Summer is nearly here, which means the end of snowboarding season. It also means it’s the perfect time to take proper care of your snowboarding gear and store it away until next winter. You don’t want to get your gear out next year and realize you need to replace your bindings and repair a gouge in your board. Follow these four tips to care and store your equipment correctly.
Inspect your snowboarding gear for damage
After spending the past season hitting the slopes, your equipment may need some extra care and some pieces may even need to be replaced. Instead of waiting until you have a trip planned and then rushing to replace all your gear, be proactive about taking care of the items before putting them into storage. Repair the things you can, either on your own or by taking them to a ski shop. Replace the things that need it with newer models. Look at your goggles, gloves, jackets, boots and pants for any holes or lapse in the waterproofing. Look at your snowboard’s binding to see if there are any broken parts. Also, check the base for scratches and the siding for rust.
Remove your snowboard bindings
While it’s important to inventory all of your gear, your snowboard is arguably the most important. Before you wax your board, first remove the bindings to give yourself a smooth surface to work with. With a screwdriver, remove the bindings from the board but be sure to pay attention to how they were positioned. After tuning and waxing your board, you can put the bindings back on.
Use a tuning kit to tune your snowboard
Tuning your board during the down season helps to keep your board, and you, healthy and happy. Get yourself a tuning kit and follow this guide to help you determine what work is 100% necessary and what only needs to be done if your board has gouges. Look for gouges and burrs in your board. If your board has holes so deep they expose the core, take your board to a shop for repairs.
Wax with a waxing iron
Waxing your board before storing it away for the summer ensures that it stays in the best shape while tucked away. It will protect your board from rust, dryness and delamination. While regular waxing of your board should happen in the winter, in the summer, you should apply a thick layer of wax to your board before putting it in storage. Follow this guide to waxing your board and remember not to scrape the wax off. It will serve as a protective coating for your board. Just be sure to remove it before the next time you take your board out on the snow.
