Getting skis serviced, before going or in resort?

A snowHead

Hi there. Just wondering if anyone can advise. I used my skis for 12 days last year. They were brand new before that, and so I'm guess they'll need servicing now (as I did notice the edges not being as sharp). Should I get them serviced in the UK before I go away, or are there places in resort? If so, what are the price differences? Thanks.

A snowHead

lemracyrrap, get it done at home and you won't need to find somewhere when you're away to get it done.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I'd strongly recommend looking into doing it yourself. It only takes part of an evening to wax and sharpen a pair of skis, it's really quite easy and you don't have to worry about the hassle of dropping them off somewhere and picking them up again. I'm sure spyderjon will come along and tell you more!

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Whilst learning to do it yourself is a good idea, it will take time, practice and experience to do the job well.

I'd get them done in the UK but look into learning how to service them yourself.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Whilst learning to do it yourself is a good idea, it will take time, practice and experience to do the job well.

I'd get them done in the UK but look into learning how to service them yourself.

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lemracyrrap, if you only use them once a year, I'd get a shop to do them. Might be cheaper in resort but then it's a bit of a faff to find somewhere and you wouldn't want to lose any ski time. But they'll definitely need doing after 12 days. After your next holiday, get them done immediately, but ask the shop to leave the wax on, as it helps protect them. The excess rubs off soon enough on the first few runs (we do our own because we ski a lot, and have a lot of skis, but we don't generally bother to scrape them as it makes such a mess).

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

Dr John, Too true and there are few that do and care about the job in the UK, also in resort it can be said, but can imagine we have (in resort) a way greater choice.

Dr John,

Of course there are loads of shops, all keen to get your money. But if you arrive in resort towards the end of the day, and intend to get on the first lift in the morning, yes it can be a bit of a faff, especially if it's chucking it down with snow, which means both that it's more of an effort to get them to the shop, but even more important to be on the first lift. and if you arrive after ski shop closing time, maybe you spend the first precious day of your ski holiday on poorly prepared skis. Are you just looking for an argument?

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SMALLZOOKEEPER, I'd much rather go to a shop on resort where you can have a mini-consultancy with the bloke (or woman, but usually bloke) in the shop about what you want and, more importantly, what he thinks you need according to current local conditions.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

pam w, I responded to your post as written. Perhaps you could have stated all your disclaimers up front, rather than as a reaction to my reply. And your presumtive statements about what I may or may not want to do suggest you're the one warming up for an argument, not me.

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Dr John, It's self evident, isn't it? Of course it can be a faff - shouldn't need to write an essay to back up that statement. For someone who had never been skiing before, you might spell it out. I would suggest that it's actually fairly rare to arrive in a ski resort for a normal short holiday with plenty of time to get your skis serviced before you get on a lift.

whoa, easy you two. Puzzled

You know it makes sense.

lemracyrrap I always get to a resort with skis ready to run waxed and edged. I certainly dont have time on the first day organising a ski service. Too many beers to drink!

In the past I have taken them to a UK ski shop and had a mid holiday wax and edge refresh in resort. I now do my own basic ski service after a session with spyderjon. Currently covering 6 sets of skis and been lucky to have two trips per year. With that number DIY pays for itself, plus bonus beers from minimum_1 and minimum_2
I would now only consider using a shop for a base grind and restructure, with my use thats not required too often. I did have spyderjon do a hot box session on my new skis last year though.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

+1 for Dr John. (also, fight, fight, fight...etc.)

Acknowledging my ineptitude and general laziness, I tend to get someone to do my skis for me. I can't be bothered to lug them around London looking for a shop that would do a good job, so I usually try to drop them off the first night in resort - ski shops know that you want to ski on them first thing, so they'll usually have them ready by 08:30. If I arrive too late to get to the shop then I ski on them for a day and then drop them in the following evening. That means you also get to shop around and find a place you feel comfortable with (as a rule I generally try to avoid big chain shops which just chuck them through a machine...but I actually have no idea whether that's a good policy or not!).

A snowHead

Yup, much easier getting them done in resort than traipsing round London. Some hotels we've stayed in even have an arrangement with the local ski service shop, so they collect your skis the first night and bring them back them back ready for first tracks the next morning. Or just take Touchguru with you wink

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I get mine serviced before I go.

Otherwise all the tuning kit in my cellar is a waste.

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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

How much do they cost in London/in resort? Looking into it here in Lausanne a couple of days ago it was 49 CHF (£32) for a standard service and 69 CHF (£45) for a 'grand service'.

Their servicing doesn't actually start for another month either, not that I'd need them before, but I thought I might get in early to avoid the pre-season rush once snow starts to tumble from the skies.

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12 days!! Practically new in plastic. Slap some wax on yourself and you'll be fine.

I learn the hard way never to have a shop basegrind (unless backed up by lots of personal recommendations for a named tech) after losing most of the base of an almost new snowboard.

Your technweeniness may vary.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

I say in resort, that way when you find they've made a pigs ear of it they're not 400+ miles away and you can get them sorted without paying again. I'd do it at home myself, but the butler claims that it's not in his contract...

I now service my wife's skis, my board and half the families skis saving a small fortune - at £45 for a full service like Whitters, above, you are looking at an annual cost of£250+. I have spent over three years, about £200 building up kit to do it and love prepping them - all part of the fun and ritual in build up to ski season.

My dad always used to have his skis serviced in resort after our local shop took so much base off it went through to the core. Never again. Plus, my doing it yourself, once you get the hang of it, you will add a lot more TLC than any other person. The only thing you cant do is a base grind and you don't need that very often for the average boarder/skier.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

In resort they will grind you edges to whatever angle the 1000year old machine is set at do a quick belt wax and charge you 1 million euros for the 'service'

(ok so that not 'entirely' true....but im sure im not the only one to have my edges butchered in resort)

Learn to tune your own skis it does not take much to learn to do them yourself (or book one of Jon's ski tuning courses), at least if you learn to hand tune your edges you will still be skiing the same ski as the one you bought after they have been tuned and not one reground to what the ski shop machine was set to/built for.

http://www.jonsskituning.co.uk/

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Getting skis serviced, before going or in resort?

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