How to Store Your Ski and Snowboard Gear for Summer
Before you throw your gear in the garage and forget about it until fall, give it a little attention first. A few simple storage steps can help your skis, snowboard, boots, and outerwear stay in better shape and be way easier to deal with when the season comes back around.
This guide breaks down how to clean, dry, protect, and store your winter gear the right way so it is ready to go when the next season rolls around.
Contents
Why Summer Storage Matters
Your gear takes a beating all winter. Wet parking lots, spring slush, road grime, base scratches, edge burrs, sweaty liners, and damp gloves all add up. If you just toss everything in a hot garage or leave it in a bag for months, you are basically asking for rust, bad smells, and extra shop work later.
A proper summer storage routine helps protect your bases, edges, liners, and clothing so everything is in better shape when the snow comes back.
Clean and Dry Everything First
Before anything gets stored, make sure it is actually clean and fully dry. Moisture is what causes a lot of offseason problems, especially rust, mildew, and bad smells.
We recommend drying your gear thoroughly, putting a thick coat of storage wax on skis and snowboards, and storing everything in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. Boots, goggles, and outerwear should also be cleaned and dried before they go away for the summer.
Hardgoods
- Wipe down skis and snowboards
- Remove dirt, salt, and old grime from topsheets and bindings
- Make sure bases and edges are dry before storing
Softgoods
- Pull liners and insoles from boots if needed and let them dry
- Wash jackets, pants, base layers, and face masks
- Clean goggles with the right cloth and store them in a case
Inspect Your Gear Before Storing It
Summer storage is a great time to take inventory. Check your skis or snowboard for edge damage, base gouges, loose hardware, stripped screws, and anything else that will be annoying to discover right before your first trip.
This is also one of the best times of year to handle tune work, edge cleanup, base repair, or worn parts since you are not dealing with the preseason rush.
Check Hardgoods For
- Rust or burrs on edges
- Base scratches and core shots
- Loose binding hardware
- Cracked straps or worn ladders
- Damaged tips, tails, or sidewalls
Check Boots and Apparel For
- Worn laces or BOA issues
- Packed-out or damaged liners
- Sole wear
- Tears in outerwear
- Missing goggle parts or scratched lenses
Protect Bases and Edges
One of the best things you can do before storing skis or snowboards is put on a thick coat of wax and leave it on all summer. A softer all-temperature or warm-weather wax works well for storage, and you can scrape it off when the season gets close.
Leaving wax on the base helps protect it during the offseason, and coating the edges helps reduce surface rust while everything sits.
How to Store Skis and Snowboards
When it is time to put everything away, store skis and snowboards somewhere cool, dry, and indoors if possible. Keep gear out of direct sunlight and avoid leaving it anywhere with extreme heat or moisture.
You also do not want to strap skis or snowboards down tightly in a way that puts unnecessary pressure on the camber or rocker profile for months at a time. Let them rest naturally in a clean storage area.
| Do This | Avoid This |
|---|---|
| Store in a cool, dry indoor space | Hot attic or damp shed |
| Keep gear out of direct sunlight | Leaning in a sunny window |
| Let skis and boards rest neutrally | Compressing them tightly with straps |
| Keep things clean and dry first | Storing them wet in a bag |
If you want to be extra thorough, you can back ski bindings down to a lower DIN setting for the offseason or loosen snowboard binding screws slightly before storage. That step is optional, but some riders like doing it as part of their end-of-season routine.
How to Store Boots
Boots are easy to forget, but they are one of the first things to get gross if they go away damp. Make sure they are fully dry before storage, especially the liners, footbeds, and inside of the shell.
For ski boots, loosely buckle them so they hold their shape without being cranked down. For snowboard boots, close them up normally once they are dry so they keep their shape and do not get crushed in storage.
- Open them up and let them dry completely
- Pull liners or insoles if they need more airflow
- Loosely buckle ski boots or close snowboard boots normally so they hold shape
- Store them somewhere dry and not crushed under other gear
How to Store Goggles, Helmets, and Outerwear
Offseason storage is not just about skis and boards. Goggles, helmets, jackets, pants, gloves, and layers should all be cleaned up before they get stuffed in a closet or gear bin for months.
Wash outerwear according to the care instructions, make sure everything is fully dry, and store goggles in a soft bag or protective case so you are not pulling scratched lenses out next season.
Goggles and Helmets
- Clean lenses carefully with the right cloth
- Store goggles in a soft bag or hard case
- Keep helmets in a dry, protected spot
Outerwear and Layers
- Wash jackets, pants, and base layers before storage
- Repair tears now instead of next winter
- Store clean and completely dry
What to Avoid
Common Offseason Mistakes
- Leaving gear wet in a bag
- Skipping storage wax
- Ignoring edge rust and base damage
- Storing gear in direct sun or high heat
- Forgetting about boots, goggles, and clothing
Better Move
- Dry everything fully first
- Wax bases and protect edges
- Take care of tune work early
- Store indoors in a cool, dry place
- Put all your gear away clean and ready for fall
Final Thoughts
Summer storage does not need to be complicated. Clean it up, dry it out, protect the bases and edges, and keep everything in a cool dry spot. That little bit of effort now can save you money, hassle, and preseason headaches later.
And if your gear needs tune work, edge repair, binding parts, or a fresh wax before it goes away, that is even better to handle before everyone starts scrambling again in the fall.
Need Help Getting Your Gear Ready for Summer?
If your skis or snowboard need a tune, wax, edge work, or a quick check before storage, we can help get everything cleaned up and ready for the offseason.
Stop by Ski Pro if you want your gear looked over before you put it away for the summer.
Contact Ski Pro