Fluid, efficient skiing depends on technique and equipment. Skiers need to choose the best equipment for their skills and terrain preferences, and maintain their equipment by tuning their skis regularly. Tuned skis move in harmony with the mountain. Untuned skis are the snow sport equivalent of singing off-key.
Function
Ski tuning sharpens the ski's edges, lubricates the bases and removes scratches. A ski-tuning session can also include a binding cleaning and DIN setting adjustment. The DIN is the binding's release setting. Your skill, age and terrain preferences determine the DIN setting.
Benefits
A ski's structure enables it to glide and carve turns in the snow. The ability to do this depends on smooth and lubricated bases and sharp edges. Scratches, dried-up bases and dull edges impede speed and fluidity. Waxing the ski improves speed, removing scratches leads to a smoother ride, and sharpening the edges facilitates easy carving.
If crud is stuck in your bindings, it will affect your release settings, causing them to either prerelease or not release. When your skill improves, and you begin to ski challenging terrain, you might need a higher DIN setting, because a prereleased ski on a steep slope will slide downhill at top speed, possibly injuring other skiers and snowboarders. Most ski tuning shops will include a binding check and adjustment for a nominal fee.
Features
Ski tuners use a vise to hold the skis in place, a base cleaner to clean the bases, wax to lubricate the bases and an iron to heat and apply the wax. A scraper scrapes off the excess wax, a stone ground removes burrs and various types of files sharpen the ski's edges. Specialized screwdrivers adjust the ski's bindings.
Considerations
Ski waxing is seasonal. Some waxes are more suitable for cold weather, while others are best for spring conditions. A standard, machine tune and wax is fine for recreational skiers, who ski on beginner and intermediate terrain. Racers and advanced skiers should consider a hand wax and a hand ground side bevel. Harald Harb of Harb Ski Systems suggests that professional skiers, such as members of a ski patrol and instructors use a diamond stone to deburr the edges after each session.
Warnings
Use caution when tuning your skis at home. You will need a well-ventilated room. Avoid destroying your clothes iron by using a special waxing iron to wax your skis. Your skis must return to room temperature before waxing.
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