If you want to enjoy your touring skis in the mountains for years to come, proper care is essential. There are a few important things to keep in mind both during and after the season.

While some are already heading south to enjoy the warmer temperatures, for others the ski touring season is not over yet. But no matter when your final tour of the season takes place, it’s important not to forget about properly storing your touring equipment. Taking good care of your gear helps extend its lifespan and ensures you can start the next winter season with reliable, high-performance equipment. Below you’ll find a few tips on how to put your skis into summer storage.

You probably already know that your skis should be waxed regularly. Especially during the summer months, it’s important to store your skis with a layer of wax applied. For storage, paraffin wax can be applied a little more generously, as it creates a protective layer that keeps dirt and dust away from the ski base.

It’s important that the base is completely dry before waxing and that it has been brushed out beforehand.

If you’ve spent a lot of time skiing on dirty spring snow, it’s also worth hot-waxing your skis once and scraping the wax off while it’s still warm. By removing the wax immediately after application, you also remove dirt particles that have collected in the pores of the ski base.

Almost as important as a well-maintained ski base are perfectly prepared ski edges. Especially in spring, when icy conditions are common, skiing with dull or rounded edges is only half the fun.

As a general rule, the edges should be dried after every ski tour to prevent rust from forming in the first place. The bindings should also always be dried at the same time. Surface rust can appear faster than you might think!

If rust has already developed, it’s a good idea to file the edges once and remove any rust before putting your skis into summer storage.

When it comes to preparing your ski edges, a visit to your trusted ski shop is always worthwhile.

When choosing ski boots, fit is the most important factor. To ensure they maintain their fit over time, it’s essential to take good care of them. After every tour, your boots should be properly aired out and dried. The best way to do this is to remove the liners and only put them back into the shells once they are completely dry.

For summer storage in particular, you should thoroughly clean the entire boot shell, as a lot of dirt can accumulate during spring tours. It’s also important to fully close the buckles so that the ski boot maintains its shape.

Climbing skins also need proper care to ensure they continue to stick to your skis and can be used for as long as possible.

After every tour, it’s recommended to let your skins dry completely and remove any dirt if necessary. The adhesive layer should then be checked and cleaned. If the glue is no longer strong enough or has become unevenly distributed, it should definitely be renewed.

To prevent the skins from getting dirty in the first place, it’s important that the ski base is always clean and free of wax before applying them. This will save you a lot of cleaning work later on. Find out how to best clean Atomic Hybrid skins in this video.

For summer storage, skins should be kept at room temperature and attached to the protective sheets provided for this purpose.

If you want to play it safe and make sure your skis are perfectly prepared, visit a specialist ski shop at the end of the winter season and have your touring skis serviced. Especially if your skis have picked up a few scratches or the edges have lost their sharpness, experts can provide the best solution.

One thing is certain: the more carefully you look after your ski touring equipment at the end of the winter season, the better prepared you’ll be for the next ski season - and the more unforgettable Backland adventures you’ll enjoy!