How to Care for Your Snowsports Gear – with Snow+Rock

Snowsports require technical gear to keep you safe and ensure you have the best experience on the slopes, and like most things, technical gear will last longer if you take care of it properly.

John Jennings, Snow+Rock Buyer and skiing enthusiast, said: ‘If you’re a skier, you know that taking care of equipment is crucial to getting the most out of your investment. Proper maintenance is essential to keeping your ski gear in top shape and ready for the next winter season.

‘It isn’t just about performance either; it’s a commitment to safety and environmental responsibility. Regular servicing can prolong the life of your snowsports gear, reducing waste and consumption. Plus, it can enhance the on-snow performance, ensuring you make the most of every mountain moment.’

Read on to discover John’s specialist advice on looking after your snowsports gear.

Ski Boots

After returning from the slopes, it’s crucial to ensure that you dry out your ski boots. Remove the liners from the shell (and insoles from the liners if you have them) and allow them to dry thoroughly, but don’t put them on top of a heat source.
 
When putting liners back in the boot, ensure you haven’t put any crease or fold into them – check the toe box of the liner is sitting correctly. When storing them away, give them a spray or use sneaker balls to ensure they smell fresh when you come to get them next snow season.
 
Gently fasten all the buckles and velcro straps to ensure that they’re easier to put on and fasten next time. Store your boots somewhere that’s dry and cool.

Skis and bindings

Skis and bindings should be serviced when you return from your trip, before being stored away. The service will clean and sharpen your edges, which if left until next year could rust quite heavily. Making this part of your post-holiday routine could prolong the life of your skis. Ski servicing is available at selected Snow+Rock stores.
 
You should also ask for a storage wax as part of the service. The excess wax won’t be removed to protect the base, but will need to be removed before you next go skiing.
 
A common mistake is to alter the release settings on your bindings. There really are no gains to be made by unscrewing them. As with boots, just make sure you keep them somewhere cool and dry.
 

Snowboards

You should never put your snowboard away wet because the metal edges will rust. Before storing your snowboard at the end of a season, give it a full hot snowboard wax treatment and leave the wax on the board and the board’s metal edges to help protect them. Snowboard servicing is available at selected Snow+Rock stores.
 
Don’t store your snowboard in a place where it’s likely to get hot in the summer. Your board is made up of multiple layers of different materials, all of which expand and contract at different rates when temperatures change. Exposure to extreme heat can cause the delamination of your snowboard, so store in a cool dry place.

Helmets

Checking your helmet to ensure there are no compressions or cracks is essential. If there are any signs of damage you should replace it for your next trip. You should also check the manufacture date which should be labeled inside the helmet. It’s recommended to replace your helmet approximately every five years – the manufacture date will be your easiest way to determine this. Once checked, store your helmet in a bag with your ski clothing where it will be protected from knocks. A good hack is to keep your goggles inside your helmet when stowed away, it keeps them together and protects your goggles from scratches.

Safety equipment

Depending on the type of skiing or boarding you do, you might have some extra safety equipment. Some transceivers have rechargeable batteries, so make sure to check they are charged and ready to go. You should always discharge the batteries when storing away. Avalanche airbags should be discharged (if they’re electric) or check you don’t have a canister (if it’s a canister model) connected before putting it into storage. These bags will generally need to be checked every three years, so now is a good time to get that ticked off too.

 
The expert ski and snowboard service at Snow+Rock offers different options to fit your needs and help you enjoy many more seasons of thrills with your snowsports gear.

Full details including costs and Snow+Rock ski and snowboard servicing locations can be found here.