12 Tips And Tricks For Skiing And SnowSports

Clever Hacks For A Better Winter Experience.

1. When skiing wet and slushy snow, spray the top of your skis and even your ski boots with silicone (wipe it off after spraying). The faster heavy snow slides off skis, the easier it’ll be to make turns.
2. Toe warmers work better in gloves than hand warmers. Use the sticky back on toe warmers and attach them to the backhand side of your gloves. If you’ve used hand warmers, you know they have a tendency to fall out when you take your gloves off.
3. When skiing groomers, especially hardpack, wider skis put more stress on knees because they require more angulation to get them on edge.
4. Skis with softer tips puts less stress on skiers’ knees.
5. When purchasing used skis, make sure the bindings aren’t so old that ski shops won’t service them. A Google search with the words “Binding Indemnification List” will provide you with an up-to-date list of acceptable bindings. Better yet, ask your local ski shop if they’ll service them.
6. Don’t use lens wipes on the inside of your goggles. Most goggles have anti-fog on the inside and wiping it may cause damage.
7. On crowded days, the single line will almost always be faster even when skiing in groups. Lifts that don’t start at the main lodge are also good bets on crowded days.
8. Always stop on the side of trails where you can be seen by uphill skiers. Look up hill before starting. Wear a helmet and make sure it is strapped.
9. Thoroughly dry your boots each day after skiing especially if skiing back-to-back days. If your boots are the least bit damp, your feet will be cold. I use a dedicated boot dryer.
10. If you want to demo skis, do it at a mountain where you can try several during the day. On less crowded days, you’ll get a much better selection and won’t have to wait for the model or size you want to try. Select a day that will have varied conditions on the mountain; this way you can try the skis on both hard pack and softer snow. Within a specified time period, many shops will apply the cost of the demo to a pair of new skis; ask about their policy.
11. If you plan on sharing skis, consider getting demo bindings. These bindings can be adjusted to fit about any size ski boot without needing to remount the binding.
12. In a pinch, you can use a plastic card from your wallet to clear sleet from goggles.

If you have any tips that work for you please share them with other readers in the comments section.