Summer Hibernation: Off-Season Care for Your Nordic Skis

As the snow melts and we trade our tracks for trails, it’s time to put our Nordic skis away for the summer. Tossing them in the garage as-is might be tempting, but a little off-season care goes a long way in extending the life of your gear and ensuring you have a fast, smooth glide next winter!

Here is how to properly prepare your Nordic skis for their summer hibernation.

The Golden Rule: Protect the Base

The most important step in summer storage is keeping your ski bases away from oxygen. Leaving them bare exposes the base material to the air, causing it to dry out, whiten, and oxidize over the long summer months. The solution? Bury the base in wax!

The Ideal Solution: Hot Storage Wax A thick layer of hot wax (left un-scraped) is the absolute best way to protect your skis. It seals the pores and deeply conditions the base.

Wild Rock Service Special: They can take care of this for you! Drop your skis off at Wild Rock for a $20 Storage Wax. In the fall, bring them back in, and we'll do a full clean and fresh wax for $40, so you are perfectly prepped for the first snowfall.

The DIY Alternative: Liquid Glide Wax If a hot wax isn't in the cards, you can still protect your skis at home. Give your skis a thorough cleaning, and then apply a few heavy layers of a quick glide liquid wax. The goal isn't to polish them for speed, but to build up a barrier that "buries" the base to prevent that pesky oxidation.

Best Practices for Storing Your Gear

Beat the Heat: Store your skis in a cool, dry place. Avoid spaces that experience extreme temperature swings or intense heat, like an uninsulated attic, a hot shed, or directly next to a heat source. Heat can warp the skis and degrade the materials.

Strap 'Em Up: Use proper ski ties (one at the tip, one at the tail) so the bases don't rub against each other. Don't strap them together so tightly that you compress the camber.

Boot Care: Pull the insoles out of your boots and make sure they are 100% bone dry before storing them to prevent mildew. Zip them up and loosely buckle them so they hold their proper shape over the summer.

Clean Your Bindings: Wipe down your bindings with a damp cloth to remove any lingering spring skiing dirt, salt, or grime before putting them away.

Taking a few minutes now means your gear will be fresh, protected, and ready to hit the snow as soon as winter returns!