Ski Tuning by Matt Cantrill

The concepts behind tuning and waxing have been around for as long as we've strapped skis and boards to our feet. Whether you're doing it for fun, exercise, love of the outdoors or all of the above, a well tuned and waxed ski* can make you're time on the snow more enjoyable.

Everyone can benefit from skis kept in good running condition. Let's start with the edges: an edge provides the skier with grip on the various forms of snow and steepness of slopes that we encounter everyday. We rely on our edges to hold us through a turn from start to finish so we need that edge to be smooth and sharp in order to be effective. I believe smooth is more important than sharp. Run your fingers lightly down the edge of your skis. Do you feel burrs and a lot of inconsistency to the edge? They may still feel sharp, but an edge that is consistent from tip to tail is much more effective at holding than one that is not. For beginners, this can translate to learning at faster rate because it's easier to understand how to carve today's skis with a well tuned edge. For the more advanced skiers that are turning at higher rates of speed, this means better edge grip on steeper slopes.

The base of the ski is important for control of speed. If a base isn't in the proper condition, the skis can be harder to maneuver through various situations. When a ski comes into contact with snow, a very thin layer of water forms between the ski and the snow. This layer creates suction between the two, potentially slowing you down. Take a look at the base of your skis. Proper bases are flat, scratch free and waxed for the current conditions. If you've had your skis stone ground recently, you may see tiny grooves similar to those seen on a record. Those little grooves help break the suction. Those grooves aren't very useful, however, if the ski is not properly waxed for the conditions.

One of the more common things we hear in the shop is “don't wax my skis, I don't want to go too fast.” A properly waxed ski gives the skier better control and protects the base of the ski from dirt and contaminates. Keep in mind when we wax skis, we are conditioning the base with the wax and then scraping off any wax that did not get absorbed into the base. Leaving too much wax on your base can lead to inconsistent glide.

There are many types of wax out there for the many different types of snow, temperature and humidity. 99% of the population shouldn't worry too much about this. A “universal” wax will work for most of the season at Bogus. There are days that get very cold up there and a harder wax will work better. During the spring when the snow is melting off a softer wax is more appropriate. Any way you look at it, if you're waxing every 2-3 days, you and your skis are going to benefit from the results.

Stop by McU Sports and have one of our technicians take a look at your skis and give you an analysis of what would best suit you. Our state-of-the-art tuning shop can get your skis in ready condition for when the snow piles up.

*For brevity purposes: ski tuning=ski and board tuning.

Choosing a New Pair of Skis

Buying a new set of skis is great fun. The technology involved is making skis more versatile and easier to use while being higher performance. How many pairs of skis does one need? Simple. There is no such thing as enough. If you can only have one pair of skis for all conditions, the one ski quiver is the answer. Based on the type of snow you plan on skiing the most frequently, that ski will probably be around 82-95mm wide under your foot giving it the most optimal performance in the widest variety of terrain and snow conditions. At that width, it will handle most powder days and still be reasonably quick edge to edge on firm snow.

If two pairs of skis are in the budget, then you can definitely cater to the snow conditions more effectively. Getting a hard snow, charging down the fall line ski, with no speed limits is great for the firm days while complimenting it with a soft snow ski that is over 95mm wide at the waist gives you more versatility.

Ultimately, a three or four pair quiver is the ideal (coming from a ski shop employee)! A full on powder ski makes those Utah/Jackson Hole trips unforgettable. No matter how you look at it, the skis of today are much more fun and versatile than they were a scant few years ago.

Getting in to the conversation about A: Rockered designs, B: Turned up tails is far too complicated and subtly determined than a short article can elaborate on. Please come in to McU Sports and we can help you determine what is best for your skiing style and desires. The research that manufacturers are putting into rocker technology is changing continually with not a lot of consistency put into it yet. It seems to have started a few years ago with little more than a shotgun approach. As new designs came out and ultimately succeeded or failed, it steered the design concepts towards better designs. The evolution is staggering. Every year, we go to an on snow demo in order to test drive the following winter’s product. We ask ourselves what can possibly be changed on skis to make them more fun? Every year, we walk away from the demo astounded at the new product.

From a necessity standpoint, skis are a frivolous purchase. The only way that skiing can and will survive and thrive is by making advancements that allow skiers to have more fun with less effort and potentially access new terrain. Support your local specialty ski shop; we can and will make better memories for you, your family, and friends than a day shopping at the mall or online can provide.

Chuck