Post your ski gear hacks.

[Tom K.]

I'm going to have to award the grand prize to the Booster Strap touring binding.

No contest IMO.

 

[crgildart]

^^^Yer gunna die!!!

 

[SkiSVLikeAgassi]

I'm going to have to award the grand prize to the Booster Strap touring binding.

No contest IMO.

A friend of mine had the idea as a way to skin up with race skis, race boots and race bindings. I just adapted it...

 

[Scrundy]

I have a problem getting into boots race style, my boot always slipped forwards so you end up pushing down instead of forward making it a struggle. So I cobbled this together, now I can put that down in parking lot, it grabs and pushing forward putting boots on is a breeze

 

[alexflexy]

 

[slow-line-fast]

Once saw a whole group xc skiing with… what’s that? … thin PVC pipes cut to ski pole length, used as ski poles. I guess they saved a few bucks but none of them looked happy

 

[silverback]

Toe warmers (with the adhesive backs) for phones to extend battery life!

Also works on GoPro

 

[Philpug]

Also works on GoPro

I will be trying that.

 

[pchewn]

I fixed a tear in my ski jacket using dirtbag duct tape and iron technique.

 

[Uncle-A]

I fixed a tear in my ski jacket using dirtbag duct tape and iron technique.

View attachment 188351

Interesting, I never would have thought to iron Duck Tape it seems like a good idea.

 

[Betaracer]

Dry your equipment as soon as possible.

Boots get the dryer started as soon as I get home or back to the hotel room; or in the truck if travelling to the next place. I have each a 120v and 12v portable dryer. Keeps them from getting the stank and nice and dry for the next day.

Skis get unstrapped, separated, and as much snow wiped or knocked off outside, then brought in and stood against the wall with bases out. A cafeteria tray makes a perfect pan to collect water. Wipe bases with an old towel. After a few hours (changing out of skiwear, shower, beverage, watching recorded ski race, etc) bring skis outside to shake off any water that collects in voids of the bindings, and then throw out the water in the tray. At this time I will bring skis to the workbench and do any touch-ups or service required (you'll see when you initially wipe them down) and then hot wax. I use a wide temperature and condition universal wax. Scrape only the edges and tail cap while the wax is still soft, followed by sidewall, and the buff out with Fiberlene. By getting rid of the wax on the edges and buffing off any residual moisture can evaporate. I've seen too many edges rust under the wax layer. Strap the skis with a clean dry strap or 3. Next time the skis get used, all they require is a scrape and brush.

 

[DebbieSue]

I fixed a tear in my ski jacket using dirtbag duct tape and iron technique.

View attachment 188351

Geez, you went that far . . .why not craft it into the Helly Hansen logo?

 

[Uncle-A]

I think that we know what a shoe horn does and I think there is something called a ski boot horn. I have used this trick to help me put my boots on and it helped this old man start the day without a struggle. I have made my own out of a half gallon plastic milk container. Just cut on the doted line.

Once you have cut it out if you turn it upside down and slide it in your boot before stepping into the boot the foot should slide in easily and you can pull the plastic out easy enough after the foot is in the boot. It can also be used when trying to put liners back in the shell because the plastic just makes things slide easier. Enjoy this hack.

 

[Hankj]

Dry your equipment as soon as possible.

...

Skis get unstrapped, separated, and as much snow wiped or knocked off outside, then brought in and stood against the wall with bases out.

I'm going to second this. I'm on my fourth season of skiing and just figured out that leaving skis strapped together is a big mistake. It's remarkable how much water hangs around between bases pressed together. For sure unstrap your skis at home and separate them.

Definitely never had to think about this with a snowboard

 

[DerKomisar]

Wo

I'm going to second this. I'm on my fourth season of skiing and just figured out that leaving skis strapped together is a big mistake. It's remarkable how much water hangs around between bases pressed together. For sure unstrap your skis at home and separate them.

Definitely never had to think about this with a snowboard

Would also recommend putting skis pointed down on their tips to also drain/dry any lingering snow/water in your bindings (especially your heel piece).

 

[Bad Bob]

Want a heated boot bag but too cheap to go buy one when you have a perfectly good nonheated one (this would be me)?
Spend $10 -$12 for a 12 volt heating pad you can plug into the car and stick it in your boot bag under your boots.
The dog really likes it too in the back seat.

 

[Mel]

We have cube shaped boot bags that fit perfectly into the ikea shelf in our hallway, so I don’t want to switch them. They’re the right size and have separate compartments for boots, helmet/gloves, and goggles.

Instead of heated boot bags, I got the dry guy portable dryers and a splitter so I can plug 3 of them in at the same time in the car. Plugged in on the way up means warm boots when we arrive. They go back in the boots and plugged in for the drive home, and by the time we’re back all the boots are dry and can be put straight back on the shelf without taking them out of the bags again.

Cuts down on mess and minimizes the chance of forgetting to put something back in the bag.

 

[TipsUp]

We have cube shaped boot bags that fit perfectly into the ikea shelf in our hallway, so I don’t want to switch them. They’re the right size and have separate compartments for boots, helmet/gloves, and goggles.

Instead of heated boot bags, I got the dry guy portable dryers and a splitter so I can plug 3 of them in at the same time in the car. Plugged in on the way up means warm boots when we arrive. They go back in the boots and plugged in for the drive home, and by the time we’re back all the boots are dry and can be put straight back on the shelf without taking them out of the bags again.

Cuts down on mess and minimizes the chance of forgetting to put something back in the bag.

Which IKEA bag/container do you use?

 

[Mel]

Which IKEA bag/container do you use?

The ski bags are old ones, similar to this but a bit smaller

the shelf is the ikea kallax, same size as this one:

boot bags go in the bottom cubes, and the top ones have baskets that hold all our extra bits and pieces - box of chemical hand warmers, extra gloves & neck tubes etc.

 

[AmyPJ]

Spotted a guy at Beaver Mountain on Sunday with the tails of his skis cut completely off. Why?? He was skiing the park in the baggiest what looked like mom jeans I have ever seen. I never could get a picture.

Anyway, why the hack (literally) of cutting the tails off?