How to Properly Store and Maintain Your Ski Equipment

This image shows some of the ski equipment used on the slopes.

Whether you’re a skiing novice or expert, you know that ski equipment isn’t cheap. While it’s important to care for equipment during the winter when it’s in near-constant use, skis and other accessories require proper storage and care to prevent damage and keep everything in perfect condition for next season. Here are some things to do this summer to protect your ski equipment from off-season damage.

Skis

Your skis are likely the most expensive element of your winter gear, and thus require the most work and care prior to storage. Whether you do it yourself or take them to a professional, have your skis tuned up prior to storage for the summer, and apply a layer of summer wax to the base. Hook the skis together at the bases, making sure they are not touching. Skis can either be hung or stored lying down, just make sure you keep them in a place that is both dry and out of the sunlight.

Poles

Give your poles a once-over to make sure they don’t have any damage that could cause a problem, and wipe them down prior to storage. Poles can easily be stored either hanging with your skis, standing up beside them, or laying flat—just be sure they’re stored in a way that won’t leave them warped.

Goggles

Before storing them in a safe and secure container or bag, dry your goggles completely and wipe off the outside lens. Take care not to disturb the anti-fog coating on the interior. If the interior of your goggles could use a cleaning, follow the directions given by the manufacturer to prevent damaging them.

Electronic Radio or Beacon

Remove batteries before storing any of your electronic ski equipment to prevent batteries from dying next year in the middle of a day on the slopes. It’s a good idea to replace the batteries yearly anyway. Removing them completely will help you remember to put new ones in next year.

Boots and Bindings

Your boots can easily be stored in your gear bag or in a closet, wherever you have space. Just be sure that they are completely dry prior to storage and that the buckles are all securely fastened.

Store bindings either with your boots in the closet or in your gear bag, but make sure they are in good condition prior to putting them away. While some avid skiers swear by loosening bindings for the offseason, some don’t think it makes a difference, so decide what you feel best about—either way, they should be fine. When properly stored and cared for, your boots and bindings should be around for years to help you enjoy countless runs down the mountain.

Coats and Pants

If you’ve worn your coat or ski pants even once this year, whether they look dirty or not, they need to be washed prior to storing them for the off-season. The best way to wash them, without compromising the durable water repellent that helps keep them (and you) dry while skiing, is to wash them in cold water with powder detergent. Once washed, run them through one more cool rinse cycle to ensure the detergent is completely washed off, then dry them in the dryer using the lowest setting.

Once completely dry, coats and pants can either be hung in a closet for the summer or packed away in a storage bin for safe keeping.

Pack It Up

As the cold season comes to an official end, it’s time to pack up your gear to keep it safe during the warm months of summer. When you maintain your ski equipment properly, you don’t have to fear what you’ll find the following winter. You can be rest assured your skis and gear will be ready to shred the slopes at your favorite ski resort. Maintain skis the right way and they’ll be around to accompany you on endless skiing adventures.