Sure, there are lots of ways to get a ski to glide better including structure, waxes, overlays, etc- but often I find the most basic area is overlooked: Putting the skis away properly every day after use and transportation.

I will cover these 3 subjects: 1.) Clean, Dry Skis; 2.) Ski straps; and  3.) Waxed Edges.

Clean and Dry skis:

Put the skis away Clean and Dry. This is often as simple as a napkin, paper towel, or even dirty t-shirt wiping dirt and water off of the edges before the skis go into the car after skiing, and again when they come out after the trip. This is even more critical if salt or other chemicals were used on the hill. Rust and dirt are super slow. You don’t want them on your race skis.

Ski Straps

I see a lot of unneeded wear on bases because no (or too few) ski straps were used.  A fast base structure is a lot of work (and/or money) to establish, you want to preserve and protect it. Ski straps are cheap and easy to find, so use 2-4 straps per pair of skis and protect those edges and bases!

Wax Edges

Does wax make edges faster? Well yes and no. Wax rubbed onto edges wears off on the snow within seconds so it doesn’t help much there. But wax rubbed onto a Clean, Dry ski retards the formation of rust considerably, and ANY rust is Super, super slow. So as soon as the skis are clean and dry, rub some wax onto them and rub it IN with a clean, dry cloth. 

These 3 tricks will not cost you anything (you have ski straps and wax already, right?), and combined they will make for longer lasting, faster, and better turning skis. 

See you on the hill!