The Best Way to Store Snow Skis

Unless you're one of the lucky few who ski year-round, there comes a time at the end of every winter season when skis and boots must be tucked away in storage. Properly storing your ski gear in the off-season will help you comfortably slide into the following winter with equipment prepped to hit the slopes.

  1. Tune 'em Up

    • Tune your skis one last time before stuffing them away in a closet (see link below for how to do that). Most importantly, apply a healthy coat of wax to the bases (don't scrape), allowing the wax to cover the edges of the skis as well. This keeps the bases from drying out and prevents the edges from damaging the skis if they are jostled or moved during storage.

    Keep 'em Together

    • Bind your skis together with velcro ski ties ($5 to $10). Even with an adequate coat of wax along the edges, if your skis were to 'scissor' while in storage, damage could occur to your equipment. Ski ties also ultimately help minimize the amount of space your stored skis will require.

    Bag 'em

    • Keeping your skis stored in a ski bag not only provides protection for your equipment and consolidates overall storage space, but it also serves as an easy way to transport your gear while travelling. Some ski travel bags can be a bit larger than desired for mere storage purposes, so it might be a good idea to purchase a low-profile "ski sleeve" instead. Also, be sure to keep your boots stored in a bag (preferrably a ski-specific boot bag) to prevent moisture and debris from accumulating during the storage period.

    Keep 'em Dry

    • For as much time as your skis spend floating across crystalline water all day, it's hard to imagine that water can damage skis while in storage. If you tuned your skis prior to storage, there won't be any issues with excess condensation on the edges or in the core materials, but none-the-less, be sure the equipment is dry. Otherwise, rusted edges and internal structural warping can ruin the investment you've made in your skis. Likewise, it's important to store skis in a dry, non-humid environment if possible.