Buying a brand new ski or board is one of the most exciting times for a winter sports enthusiast. Like a beloved new vehicle, proper maintenance is crucial to keeping your new gear ready for seasons to come. What exactly is a tune up? Is it time for me to bring in my ski or board? Are my bindings still safe to use? These are all great questions that every skier or rider needs to be familiar with.

Tune Ups

Here at Zimmermann’s a variety of tuning packages are available. The condition, age and type of equipment will dictate what the best option is for you. When buying new gear, it is important to find out how often you should come in for service and how to check for damage.

Green Circle Tune

This is the most basic tune up available and is great for boards and skis with minimal base damage. With this tune up you can expect to leave with a sharp edge, a level base free of small scratches, and a quick wax to help reduce friction out on snow. It may be time to come in for a green tune if you notice edge rust, small surface scratches, or a dry base.

When buying new gear, it is important to find out how often you should come in for service and how to check for damage. 

Blue Square Tune

By far the most popular tune of the bunch, The blue tune will get your skis looking good as new. This tune is similar to the basic tune with addition of a stone grind and base repair. Base repair involves filling in scratches, dents, and gouges with p-tex. A stone grind puts structure back in the base to allow better glide on snow and reduce any sluggishness. Good indicators that it is time for a blue tune are medium to large damaged spots on the base, and loss or uneven structure.

Base repair involves filling in scratches, dents, and gouges with p-tex.

Black Diamond Tune

The tune up with the most value, the black diamond tune, offers a base grind, stone grind, base repair, edge sharpen, and an additional hand hot wax. The hot wax is different than the normal wax on the other tunes because it is actually ironed into the ski or board. When applying a hot wax, the wax is absorbed by the base and then the excess is scraped away leaving a longer lasting glide. The black tune is recommended for skiers and riders who go out frequently or have higher quality bases.

There are also specialized tunes available for skiers and riders who need specific edge angles and other work. If you are interested in preparing for an upcoming race this may be something to consider

Ski Bindings

Ski bindings are arguably the most important part of the ski. The binding has the job of both keeping you in when you need to, and letting your boot release to avoid injury. Factors such as age, height, weight, and ability dictate how the binding is set and it is important that everything is up to date. As a rule of thumb, getting your bindings tested once a season and updated to any change in weight or ability is the best way to ensure the safety of your gear. Bindings do have an age limit however, and once your ski setup reaches a certain age it may not be possible for the shop to adjust or test them due to liability issues.