Question: Roof racks and rusty edges

[michpc]

I'm new to ski ownership as of last season (old used pair of Olins). Since my car came with a roof rack, and well it's worth a lot more than my skis, I like to tote them to and from the mountain up top (also helpful when I'm on a trip with friends so no one has skis or boards in their face during the drive).

My question is about rust prevention. By the end of last season, my edges were quite rusty, and I'm sure this is in part due to being exposed to the elements on top of the car. I tried to be good about wiping them down after I brought them in, but I also had to store them in the basement per my landlady's request, which I'm sure didn't help either. They are quite rusty at this point. I plan on getting them tuned before the season starts, but I'm wondering if there's anything else I can do to help prevent rust during the season. I've heard about possibly waxing the edges before loading them into the rack. Does anyone have other suggestions? Also, if my edges are starting to get rusty, should I be having them sanded or filed down during the season? These are my first pair of skis and they were inexpensive, so I'm not terribly concerned with lifespan as I hope to get something newer in the next couple years. Last year I hit the slops 8 days, and I'm hoping for more this winter.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Jilly]

Road salt and crap can do alot of damage, not only to the base of the skis, but the binding too. Best thing is ski box instead of a rack. But those are not cheap either. And we're talking a roof rack with locks etc. You're not bungee cording skis to the rack on the vechile?

Some racks will leave you enough space to keep the skis in a ski bag. Years ago when I had a Sportrack, I used a binding cover. But I haven't seen those in years either.

Wiping the skis off with fresh water and drying when you get home will help. When the edges get rusty, you need to remove it. Volklgirl has done a great write up of tuning skis in the gearpedia section. But at this point get it done at a shop, then you will be able to continue for the rest of the season.

Keep a eye out for a used ski box that fits you car/truck. They are worth the extra and last a long time.

 

[michpc]

Thanks for the advice. It is a genuine roof rack (Thule rack goes with my factory Volvo load bars). I actually did have a binding cover, due to concerns about grime getting in there, but the zipper broke and it spent the rest of the ride flapping in the wind my first time out! And I had a heck of a time finding it in the first place...so much for that one. Once I have enough posts to access gearpedia, I'll be sure to check out volklgirl's write up.

 

[volklgirl]

Keep your skis well waxed during the season and dry them off immediately and rub the edges with a bar of wax after each use. When storing during the off-season, keep a coat of wax on the bases and edges, and never store them directly on a cement floor. This should keep your edges mostly rust free.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Binding covers available here:

https://www.tognar.com/bags_racks_boot_ski_binding_snowboard_accessory.html#ROS-K4A91

Have used a ski rack for years (also a Thule when I had one) w/o issues. It's the summer storage that has promoted rust more, at least for me, unless skis are carefully "summer" waxed. Good advice above about not having them rest on concrete floor. Put something waterproof beneath.

 

[altagirl]

I've used regular roof racks with the skis exposed for years and have never had a problem with either rust or any binding issues.

We just wipe them down when we get home and leave them in the sun for a few minutes to dry out before putting them away. Of course, this is the advantage of living in Utah - we have dry air and that's really what prevents them from rusting. I remember having rusty edges pop up very quickly when I lived in more humid climates.

If you can store them somewhere less humid, that will probably solve most of the problem. Otherwise, get them tuned to remove the rust, and before you put them in storage for any extended period of time, put a thick coat of wax on them and don't scrape it off the edges or sides until you are ready to use them again.

 

[michpc]

Thanks for all the tips guys! I never knew about the waxing before summer storage...wish the place I'd bought them at had mentioned that. But I will definitely make sure to do this at then of this season. Unfortunately in the summer here it's humid everywhere (I'm too cheap for A/C int he house!), so I guess that's just a hazard of living in New England, but hopefully waxing will help.