by Mr.
Klister
Ski Base Preparation
Ski base preparation is not glamorous, but it probably
has more to do with achieving good glide than does waxing.
For our purposes, base prep consists of: 1) checking for
flatness and 2) structuring. Skis (and snowboards) need
to be perfectly flat from edge to edge, otherwise they
don't glide well and behave in strange, unpredictable
ways. That's why your first priority should be to remove
any high or low spots along the length of your skis. This
includes checking new skis. Many skis come from the factory
with less than perfectly flat bases. Clean your skis and
then examine the bases for bumps, dips, and high or low
edges. You can check the flatness of your bases with any
good straight edge. Simply lay it across the ski base,
hold the ski up to the light and look for gaps between
the straight edge and the ski base. Irregularities can
be removed with a steel scraper (available at local ski
shops for around $5). Always work from the front of the
ski to the back and scrape in only one direction.
Structuring consists of creating a series of small, parallel
ridges along the length of the base of a ski. The purpose
of structuring is to insure that the correct amount of
water is under the ski to insure optimum glide (remember
the theory of How Glide Waxes Work, described elsewhere
on this page). In cold, dry snow conditions the objective
is to increase the amount of water present by increasing
the friction between the ski base and the snow crystals.
The way to increase friction is to increase ski base-snow
contact. To increase contact, keep structure size small
(.5 mm between ridges or less). This is accomplished by
sanding the ski bases with increasingly fine grades of
sandpaper (e.g., 120 to 220). Use a sandpaper block to
keep the bases flat, and remember to sand only from front
to back of the ski. Follow up the sanding by rubbing the
skis down with a Scotch-Brite pad (available in most grocery
stores), to remove the p-tex hairs created by sanding.
In warm, wet snow conditions the objective is to remove
excess water that creates suction. This calls for coarser
structure (ridges spaced .75 mm apart or more). Coarse
structure can be created by sanding with coarse sandpaper
(80 or less), pressing ridges into a base using the edge
of a file, or by brushing with a stiff, sharp-bristled
steel wire brush (1-2 mm ridges). If you want to get fancy,
you can buy a "rilling" bar for this purpose
(about $20). Again, don't forget to remove the p-tex fuzz,
or your skis will be slower than before you started.
How long structure lasts depends on how much you ski
and snow conditions. So visually check your bases regularly
and renew the structure if it appears to have worn down.
Generally, a good structuring strategy is to start with
fine structure for the cold winter and change to coarse
structure for the warm spring.
