Your Best Ski Hacks

[rip]

I'm curious what labeling names you will give the two edges? "Burly" and "Slack"? "Bulletproof" and "Powdah"?

Heh haven't really thought of giving them names but probably some thing like "these go to 11" and maybe "it snowed!" As mentioned above its more out of laziness.. keep one set sharp and at like a 1/2 or 1/3 if it's really icy.. and the other just factory and mainly free of burrs doesn't ever get sharpened.

Here's one more for you ungrateful bastids.. run a line of cold(er) wax down along your rear edge when waxing, right where your skis dry out first, it's more durable and gives you a few extra ski days between waxes

[Scooter65]

run a line of cold(er) wax down along your rear edge when waxing, right where your skis dry out first, it's more durable and gives you a few extra ski days between waxes

I've played around with just going ahead and piling in several good waxing sessions of cold(Very Hard) wax(not necessarily flouro quality) when skis are new, then waxing as needed for expected conditions...seems to provide a tougher base. Might play around with a more targeted approach. Nice.

[Lone Star]

Dig out one of your old pairs of reverse camber skis and some old binding screws and attach a plastic bucket to back ski tip. Take a nice evening hike or lift ride.

Place 200g fireworks cake or fountain in the bucket and snug it in with some snow. Light the wick. Ski in front of your friends and listen to them giggle or holler or both.

[galibier_numero_un]

I got this idea from my Mamut pack. The avy tool zipper pull has a red anodized tube for quick identification. The BD Dawn Patrol 15 I just picked up has 3 zippers on top (one for the diagonal carry loop, one for goggles, and the main compartment). It got confusing.

Some nylon cord and red heat shrink solved this problem:



... Thom

[baron]

I went with a little folding step stool and bath mat to put down under it. folds down flat taking up less cargo space. Step stool also useful to stand on when moving gear in or out of the ski box. Bath mat keeps socks dry when ground is snowy or muddy.

i just added a rubbermaid throw away stool too-you do feel superior!..

I added the camping chair too though ; so I used the stool ,as a stool.


>Dulling your Powder Ski edges a little .. don't need a super sharp carve,on the PoW
>electric tape in the pack for quik apparel repair... lock down a loose buckle ..whatever!
>Stretching before and after Skiing .. simple stuff has the best benefits...like hydration mentioned b4
>skiing easier???hmmm...proper size poles gets overlooked ..that can cramp your style if to big or small
>Other Skiers! once in a while a jerk rolls through , but mostly I find Skiers easy to talk to, friendly and helpful

[Conundrum]

Tip the bar staff and buy them a drink once in awhile.

[muted]

Don't ever stretch, it hurts
drink too much the night before
do a half-ass job researching new skis and therefore buy mediocre ones you regret . but are too cheap to sell
ski on skis you never really love for 10 years, and adjusting your technique instead of buying different ones
never tune or wax your skis. never.
detuning tips an tails is actually worth the effort, but use ski yer ski poles to do this opening day, gummy stones are for organized people
snowboarders are often more fun to be with and good for seeing the mountain differently
stop skiing the same run over and over! be curious
If it's white, you are all right. If it's brown, go 'round.

[swissiphic]

lift corrals make good tip/tail de-tuning devices

So does exposed rock and concrete in parking lots and base areas.

[baron]

swapping skis!

different skis are fun … 178 b2 's for icy days

178 B3's for Rocky adventures

193 k2 's for GS style days

174 Solomon Czar for da Pow
* being proficient with multiple quivers make skiing easier

*don't skip stretching >it has been proven to prevent muscle injuries (unless you overstretch-then that's your own fk'n fault!)
>do you want to be one those old codgers that cant touch their toes at 50 yrs old!

[tmokes]

I use my car’s ice scraper with brush at the end to remove as much snow and ice before I put my board in my car.

