Frequent snowboarding can take its toll on your boards as well as other gears. In order to make them last and save you from further costs, it's best that you take care of them well. Maintenance is always the key when you own valuable items.
Snowboards need regular tuning to enjoy them for many seasons and maximize your experience in this ultimate winter sport. You have to take care of your gear especially when the winter season comes to an end. Not being able to maintain it well may only result in poor performance or early deterioration of your board.
But before you try to do anything yourself, we share some tips that will give you helpful information on what parts of your board require special care and whether it's time you should bring them to the shop and be professionally maintained. Of course, doing the basic maintenance yourself can save you money and you can do it without the use of many specialized tools. However, if you want to smoothen the snowboard's base, never attempt to do it alone as a specialized grinder is the only tool that can do the work.
Clean is in
Cleaning the board is the first important step any snowboarder should take. Grime and dirt are most likely to build up on your board so make sure that you get rid of them at the end of the winter season. The best product to use is a citrus cleaner because it not only takes away dirt but also removes any dead wax from the base. All you have to do is just apply the cleaner and use a clean cloth or rag to get rid of dirt or any residue.
Check the edge
After cleaning, check your board to find out if there are certain portions that need fixing. Look carefully at the edges and the base. If the edges appear to be dull or burred, they need to be filed to keep them in good shape.
As for the base, if you see any minor damage, you can easily fix it with a tune-up kit that should include a p-tex candle. However, if you're not certain about this, better bring your equipment to a snowboard shop and have it tuned up.
Wax to the max
Once you've seen that your board in is in good condition, it's time to apply a new coat of wax. The things you will need at this stage are a scraper, iron and wax, preferably an all-temperature wax. Any iron will do but there are irons specially made for waxing a snowboard.
Now, while using the iron, apply a thick coat of wax on the base and make sure that it covers not only the base but the edges as well. Then scrape the wax from the base and the edges. The wax here serves to prevent the board from drying out and the edges from getting rusty while it is being stored.
Proper storing
Your snowboard together with your gear should be kept in a cool dry place during the hot summer months. As much as possible, don't store them in the basement. Boots that are the soft type should be properly cleaned and should be applied with foot oil to maintain its softness.
Following these tips is a sure way to have durable and long lasting snow boards. So, keep them in mind and have a great experience with snowboarding.
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