 Poster: A snowHead
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Ive never owned my own set of ski's before and have no idea what sort of things you have to do with them, if at all anything ?
Im waiting for some brand new ski's to turn up and wonder if I should be doing something to them appart from looking in awe and stroking them every night before i go to sleep..... 
Is there somewhere on here already that I cant find that has got the info I need ?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Look in awe and stroke them sounds good for the minute.
Get a free binding check before each hols (any good snowsport shop will do this for nowt)
When you get home make sure you dry them off properly before storing. Don't put oil on the edges to stop rust - as some idiots suggest.
To keep them nice and tip top get them serviced after every week of skiing - edge sharpen and wax is fine. About £20 each time. You could get away wih it once a season if you go for two one week hols.
Don't worry if you scratch or take a chunk out of the bases, this is easy and very inexpensive to repair.
Enjoy and i hope they give you lots of pleasure.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Royal, Beans of Bicester have manufacturer accredited technicians and a good reputation. The skis we used at MK for the EB ski test had all been serviced by Beans. Manufacturers have a schedule for bindings service and calibration and it will probably be in your handbook. A calibration check will probably be a yearly task for the average holiday time.
If you store them in a bag then a sachet or two of VP90 http://www.vp90.com in the bag will keep things rust free (gunsmiths sell it for the storage of guns etc.)
Also, like other bits of kit we own and use, not servicing or maintaining something to manufacturers standards can have a serious effect on your insurance cover. especially if it's your own kit you fall off or hurt someone else with.
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do you have to wax them before you use them first time as i planning to use them at xscape every week before i go on holiday...
I hope xscape wont damage them but i dont see any point in buying something that only gets used once a year.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Royal, the conclusion we've come to is to have them prepared with a hard (cold temp) wax such as a race wax, then use a wipe on wax each time you go to xscape will keep them running well, when you get the skis home wipe them off and store them in a dry place, you can put a few drops of a light vegtable oil on a cloth and run over the edges which will help stop them rusting or put some wipe on wax over the edges for the same effect, never use mineral oil as it can react with the wax
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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thanks for the advice, I'll do that.
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Royal,
Don't do the vegetable oil thing. As i metioned earlier, and you also don't need to faff around with different waxes. You would be perfectly fine to just clip in and go from the start without touching your skis.
Don't listen to the over complicated rubbish that people spout on this site. The all just try to outdo each other with superior knowledge which confuses people.
xscape won't damage your skis at all but dryslope will. I would recommend getting your skis serviced before your first hols though if you have been using them at xscape. But don't go to the ski technician and say "Oh i want a cold temp wax on them" cause he will think you are a berk.
Ignore confusing advice about "calibration" and "manufacturers warranties". As i originally said just get your bindings checked at any good shop before your holiday, or even when you get there (cause people who work on the mountain know what they are talking about) 
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FastCarver, sorry to dissalusion you but those people who use xscape frequently and who post to this site regularly including those who race there all have suggested race wax, race wax is designed to cope with very cold temps, way colder than found at xscape so you might think that it would be no good for the much warmer xscape conditions, however all snowdomes in the uk supercool beneath the slope which gives a snow structure similar to that found in very cold conditions in the alps, this structure is basically abrasive hard ice crystals which will cause the base of a ski to wear quite quickly thus the low temp racing wax.
Just someone who knows nothing about skiing having only been doing it for over 30 years (and yes I did read one of your posts where you claim to have been skiing for over 40 years)
By the way the veg oil thing should only be done if you have no wax available, better to lightly wipe the edges with an oiled cloth than allow them to rust
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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FastCarver, You need to be a bit careful these days about not following manufacturer's servicing guidelines. They're there for a reason and bindings are an important piece of safety equipment that have to meet and maintain proscribed regulation standards as well as a way of attaching skis.
Thoughtlessly taking your equipment for granted and ignoring its care is an insult to the people who design and make it and puts you and everyone else on the hill to unnecessary and unwarranted risk. Do you apply the same principle to looking after your car? 
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| FastCarver wrote: |
| ....xscape won't damage your skis.... |
Do you ski at Xscape regularly? I think not.
A number of us snowHeads are also Lions Club members & ski there most weeks. We can assure you that the venue won't 'damage' your skis per say but the snow is extremely abrasive to the bases.
