As the main ski season comes to a close, it’s worth giving some thought to storing your climbing skins, skis, boots and beacon for the summer. A few simple steps will make sure your backcountry ski gear is ready to roll and easy to find when the snow flies in the fall.
How to Store Climbing Skins – Summer Gear Storage Tips
Proper storage of climbing skin helps preserve the glue for another season of trail breaking.
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Inspect your skins: The first step is to check for wear, tear or damage. Check the tips and tails for worn connectors, blown rivets, bent parts, etc. Check the glue for pine needles, dirt, dog hair, etc. If the glue is dirty, take the time to clean it by removing any large contaminants by hand. Depending on the glue’s age and condition, consider renewing it with a hot iron, as described in our article on how to renew climbing skin glue.
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Glue savers: Remember those plastic mesh sheets that came with your fancy new skins? Well, if there is a time to put them to use, it’s for long-term storage. Once you’re happy with the glue condition, just apply the glue savers (also called cheat sheets and skin savers) to the skin base, fold the skins up and stuff them in their skin bag. Black Diamond sells glue savers if you need a set.
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Location: The best place to store climbing skins is in a cool, dry and dark place – like a closet or basement shelf. The garage works, too, but temperatures tend to rise in summer, and the ideal situation is somewhere with more stable temperatures. Once the skins are packed up, I typically put the skin bag in my ski touring pack with my other dedicated backcountry gear, so everything is in one place and easy to find come the first ski day in the fall.
How to Store Your Skis – Summer Ski Storage Tips
Putting your skis to bed for the summer is simple: Clean them. Repair them. Wax them. Store them.
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Clean ’em: Water and a clean towel or rag will do the trick. Just wipe the tops and bases down to remove any dirt and dust. The next move is to thoroughly clean the bases. We recommend an environmentally friendly citrus solvent, such as OneBall Citrus base cleaner. It’ll take care of old wax, pine pitch, dirt and more.
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Repair ’em: Now is a good time to repair any base damage or get your skis ground if they are in need. The off-season turnaround time on base grinds is usually pretty fast. If you’re not going to get a full base grind, you can simply check the edges and top sheets for burrs or delamination.
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Wax ’em: Before storing your skis, apply a generous coat of hot wax to the bases, and don’t scrape it off. A good coat of wax serves to limit oxidation and keeps bases from drying out, leaving them prepped and ready for the next season. Read our DIY Ski Waxing Tips or shop ski wax
- Store ’em: Now, just find a cool, dark spot where they can live for the summer. Avoid compressing the camber or hanging them from the tips. The best storage is lying flat on a rack where they cannot be knocked over.
How to Store Your Avalanche Beacon – Summer Ski Storage Tips
It’s time to put your avalanche beacon to sleep, too.
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Check for manufacturer updates: Visit the manufacturer’s website to confirm there are no recall notices, firmware updates or other service notices related to your avalanche beacon model. Summer is the ideal time to send it in for updates or required service.
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Run a search-and-send cycle: Before removing the batteries, run your beacon through a quick send-and-search cycle to confirm everything is functional. It’s also a good idea to inspect the case, straps and buckles for cracks or issues.
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Remove batteries: Now, it’s time to remove the batteries. Check the battery compartment for moisture and battery corrosion. Corrosion on the contacts can be cleaned with a Scotch-Brite pad.
- Store it: I normally keep my beacon stored in my ski pack along with my shovel, probe and skins, so it’s all easy to find when the snow flies again.
How to Store Your Ski Boots – Summer Ski Storage Tips
Your boots are pretty easy to care for, but a few simple steps will keep them fresh and ready for ski season.
- Clean ’em: Depending on how much hiking versus skiing your last tour required, it’s good to clean out any dirt and debris from the cuff pivots, buckles and your walk/ski mode mechanism. A damp cloth and maybe a few shots of air from a compressor, if you have one handy, will keep the various moving parts ready to roll come next fall.
- Liner care: Go ahead and pull your liners to make sure there’s no moisture under the footbeds or wear spots on the outside of the liners. Once you’re certain everything is dry, you can repair wear spots with something like Gorilla tape. If you have significant wear spots, have a look at what they are rubbing against inside the boot. Use Gorilla tape to cover rivets or hardware that may be causing excess wear. Reinstall the liners.
- Store inside: If possible, store your boots in the house, rather than in the garage or a shed. Indoor storage reduces the chance of a small rodent snuggling up inside your boot for the summer. If you do store them in the garage or shed, just stuff the liners with some newspaper or similar to keep potential homeless critters from making a new home.
Final Backcountry Ski Gear Storage Tips
Your skis, boots, skins and beacon are the big ticket items, but it pays to give your pack, avy rescue gear and outerwear a quick once-over, too.
Backpack: Clean out any old snacks or leftover food. Doing so keeps mice and insects from chewing into your pack and making a mess.
Shovel and Probe: I like to pull my shovel handle and probe apart to make sure they are dry and free of corrosion. It keeps them working smoothly for years to come.
Poles: If you use adjustable poles, go ahead and pull them apart for a quick cleaning, like your shovel handle and probe. Now, they’re ready for next season.
Now, go ride your bike . . .
Check out our Adventure Ride Essentials content for the off-season. Gravel and bikepacking gear reviews: tents, tires, bikepacking bags, helmets, cycling sunglasses and more!
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