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What to do with new skis?

jwilli

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Because this is a great place to ask the 'silly noob' questions (and a quick search didn't find what I was looking for):

For the first time I have some brand new skis. Outside of putting bindings on them and a coat of fresh wax, is there anything else that usually is needed at this stage? I assume that there is a factory edge on them and for a lot of people that may or may not be what they need?
 

SallyCat

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I would say that's all: get out and enjoy them.

If you want to know what the edge and base bevel angles are, you can ask the shop or contact the company directly. If you're truly a noob you probably don't have an angle preference, but if you do any edge work, you want your tool to be set at the correct angle.

I do put a true bar on any newly-acquired ski, and have found a couple to be noticeably concave--enough to warrant a base grind.
 
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jwilli

jwilli

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I would say that's all: get out and enjoy them.

If you want to know what the edge and base bevel angles are, you can ask the shop or contact the company directly. If you're truly a noob you probably don't have an angle preference, but if you do any edge work, you want your tool to be set at the correct angle.

I do put a true bar on any newly-acquired ski, and have found a couple to be noticeably concave--enough to warrant a base grind.

Hmm, get out and have fun? That's far too simple! :)

That's been my inclination as well, re: edges. If anything being on a single set of skis over a decent amount of time, along with becoming a stronger skier, might give me a sense of what edge feel works for me. I went through a few grind hollows on my hockey skates before setting on one that seems to work for me there as well, but nothing that would keep me from enjoying a skate.
 

Philpug

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Edge bevels are more inconsistent that concave/convex bases. A lot depends how particular you are. I seen square 90* edges and even worse out of the box. A better shop can make sure you have a proper 1*/2* bevel or more if you are looking for more precision (hard snow bias). A tune will make or break how a ski will ski, it make a $399 ski ski like a $699 ski or a $1,099 ski like a $199 ski. I have seen it all.
 
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jwilli

jwilli

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Also I'm trying to figure out how these help with making sure a ski is level....

true-bar-gluten-free.jpg
 

Muleski

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I found the factory edges on my Atomics, Stocklis and Volkls to be more than fine. Just a coat of wax and I waa set to go.

That's great, but I can't tell you how highly unusual that is.
If you bought them new, out of the wrapper, that is pretty remarkable.

My experience is that better of 9 times out of ten, the edge and base bevels need some pretty significant work to get the bevels consistently right. As @Philpug posted above, the bases can be pretty darn good, particularly on a premium ski like the Stockli. I would still have the bevels checked by a good tuner on any new ski, or even just set. After they look over the bases {or you do} with a true bar

Good luck on those three pairs, for sure!
 

Philpug

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I found the factory edges on my Atomics, Stocklis and Volkls to be more than fine. Just a coat of wax and I waa set to go.
We have had inconsistancies with every brands including the ones you mentioned. We have had batches of skis that have come off the line the same day that have been inconsistent. We check all of our test skis (with @smoothrides) because we removed the variables of a bad tune.
 

Muleski

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In the last 25 years, my wife and I have had a lot of new, out of the wrapper skis, generally pretty well selected. I'm guessing maybe 60 pairs?

Every one has gone to our friendly tuner to be set up. Bases ground and structured, base bevels and side bevels set. I have tended to pull the sidewalls a bit more and shape the topsheets. And I do the waxing. At one point in a hotbox, until I dropped that.

Included in those skis were a lot of brands. I can recall one pair being "pretty good", and if I had wanted a 1/2 tune, maybe OK. Not great.

I'm a bit of a cynic in terms of the concept of a factory tune. In most cases does not exist. With some premium skis, no doubt it's often closer.

Some of the worst I've seen are skis that truly are handmade, where something must have gone wrong when they were in the curing room.

Yeah, if they are good to go out of the wrapper, that is a huge win!
 

surfsnowgirl

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These were just my experiences with my redsters, laser axs and my 90eights. I was told the factory edges were likely fine with all 3 and after 1 run if that weren't the case off to the shop I'd go. I just didn't feel the need to spend the money on edging if it wasn't necessary. Lucky for me it wasn't. I'm sure some need tune ups and others like mine didn't.

I don't usually buy brand new skis but the ones I have have been perfect out of the box and just needed wax. This is just my experience and to each their own.
 

