The season is underway here in the Rockies with a few local resorts starting to spin chairs. Whether you’re gearing up for your local resort laps or the skintrack deep in the backcountry, now’s the time to get your board, split, or skis tuned, tested, and ready to rip.
Here’s how to show your gear some love so you’re not the one fixing stuff at the trailhead.
1. Inspect the Base and Edges
Your base takes a beating (and it remembers). Lay your board or skis flat and give it a once-over:
- Core shots or gouges? Fill ’em with P-Tex.
- Dry or white patches? Your base is thirsty. Hot wax time.
- Rusty or dull edges? Clean with a gummy stone and sharpen 'em up. For splitboards, don’t forget the inside edges. They matter when things get steep.
If you ride Weston, you're already on a sintered 4001 or Electra 5920 base - fast and premium stuff. But that performance only comes if it’s regularly waxed and tuned. A few extra laps of glide make all the difference in variable snow or on the skintrack.
2. Check Your Binding Setup
Start with the hardware:
- Tighten all screws. Loose binding screws = sloppy response and a fast track to a blown day.
- Look for any cracked plastic or worn-out straps, highbacks, or ratchets. Replace anything suspect now, not mid-tour.
For splitboarders:
- Inspect your splitboard clips (Karakoram, Phantom, Spark - whatever you’re running) for tension and alignment.
- Clean out any gunk and double-check pivot points.
- Make sure your pucks are aligned properly. A quick tweak to your stance angle or width can be game-changing.
3. Skin Game Strong
Nothing kills a day quicker than busted skins or blown glue.
- Unroll your skins. Look for glue globs, missing plush, or delamination.
- Trim any threads and touch up the glue if it’s not sticking like it should.
- For Weston splitboarders or skiers using Pomoca systems: make sure your tip holes and tail notches are clean and intact for seamless attachment.
- Don’t forget your skin bag and cheat sheets. They seem unnecessary until you’re trying to separate frozen skins at -10°F.
4. Dial in Your Boots
Your boots are the unsung hero of every tour or ride. Treat them right.
- Check laces, BOA cables, buckles, and liners.
- Heat mold if needed, especially if your liners packed out last season.
- For touring boots: cycle the walk mode and cuff buckles. If it’s sticky now, it’ll be worse at 12,000 feet.
5. Avalanche Gear: No Shortcuts
If you’re heading into the backcountry, your beacon, shovel, and probe aren’t optional. They’re your team’s lifeline.
- Beacon: New batteries. Do a function check with a buddy. Update the firmware.
- Shovel & Probe: Make sure they deploy easily. If you’ve got bent shafts or worn locking systems, replace them. Now.
- While you’re at it, get your touring pack out. Make sure zippers work, avy pocket is clean, and your gear is where it belongs. This stuff doesn’t seem like a big deal until you need it in a hurry.
6. Restock the Kit
Your repair kit, first aid, spare parts, multi-tool, and snacks all deserve attention too.
- Re-up on zip ties, ski straps, and spare screws.
- Toss the crusty old bar from last spring.
- If you’ve got Weston skins, make sure the field repair stuff is in the bag.
7. Factory Tune? You’re Good (Mostly)
All Weston gear ships factory-tuned and waxed with OneBallJay eco wax, with a .75° base bevel and 88° edge angle. So if your board or skis are new or recently tuned, you’re already ahead. But that factory wax? It doesn’t last forever. Start the season with a fresh coat for max glide.
8. Ride Your Rituals
Preseason prep isn’t just about gear. It’s about getting your head right too. Watch some old trip edits. Map your early-season missions. Spin your beacon drills. Stoke the fire. Build your base.
Final Word
We’re mountain people. We live for the long approach, the untouched stash, the dawn patrol turns. The freedom we chase out there? It’s built on a foundation of preparedness. So put in the work now, so you can ride when it counts.
We’ll see you out there - on the skintrack, in the storm, or under bluebird skies.
