot temps especially if they are potentially weighted or torqued under a pile of other stuff.
That being said, your qst99 and/or rtms are fine skis, but still they are commodity skis, and not rare or precious. They are easily replaceable and substitutable, it's not a catastrophic loss if they were to get warped.
 

Karl B

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Do you have a place to store the trailer at Salt Lake? Perhaps you could ship the skis there. If your first use of skis will be uphill from Salt Lake, I live in Heber City, just down the road from Park City and could store some skis for over the summer.

I think Kneale has made you one heck of an offer...Ship the skis to him and pick them up on your way to Montana. I'll vouch for his character.
 

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