Muleski

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I think @Philpug and I are just saying that you were very, very fortunate to have that experience with your skis. Which is awesome. And that others perhaps should not necessarily expect to have the same, though they also might get lucky, too. Makes sense to have them checked, which your shop probably did!
 

surfsnowgirl

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Of course.... Solely my experience and I'm sorry if I wasn't clear that I wasn't implying across the board the atomic, stockli and volkl didn't need edging and were perfect out of the box. This was just my experience with 3 particular skis. I bring all my skis to the shop first and foremost to have my boots checked with the bindings but secondly to determine what if any tune ups need to be done before I ski them. I would never assume a ski was perfect out of the box and was just sharing my experience. I never meant to imply a pre shop visit before the OP skis them wasn't recommended.
 
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Atomicman

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I am more in the snowsurfgirl camp. And as you know I have had far in excess of 60 new pairs of skis over the years with both my boys racing and then all the skis I have owned over 56 years of skiing! I of course inspect and measure the bevels and unless some thing is really out of whack, ski 'em.

If there is something amiss when you get on snow, other than just getting used to new skis, thne you can spend the money and have them fixed and you can tell the shop what symptoms are bothering you.

I cannot think of a single pair of Atomic or Head Race skis although\, we have had one pair of slaloms that were pressed wrong from the factory with an unfixable convexity and Atomic replace them on warranty. But everything else from Slaloms to SG's and Downhills were 1/3 and spot on and skied great. I did have one pair of SX-11 Supercross that needed deburring.

Now with that said the wider skis have been more problematic. But concavity is not an issue if the bases are flat about 10mm in from each edge.

So I would say, ski 'em and see how they perform and then deal with the outcome! I have seen many many more skis come from a tuner that skied horribly due to a poor tune than skis that skied poorly from the factory!
 

Doug Briggs

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I see a lot of new skis. Some are good to go right from the factory. Race skis particularly. That is is you want the bevel they come with. Most adult race skis come 1/2 or 1/3, depending on their discipline. Kids race skis are almost always 1/2. Indie ski company skis can be all over the board and unless I was able to verify the bevels AND the bases looked good, I'd 'new ski' tune them. Wide indie skis are the worst. I've seen them look like the last thing the base saw was an 80 grit belt. That is B. A. D. bad. Others are excellent, so you have to look to see.

I was surprised the my K2 Pinnacle 88s came with 1/1 bevels. I skied them as is, just waxed them. They were very fun and manageable on the WORD for small, large and medium turns. They held if I wanted them to and drifted/slarved when I wanted them to.

So, really, you need to look at the ski and evaluate them individually. Most major name brands will be fine as is (waxed of course) then you can see if you like what the manufacturer thought was right or if you want to change the bevels.
 

Muleski

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I should have clarified. I was taking about my skis and my wife's....last 25 years. This will be out 61st season. I just threw the 60 number out there. It's probably twice that in those 25 seasons.

If I include our now well into adult kids...well, we will not go there.

Agree with Atomicman and Doug. Depending on where your race skis originate, they very often arrive in great shape. My kids were lucky to have them arrive fully prepped, in a variety of structures, ready to go. And they had "a few pairs," shall we say. And real pro techs. Not that we all don't have a pretty good hand. No issues with almost all of the race skis.

All of my race skis over the past 25 years either were right from a race room, or good hand me downs. So they were all good. Only race skis these days are some GS cheaters.

Trying to remember when base and edge bevels really became something that we paid attention to? Kind of funny to think back.

I may just have had some sketchy pairs of skis right out of the wrapper! Or not enough Atomics!
 
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jwilli

jwilli

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I should have clarified. I was taking about my skis and my wife's....last 25 years. This will be out 61st season. I just threw the 60 number out there. It's probably twice that.

Agree with Atomicman and Doug. Depending on where your race skis originate, they very often arrive in great shape. My kids were lucky to have them arrive fully prepped, in a variety of structures, ready to go. And they had "a few pairs," shall we say. No issues there.

All of my race skis over the past 25 years either were right from a race room, or good hand me downs. So all good.

Trying to remember when base and edge bevels really became something that we paid attention to? Kind of funny to think back.

I may just have had some sketchy pairs of skis right out of the wrapper! Or not enough Atomics!

Well, I have atomics so perhaps that's going well for me!
 

ScotsSkier

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I usually check them with the bevel meter and, unless they are way out of spec (or rather my spec!), I will normally ski them first before I put a tune on them. I will also pull the sidewalls a bit on a race ski. I did a quick check on my new 2018 Rossi FIS slaloms and was pleasantly surprised. They were at 0.5/3 out of the wrapper and the sidewalls are also quite well tempered back. Rossi/Dynastar race stock used to take a LOT of work out of the wrapper!
 

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