Best way to prevent edge rust while transporting skis after ski day

[SwissSki]

Hi all,

I always take the skis out of the bag and dry them after a ski day, but during the 2-3 hours the skis are in the ski bag rust is already forming.
Are there some tricks to prevent this?

Things I am already doing:

• Putting spacer straps between the skis.
• Leaving the ski bag a bit open in the car.

I feel trying to get rid of all the snow trapped in the binding is difficult and is, I think, the main reason for the rust.

Thank you!

 

[cantunamunch]

I have a small block of soft wax in my pocket and I run it along the edges before I box the skis. Helps but does not entirely solve.

 

[raytseng]

Use the brush from car snow brush, to try to get more snow off binding, but yea if you have the space leave bag open. If you have lots of space lay skis bases up and drive carefully

 

[BLiP]

Keep a towel in the car and wipe the skis off before you put them in the bag. For snow in the binding, you can keep a brush in the car (frankly you probably already have one for removing snow from the car).

But otherwise, I don't worry about a little minor surface rust. Presuming you are using your skis again soon, it will ski off quickly. Or, if not, you can use a gummy to lightly polish it off.

 

[Jilly]

Keep a towel in the car and wipe the skis off before you put them in the bag. For snow in the binding, you can keep a brush in the car (frankly you probably already have one for removing snow from the car).

But otherwise, I don't worry about a little minor surface rust. Presuming you are using your skis again soon, it will ski off quickly. Or, if not, you can use a gummy to lightly polish it off.

THIS!!

 

[raytseng]

Ha I assumed the OP already was toweling!

If you know you have long drive ahead you can plan ahead. Assuming it is not so frozen strategically place your skis in the sun so it can melt or soften the snow while you boot off and get ready for your drive. Then towel and load your skis and you are ready to go.

 

[Primoz]

Towel makes miracles Wipe skis dry before putting them together with ski straps and packing them to car.

 

[SKI-3PO]

I find shaking (NOT banging on hard surface!) the skis helps move moisture before and after wiping. If you continue to see moisture, repeat. And if they’re in the warm car for a bit to start some more melting, take out and shake again. I suggest holding the skis with both hands with gloves on for this exercise.

 

[raytseng]

I've also had sucesss by putting ski tail on my shoe, tilting and turning ski so it is base up and slapping the base about where the bindings are, and let the flex and vibrations do some work.

 

[Unpiste]

I use a furniture blanket to wrap my skis for travel. After a ski day, I’ll usually wipe the skis down with a rag, not worrying too much about the bindings, and then lay the skis bases up on top of the blanket. Then strap the skis together at the destination.

 

[Hakuba]

A bigger cleaning rubber blowing balloon with a stiff nozzle or a screwdriver will do much help.

 

[JimD]

Towel dry, spritz lightly with WD-40, and wipe off the excess.
It lifts water from the metal and inhibits rusting.
(Do NOT use WD-40 on bindings - it's not a lubricant, and it will remove the grease, which is.)

 

[jt10000]

Towel dry, spritz lightly with WD-40, and wipe off the excess.
It lifts water from the metal and inhibits rusting.
(Do NOT use WD-40 on bindings - it's not a lubricant, and it will remove the grease, which is.)

What will it do wax?

 

[ADKmel]

If sunny separate and let the sun melt it. Then finish with a cloth

 

[dbostedo]

but during the 2-3 hours the skis are in the ski bag

Is this inside a vehicle? If so, leave them out of the bag to dry for those 2-3 hours.

 

[SpeedyKevin]

I feel spoiled using my onboard air compressor plus towel . Towel works well though as long as I leave the ski bag open. If there is some rust, it normally comes off in a run or so. If not, diamond stone + gummys

 

[Noodler]

I live in CO, so this is almost never a concern. Nice benefit of living in a dry climate.

I'm wondering though if anyone has ever tried using a big desiccant pouch tucked inside of a closed ski bag? I have used large amounts of desiccant material in other projects and it's surprising at how well these materials just suck up moisture. Many of the products can also be regenerated by simply putting them in a microwave oven (they change color as they absorb moisture, so you know when they're spent). You can buy a large amount of this stuff for cheap.

 

[James]

If they’re wet the ski straps will hold the water and they usually rust in that spot.

 

[dbostedo]

I live in CO, so this is almost never a concern. Nice benefit of living in a dry climate.

Even on the east coast, I never get rust on my edges, as I put the skis in the open air of the car when driving home (typically 1.5 - 3.0 hours depending), and inside the house once I get home. I don't towel dry them but do knock/shake most of the snow and ice off that I can before putting them in the car.

The only time I've had rust on my edges was coming back from a CO trip late season, when I left my skis in their hard case for a couple of weeks after I returned. They were dry going into the case, but I suspect the flights and changes in temp/pressure caused some condensation. Sure enough when I pulled them out of the case eventually, they were rusty.

 

[Noodler]

Even on the east coast, I never get rust on my edges, as I put the skis in the open air of the car when driving home (typically 1.5 - 3.0 hours depending), and inside the house once I get home. I don't towel dry them but do knock/shake most of the snow and ice off that I can before putting them in the car.

The only time I've had rust on my edges was coming back from a CO trip late season, when I left my skis in their hard case for a couple of weeks after I returned. They were dry going into the case, but I suspect the flights and changes in temp/pressure caused some condensation. Sure enough when I pulled them out of the case eventually, they were rusty.

So I guess the conclusion is that keeping the skis out of any kind of enclosure (to air dry) is a much better strategy than using an artificial means to remove air moisture.

I would go with that except that I did live in PA until 18. I recall having a lot of issues with edge rust back then, even with drying the skis and not putting them in a bag. Of course the quality of the steel edges was probably lower that long ago.