This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Utah chapter.

Ski season is just around the corner! Whether you’re buying new equipment or dusting off last year’s, making sure to take care of your ski and snowboard equipment is important. When you’re spending hundreds of dollars on the best gear, you want to make sure that you’re treating it properly so that it functions as well as possible. These tips and tricks will help you make sure your ski and snowboard equipments stays in tip-top shape for years to come.

Get your skis tuned.

Whether your equipment has been sitting in your basement for the last year or is brand new, it needs a tune. Take them to a reputable ski shop to get this taken care of. Here, the ski techs will give your skis (or snowboard) a much-needed wax, edge sharpen, and base grind. If you’re skiing a decent amount, you’ll need to keep up with this throughout the season. Arthur Wolf, an employee at Christy Sports in Salt Lake City, says, “Ideally, you want to get your skis tuned every twenty days on the mountain as well as in the beginning of the season.” He also suggests that if you are spring skiing, you should get a tune-up around March as well because “it puts a deeper pattern in your base to move more water on wetter ski conditions” and it ensures that you have the ideal type of wax for the temperature you’re skiing in.

Get your bindings tested.

Please, don’t try and search on YouTube and just do this yourself. Professional technicians at a ski shop must have certifications in order to do this safely. It’s not worth a potential injury to save a few bucks and do this at home. The release settings on your bindings are based on your age, weight, height, boot sole length, and skier type so it’s essential that you do this at least once a year to ensure that your bindings are set correctly. If you snowboard, you don’t need a formal release check. Instead, you just want to make sure your screws are tightened every time you go out.

Make sure you keep your ski boots buckled.

This one is more of an every day tip than just a beginning of season tip. It is essential that you keep your ski boots buckled while you’re not using them! If you fail to buckle your boots (especially when it will be a long time before you wear them again), the plastic shell can start to be a different shape. Arthur says, “When you don’t buckle your boots, the plastic will expand and straighten out which causes the boots to lose their shape.” The boot losing its shape makes it harder for you to buckle your boots and makes the boot fit differently. You also want to make sure your boots are dry before you put them away (you can let them air dry or use a boot dryer) and that you store them in a cool, dry place standing upright. If you need new boots this season, start shopping now! The selection will be better and you will ensure that you have everything you need before opening day. Remember that if you get new boots, it is 100% essential that you get a release check so that the bindings are properly fitted for them.

Make sure you store your skis or snowboard in a cool, dry place.

To prevent rust, you want to make sure that your skis are in a cool, dry place. If you are planning on storing your skis in a bag, make sure that they are completely dry before you do so. Storing wet skis in a bag will encourage those edges to rust.

Wash your jacket(s) and pants with a special tech wash.

You shouldn’t need to wash your jacket or pants often, but sometimes it needs to happen. Nikwax Tech Wash is a very reliable product to use for this purpose. This wash is made specifically for waterproof clothing. According to Nixwax’s website, this product “will revitalize existing Durable Water Repellency (DWR) and revive breathability.” You can use this product in a regular washing machine, making it easy to take care of your outerwear.

Make sure that you do these things as soon as possible so that you will be ready to go on opening day. When you invest in ski equipment, you want to make sure you get the most out of it. Following these tips will ensure that your gear lasts longer and performs better. Now, get out there and ski!

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