A good blue/cold wax will only last 2 heavy sessions for me before re-waxing is required. A standard yellow wax will only give me 1 session. I'll often use a Zardoz teflon wipe in lieu of a wax to obtain another session before re-waxing. The wipes are also excellent at protecting the edges from rust etc.
Unless a regular Xscape user has bottomless pockets DIY waxing & occasional edge tuning is economically mandatory.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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maggi, 
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Royal, if you are planning to use them every week from now untill the season, it may be of use to buy a bit of your own servicing kit. It seems like overkill at first, and putting a hot iron or metal file on your new best toys is a bit un-nerving the first time, but it will save you money in the long run.
It will mean you can wax the base and sharpen the edges after every couple of trips.
After I started this thread I bought the kit and had a go. I'm no skilled DIY maniac but it is pretty easy to do.
BTW, for Xscape use, most folk use a dryslope wax, it's very hard but will mean you don't have to re-wax every trip.
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You know it makes sense.
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I hope you guys realise you have just scared someone to death who has just bought his own skis
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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FastCarver, more like confused him I'd have thought.
The easy reply would be to drop them in at a shop after every other visit to Xscape, but that does get pricey.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If there are any times when you are not going to use your skis for an extended period of time make sure you don't store them strapped together tightly as it can affect their designed shape. If possible separate the skis and store them that way. It is also worth loosening the bindings off too - just write down the DIN setting you use (and get it checked again if you go on a drastic diet or put on loads of weight!).
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| waitingforwinter wrote: |
| It is also worth loosening the bindings off too - just write down the DIN setting you use (and get it checked again if you go on a drastic diet or put on loads of weight!). |
I would suggest NOT doing that, and I would also strongly suggest getting your bindings checked at least once a year as well - whether you change weight or not.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Wear The Fox Hat, My Atomics and Looks both have handbook recomendations to relieve the release spring tension to zero for off season storage.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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So, that must be clear for Royal,
You don't need to do anything in terms of additional waxes for Xscape, except you should use a hard (cold temp) wax
You shouldn't oil the edges, except you should but only use a vegetable oil
You should slacken the bindings when storing for a season, but then you shouldn't.
I bet you're glad that you asked now aren't you? 
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Ray Zorro, perhaps it could be phrased as follows
You don't need to do any additional waxing for Xscape, but using a hard (cold temp) wax will increase the wear resistance of your ski bases, increasing the time required between hot waxing
Applying spray or wipe on wax as a light coating to your edges when storing your skis will help prevent rusting, should you not have such a wax applying a tiny amount of vegtable oil will do a similar job but is less desireable than wax
If storing for a long time you may slacken of the bindings to help prolong their life but if using regularly throughout the year there is no need
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Cathy Coins wrote: |
| I just don't know what to think any more. |
Think snow! If we all think it, then the global conscience will cause it to happen. After all, this is the dawning of the age of aquarius...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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This thread - like every other one on waxing and sharpening has done my head in.
I would like to wax and sharpen my own skis ( because I'm a tight wad and a control freak , so I want to screw up my own skis thanx ) but i'm afraid the processes sound somewhat akin to brain surgery and my D-I-Y skills are inferior to most. When I cut wood I'm lucky to get within 10cm of the right length, all this stuff about accuracy to 0.5 degrees ! Is Kramer a brain-surgeon? if so his skills may be needed.
However, I will persevere , but what should I buy? - KISS applies in this case
. Spyderjon's list seems so expensive I might as well buy new skis every other week and bin the old ones. I've reread Mark Gledhill's original thread and had to lie down for a rest, it seemed so complex. What did Mark actually buy?
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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You know it makes sense.
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Cathy Coins, I thought it was a typo, no-one could be that shallow a snowhead. He does partially make up for that by admitting he's going to sleep with them . . . a long as he's very careful, there can't be toooooo much harm in it. Though wanting to sharpen his edges before hand does bring a certain piquancy to the act.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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eEvans, ok to start off with, how much kit do you want to carry with you on holiday ?
For the edges you need to decide on which angles you want to go with, typically 1,2 or 3 degrees (often refered to as 89,88 or 87 degrees) on the side edge and 0.5 or 1 degree on the base edge so having decided which combination you want to use you go out and get the two (normally metal) file guides a file and a clip to hold them together.
