The lifts are closed. The snowpack is gone. It's time to make the transition — put the snow gear away properly and get your skate setup out and dialed. Do it right now and you'll thank yourself when October rolls around and your board doesn't need a full rebuild before the first day.
Putting the Snow Gear Away
Your Board
Don't just throw it in the garage. Give it a proper send-off for the off-season. Get a tune before you store it — base grind, edge sharpen, and a hot storage wax. The wax is key. It keeps the base from drying out and oxidizing over summer. Scrape it off in the fall and your board will ride like it just came out of the shop.
Your Boots
Pull the liners out. Let everything dry completely — not just surface dry, fully dry. Moisture left in boots over summer turns into mold and breakdown. Once they're dry, store the liners separately or loosely inside the shell. Check your laces or BOA cables while you're at it — if anything looks frayed or worn, replace it now so you're not dealing with it on opening day.
Your Bindings
Go through every screw and piece of hardware. Binding screws back out over a season and if you don't catch it now, you'll forget by fall. Check the straps and ratchets for cracks. If anything looks questionable, replace it in the off-season when you have time — not on the mountain when you don't.
Getting Your Skate Setup Dialed
Start With the Bearings
If your board has been sitting, the bearings are probably slow or seized. Clean them out, re-lube, and if they're rusted just replace them. Fresh bearings are cheap and the difference in roll speed is immediate. This is the first thing to do.
Check the Wheels
Rotate them if they're wearing unevenly. If you've got flat spots or the urethane is chunking, it's time for a new set. We've got Spitfire Formula Four in stock right now — the T-Funk 97A and the F4 101 Conical Full. Both hold up better than most wheels on the market.
Tighten Everything
Kingpin nuts, axle nuts, hardware — go through all of it. A loose truck or a spinning wheel nut will ruin a session fast. Takes two minutes with a skate tool and it's worth doing every time you pull your board out after it's been sitting.
Assess the Deck
If the nose and tail are razor-thin, the board is waterlogged, or it's lost its pop, it's time for a new one. Don't skate a dead deck. We've got Real Ishod Cerberus DBX 8.38 in the shop right now if you need a fresh one.
Come See Us
Bring your snow gear in for a tune before you store it, or come in and build out your summer skate setup. We're in Sandpoint and we're here to help you make the transition right.
