Where to Get Your Skis Tuned in Truckee - By Nick Cisik

It's that time of year again, when the temperatures start plummeting, the snow begins to fall (naturally or not), and you keep glancing at your skis, resting there in the corner, untouched since last spring. You've most likely been avoiding the rather easy task of dropping them off at the local ski shop for their annual tuning (you do get them tuned every year, right?). It's a pretty painless procedure and yet procrastination always seems to reign supreme. Hopefully you don't put off getting your sticks tuned-up for so long that you drop the idea all together because that would simply be unwise. And here is why.

First and foremost, well-tuned skis are a lot more fun to ski on and make the process of re-acclimating your legs to the sport one-hell-of-a lot easier. Let's face it, after that first day on the hill, you're sitting down at the bar for a cold one (or not, that's okay too) and you say to yourself, "Wow! I haven't used those muscles in a while!" Having skis that are tuned-up, waxed with freshly sharpened edges, will make for a much less strenuous stretch of first days back on the slopes.

Whether you believe it or not, while your skis sat there in the garage all summer, their bases dried out significantly. Locals here in Tahoe are all too familiar with the dry, high-desert climate that tends to wreak havoc on their skin. Well, the bases of your skis are no different. They most likely dried out over the summer, assuming that you forgot (of course you meant to) to apply that generous layer of storage wax at the conclusion of last season. Dried out bases mean shrinkage which can drastically impact the tune of your ski. This, in turn, will detract from your overall experience on the hill so, do not delay, a hot scrape and wax should be your priority to reestablish the proper tune to your skis.    

Ever catch an edge or fall victim to skidding due to rusty ski edges, which then led to that interminable tumble down the hill, from which you lost your skis, poles, gloves, goggles, hat, scarf–not to mention your dignity–and, from which, snow was able to penetrate the outer layers of your ski attire to such an extent that you were left in a cold state of discomfort and humiliation? Of course not! Neither have I! But if you have, let this be another sound reason for you to get off your "ski bum" and drop those speed sticks off at your local shop for a tune. The integrity of your skis' edges was most likely compromised during that off-season storage period when moisture was allowed to do its worst. With a proper tune you'll be that less likely to catch the unexpected edge and avoid that aforementioned fall commonly known as the "yard sale." And while the friendly technicians at your local ski shop, let's say Starthaus or Tahoe Tune-Up (a friendly, same day pick-up/drop-off service right here in Northstar) are scraping and waxing, they will also be filling in those scratches, nicks, and gouges you inadvertently wrought into your bases last year so, not to beat a dead horse, but in the interest of self preservation and self esteem, please, get those skis tuned! You and your pride can thank me later. Now get out there and shred that gnar!