Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Ski Equipment

Here are my tips on how to get ready for the first ski trip of the year.


Skis:
Chances are if you are anything like me your skis have been sitting in your ski bag since your last trip to the mountain. Before they will be ready for the slops you should take them to your local ski shop and have them tuned up. A tune up is just an adjustment of the bindings, waxing the bottom of the skis and sharpening the edges. The reason for adjusting the binding is to make sure they are in good working order and to make and adjustments for any changes in your weight. The edges of the skis must be sharp to make sure you can turn if you happen to hit some ice and you wax the bottom of the skis to fill in any scratches and to reduce the amount of friction on the snow.

Ski Boots:
It is not uncommon for someone to keep the same ski boots for years after their feet stop growing, but this is not a very good idea. a ski boot is made of a hard plastic shell and a foam insulations insert that not only helps keep your feet warm it also helps stabilize your foot in the boot so if you fall you so not get hurt, but after years of use the foam will start to deteriorate and will not give you the comfort and support you need to be able to go down the slops all day long. If you do not want to spend the money on new boots you should at least order new foam inserts.


Skiing with Polls:
For the most part unless you are a beginner if you are skiing at a resort you don't really need ski polls. Most people only use them because I was how they were taught to ski, but if you are going to have them you need to have the right ones. A ski pole should go from the plastic ring above the bottom to just above the waist so that when the tip is in the ground and your hand is on the handle your arm is bent at the elbow with the lower arm straight out. Also every year the tip should be taken and sharpened when you have your skis sharpened and waxed you can bring the polls as well.


Hand Protection:
Just keeping your hands in your pockets when you are on the lift is not enough to keep your hands warm. When you are skiing it is a must to have a good pair of gloves. The gloves must be insulated to keep your hands warm and be water resistant, to keep your hands dry.


Thermal Underwear:
Thermal Underwear is made from two ply cotton with a box weave texture to help trap the body heat and deflect cold air from passing to the body.



Pants and Jacket:
Ski pants and jackets are designed to keep the wind out and will stop water from penetrating in case you should fall and get covered in snow.