If you decide to detune the tips and tails an abrasive rubber block is also useful
Next waxing, start off just giving your skis a light waxing with a rub on or spray on wax compound, at the end of a typical one or two week holiday have your skis given a full service and if not planning to use them till the following year have them leave a coating of wax over the edges, if you go skiing for a lot of weeks each season it's worth learning how to hot wax the skis yourself, for this you will need a selection of hot waxes (you use a different wax for a different temperature and condition) a waxing iron (you can use a cheap travel iron on a cool setting but don't try ironing your clothes afterwards), wax removal spray, a selection of different wire/plastic/bristle brushes for cleaning/polishing the base, a file for removing excess base repair material and some base repair powder or candles, oh and a hard plastic and a metal scraper, if you have all this you will probably also want some ski clamps to hold the ski steady whilst you work on it
All of that will add a good 2 to 3 kg to your luggage !
My advice is that if only skiing for one or two weeks a year get a ski shop to prep your skis at the end of each holiday so it's ready for the next one, just buy some wax that can be rubbed or sprayed on and use that every day or two whilst skiing
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Poster: A snowHead
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Back to black and windolene are both excellent base treatments as well, or so I've been told.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| D G Orf wrote: |
| My advice is that if only skiing for one or two weeks a year get a ski shop to prep your skis at the end of each holiday so it's ready for the next one, just buy some wax that can be rubbed or sprayed on and use that every day or two whilst skiing |
The one other thing worth adding is a small diamond file - just to take any burrs off the edges, caused by rockes, etc.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Y'know, it is possible to know a little too much about equipment... 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Kramer wrote: |
| Y'know, it is possible to know a little too much about equipment... |
That's just crazy talk!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Carthy & D G - Thanks. I think you can see where i am coming from now. This Royal chap wanted a quick answer not a full Ski tech course. Hence myself originally suggesting "taking to a shop for servicing and a binding check before each holiday"
If he is skiing once a year this is all he needs and he doesn't need to spend loads of extra cash on files, clamps, expensive race waxes, an iron etc. etc. when he has probably spent a fair amount of cash on his first pair of skis.
Come on chaps lets get a grip of reality in here. Some of us know and are capable of servicing our own skis but for a majority of 1-2 week a year skiers this is simply impracticle. Lets give this site a reputation of being helpfull and not intimadating to the less experienced. Otherwise potential newbies will end up getting there answers from skiclubuk!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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FastCarver, I agree, see the last paragraph of my post, although foxy's advice about the diamond file is good as well
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| FastCarver wrote: |
| Come on chaps lets get a grip of reality in here. Some of us know and are capable of servicing our own skis but for a majority of 1-2 week a year skiers this is simply impracticle. Lets give this site a reputation of being helpfull and not intimadating to the less experienced. |
It was until you got here.
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I've had a lot of stick on here the last few days, but i just feel that many people on here are trying to be top ski god. Something that has always been a problem with the sport. While working last season i noticed that there where alot of people with "all the gear and no idea" in terms of having the wrong equipment and "talking a good run".
I am just trying to give appropriate advice on a case by case basis, as opposed to being all macho and blinding the question asker with science.
If people want to talk about wax types and edge file angles i don't have a problem with that, but it is no use to a chap who has bought his first pair of skis, skis one week a year and just wants to have fun.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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FastCarver,
Your second post here had a go at someone. In fact here it is .... (spinesurgey is a new poster here)
| spinesurgery wrote: |
I am 48 years old, have skiied for 40 years. I am an all mountain cruiser/expert. I am 6'1", 240 lbs. I need new skiis and boots.
Any recommendations for skiis and boots? Price not an issue. How about length, 170 or 180? |
| FastCarver wrote: |
| I question your ability. Surely if you were an expert you would be able to answer the question yourself. |
A lot of people here know what they are talking about, sure opinions will differ but most people are trying to be helpful not condescending when giving information.
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Fri 16-09-05 12:39; edited 3 times in total
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| FastCarver wrote: |
| ...many people on here are trying to be top ski god. |
I totall agree, particularly the guys who go on and on about
| FastCarver wrote: |
| ...While working last season... |
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FAQ
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