Similar to floor mat, I bought a plastic boot tray for $2 and use it when I put my boots on in the parking lot. I just put it on the ground by me and if/when I lose my balance, I have a dry spot to put my foot down.

I get one of those Costco protein drink pack in my car and drink one after riding. Helps in early season to develop those muscles you only use when snowboarding.



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[singlecross]

Spray and then buff Pledge furniture polish on the topsheets and bindings of your skis so snow will not accumulate and stick.

[tmokes]

You do that on top of stickers?? I don’t think I can buff out pledge on snowboard bindings but I might try that idea on snowskate trucks... snow always accumulate in there.


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[XXX-er]

http://www.rubbermaid.com/en-US/step-stool

you can use it ^^ to sit on while putting on boots, or step on to reach in yer box, or turn it upside down to use as a water proof place to put wet snowy boots

[singlecross]

You do that on top of stickers?? I don’t think I can buff out pledge on snowboard bindings but I might try that idea on snowskate trucks... snow always accumulate in there.


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Easily on top of stickers just no stickers on top of Pledge... won't stick. And you don't need to work too hard to buff bindings... just wipe any excess off with a soft cloth. Be warned that ski techs will hate you if you get your skis stoneground as the topsheets will slip in the feed wheel and skip. Ask me how I know... vinegar and water solution removes the Pledge before stonegrinding or sticker application. Also works great for mud on MTB frames and forks.

[Buster Highmen]

Not mine, but solved a boot issue for one of my family:

[tmokes]

Thanks for the tip!


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[HankScorpio]

Pants first THEN ski boots.


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[nickwm21]

50:50 mix of sin-fire and bulleit in the flask. Works better than hand warmers.


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[nickwm21]

Some PNW tips...

Wet foggy weather - put the goggles on in the lodge and don’t take them off... keep that microclimate in those lenses to avoid the fog.

Skiing in the rain - a trash bag skirt and insulated rubber gloves will allow you to get a full day in.


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[turnfarmer]

First few days with little (2 to 4 year old) kids-
Hula Hoop works better than bending over to give them you ski poles to hold on to.
Backpack with handle to pick them up.

[old goat]

Hang Yak Trax Ski Trax off cable lock on railing at base lodge and just grab them on the way back to the car after skiing.

Super cold day, forgot to scrape the fucking wax, hard wax. Used the edge of ski one to scrape ski 2 and vice versa. Worked very well. With universal or warm wax I just ski it off. Cold wax takes longer to do that..

I leave my Ski Trax on a ski rack or a ledge without locking them. I guarantee you no one will steal them. .

I'm a fan of adjustable poles--shorter for bullet proof days, longer for powder, really long for long skates, hikes.

My best ski hack--2 naprosyn and 2 tylenol in the morning. 2 tylenol in my pocket in the unlikely chance that I ski long enough for the morning dose to wear off.

[baron]

Spray and then buff Pledge furniture polish on the topsheets and bindings of your skis so snow will not accumulate and stick.

this help on Skinning??? I assume you mean??

a layer of Vasaline is great to Keep Ice off stuff..
Great for your Skin! I put a layer on Hands & face on super cold days- it lowers the temperature ice will form at on the skin surface(ie frostbite)

It is a great emergency ,anti frostbite tool too -known to save a few finger & toes /toss some in the pack

[PNWbrit]

I leave my Ski Trax on a ski rack or a ledge without locking them. I guarantee you no one will steal them. .

Unless they want them for a gaper day costume?

[Caucasian Asian]

Buy cheaper goggles, and multiple pairs. No changing lenses, just swap goggles. No issues with snow inside the frames after a big crash either, just swap goggles.


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[Peruvian]

Buy cheaper goggles, and multiple pairs. No changing lenses, just swap goggles. No issues with snow inside the frames after a big crash either, just swap goggles.


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Just experienced a day where it went from sunny to dark in the course of a run. I wish I had swappable lenses instead of having to go back to the car for my other goggles.