Storing equipment for the off season

[Vaskung67]

Hi gang, another noob question. I live in Minnesota, what is best practice for storing skis and Boots over the off season? I have a finished basement which is not very damp. I plan to store my skis in an interior room out of sunlight separate and upright against a wall versus strapped together. I also plan to store my boots there, I figure loosely strapped should do the trick. Am I on the right track? Suggestions? How about bases/waxing/drying, etc? Any must dos next fall to tune up as well?

Thanks for bearing with me...

 

[Sibhusky]

If the floor could be damp, have them on something that will protect them from that. A lot of people run wax down the edges. That may be appropriate depending on humidity levels in your area. I never do it, but it's dry here and they are in a warm dry room. I used to until when I didn't it turned out not to be an issue.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

We maintain a climate controlled storage unit where the skis go in ski bags for the off season. I know people that put summer wax on them, set the din to a lower number, etc but we just put our skis in bags and put them in our storage unit.

 

[whitefeathers]

Also MN resident. Were planning on cleaning out a closet in the spare bedroom I use as an office and storing the stuff in there. Climate controlled was the winning factor

 

[Philpug]

What is this off season you are referring to? Summer waxes, a good option. No need to back off the bindings.

 

[focker]

I always intend to put summer storage wax on mine but never end up doing it. They go in my finished warm/dry basement and I've never had any rust or drying out issues.

 

[Dwight]

You can do nothing or you do something. For the most part it doesn't really matter if they are kept inside.

I usually do a regular tune with out scraping the wax. This way I'm ready in late fall/winter when the slopes open up in the Upper Midwest. So when the season starts I can scrape and buff or just ski. I use Purl purple wax that covers most of climate in Wisconsin.

 

[ScotsSkier]

Aren't you supposed to take all the springs out of the bindings and put a big wooden block between the skis?

 

[Dwight]

Aren't you supposed to take all the springs out of the bindings and put a big wooden block between the skis?

Right before you throw them on the sheds floor.

 

[scott43]

Yeah I throw some wax on them and throw them in the loft of the garage in a pile..

 

[Guy in Shorts]

Let my skis take the Summer off living safely in the ski shop rack. Tech will tune them leaving the wax to be scraped off in the Fall. Show up shortly after Labor Day when the shop is dead and get the bindings torque tested and I am all set if our area opens in October.

 

[PTskier]

Pull the liners out of your boots and be sure everything is completely dry. If they smell like dirty socks, let them air out. If that's not enough, hand wash, then dry thoroughly. If there's mold, put the dry liners in a plastic bag with mothballs, seal shut, let them fumigate a week or two, then air them out very well. If they're smelly this year, next year use a boot dryer after every ski day.

Wash the liner in your helmet if it's stinky. Remove and hand wash the liner & ear pads if they are removable. Otherwise hand wash the complete helmet.

Get your gloves completely dry. If they're stinky, fabric gloves can be washed on gentle in the washing machine. Expect the linings to get pulled inside out, and expect it to be a pain to get the liner fingers back into the shell fingers. Anti-odor foot powder works pretty well inside gloves to de-stink them as well to make them easier on & off. Apply suitable waterproofing on fabric & leather gloves.

Hang up your parka & pants. You might wash them with soap intended for outdoor garments, then apply your choice of waterproofing. I do this in the fall to keep the waterproofing as fresh as possible just before ski season.

 

[Eric W]

This is my first year skiing as well. I recently purchased one of those wooden racks with the dowels that you can hang ski poles from as well as hang the skis from the tips. When I put the skis in to test it they slid down slightly under their weight seeming to put unnecessary pressure on the rockered tips. Any issue with these kinds of racks? Especially long-term storage for over the summer?

 

[Vaskung67]

Thanks everyone above.

Looks like we are in for a prolonged cold snap with 3 to 5 inches of snow Monday and up to 3 on Tuesday. My daughter and I are going to try for one more sko outing next Saturday...unreal. I'm usually itching to get on the golf course now, it's going to be a while...

 

[crgildart]

I have mine hermetically sealed and sent in to a 150 mile up orbit at zero G in the off season... with storage wax that's actually universal wax ready to scrape and ski next season.

 

[PTskier]

And...store your ski boots buckled. The plastic the cuff is made from starts out flat, and it wants to return to being flat. Keep them buckled in storage.

Don't store any of this equipment in a place that gets blazing hot in summer...garage rafters, etc. Nor in a place that is humid with poor ventilation.

 

[john petersen]

I sharpen and wax them, use a Pugski velcro ski separator hold together thingy, top and bottom and store them in a fairly dry basement, either standing up or lying on edge but always with airspace around them....the edges can rust if left by a garage door, for instance.

boots, yeah, take out the liners to dry for a few days, toss some gold bond in there and put em away for the off season. ....and yeah, buckle them on the first adjuster and you should be good to go.

great tip about the gloves.....

JP