How to Store Alpine Gear for Summer

Ready to put your skis, snowboards, and boots away for the offseason? In this “How to Store Your Snowsports Gear for the Summer” series, members of the 2024-28 PSIA-AASI National Team share their pro tips.

Here, three members of the PSIA Alpine Team share their offseason storage recommendations. (Pro Tip: Bookmark or print this content for annual use and scroll to the bottom to specific offseason wax recommendations from PSIA-AASI Official Supplier Toko.)

Remember that, for safety reasons, certain adjustments should only be made by people with experience. If, for example, you’ve never adjusted a binding, get some guidance before going it alone. This series is not meant to teach you exactly how to tune equipment but is to remind you not to store your gear by tossing it into a corner and then forgetting about it for several months. Happy summer!

Storing Skis During the Offseason

New PSIA Alpine Team member Peter Novom says that before storing his skis, he inspects them for damage, including cracked edges, bashed sidewalls, etc. He then thanks them for a great season, waxes them, and stores them strapped and off the floor.

Alpine Team member Kevin Jordan adds that he puts storage wax on his skis, but being an avid mountain biker and managing a bike school during the summer, he doesn’t always have time to do a proper end-of-season tune on his skis. When that’s the case, he tunes them right before the season.

Storing Ski Boots and Other Gear

Peter places his ski boots in a bag, box, or tub to ensure that the colors don’t fade. He adds that it’s important to store boots in a low humidity environment, such as a dry basement or closet, if you want them to last. He notes that he’s seen boots that weren’t stored properly – and of a certain vintage – crumble off a customer’s feet as they were walking to the chairlift.

PSIA Alpine Team Coach Michael Rogan says it’s vital to keep boots buckled so the plastic stays shaped and curved to your legs. He adds that you should also place them in a plastic bag to prevent any animals from gnawing on them and store them in a secure place that’s not too hot. As with your skis, Michael says you should clean, tune, and store the rest of your gear in a comfortable place.

Kevin adds that when he stores his gear, he includes a notebook with some of his thoughts, focus, feedback, and what he worked on during the previous season so that he can pick off where he left off when he pulls out his gear the following season. This includes goals or changes he’d like to make in his skiing. “I not only store the physical gear, but also the mental ‘gear’ so I’m better prepared for the following season,” he said.

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Need some tools to help get your gear ready for the offseason? Ian Harvey, head tech of Toko, says Base Performance Red is Toko’s recommendation for summer storage wax. It’s a mid-range wax that’s the perfect hardness for storage waxing. He adds that if wax is too soft, it gets eaten up over the summer. If it’s too hard, the wax doesn’t seal the air and dust out very well. The Red is just viscous enough and just hard enough to be a perfect storage wax.

The PSIA-AASI Adaptive Team already shared its best practices. Next up, members of the AASI Snowboard Team provide their offseason storage insights. Stay tuned!