Those two planks that allow us to plough through powder, carve down corduroy and bounce over bumps also connect our bodies to the snow.
Having a well maintained and tuned ski will your days on snow more enjoyable.
Scott Harris, lead technician at the Sign of The Skier, has been in this business for more than 20 years. He’s seen the transition from hand-tuning to machine-tuning. He knows the in’s and out’s of tuning and when the machines break down Scott doesn’t stop as he rolls up his sleeves and does things the old fashioned way – with his hands.
I had the opportunity to watch Scott in action and ask him a couple of key questions:
[Sasha Gollish (SG)]: Scott, why do you recommend people get their skis tuned?
[SH]: People should have their skis tuned for safety as properly tuned skis help you to maintain control. Tuned skis also feel much better than those that are left untouched. Have you ever put on demo skis and thought they were just worlds better than your skis? Sometimes it’s just because they have a much better tune that what you’re currently skiing on.
[SG]: How often do you recommend people tune their skis?
[SH]: At the very minimum, at the start of the season, at the end of the season for storage and once a month through the season. If you are skiing and teaching every weekend I recommend bringing them in for a tune every two weeks, after 4 days of skiing. Once skis bases have gone white and edges are rusted, they require more work, more edge and base removal and decrease the life of the ski.
[SG]: Is there daily maintenance we can do to extend the life of our skis?
[SH]: I recommend everyone have a diamond stone and bevel guide on hand for use at the end of everyday. By removing the burs from a ski you maintain the ski tune and help to preserve the ski. I also recommend people wax their skis at the end of each day, but at the end of the weekend is good too!
[SG]: What do you recommend for edge bevel for Ontario Instructors?
[SH]: The default setting for our Wintersteiger, our tuning machine, is a 2?side and 1? base bevel, which is ideal for most skiers. A base bevel helps to make the ski more forgiving and the side bevel helps you to grip the snow once you are on edge. Sometimes our racers go up to a 3? side bevel for their slalom skis, which I would recommend for those who are into ripping slalom turns on some of Ontario’s steeper terrain.
[SG]: If I maintain my skis and keep them tuned, what do you think the life of a ski is?
[SH]: Let’s say that the average Instructor skis through the Holiday Break, every weekend plus one other full week of skiing a year, that’s about 26 days a year. If you tune your skis as required your skis can last four to five years, over 100 days of skiing.
The Sign of The Skier will be offering free Tuning Clinics to CSIA members this winter. Email tuning@skiproontario.com to reserve your spot!
