Edge Sharpening, Base Repair and Equipment Storage
A sharp edge means grip on hard and icy snow. Edge angles are written as base bevel / side bevel: the base bevel makes turning easier, the side bevel increases grip. On recreational skis the factory setting is mostly 1° base, 2–3° side; Burton ships its snowboards with 1° base, 1° side. When sharpening, you work the base edge first, then the side edge, remove the burr and wax the board. Small scratches in the base can be filled with P-Tex; a deep scratch down to the core, delamination or a torn-out edge is a job for a workshop. For summer storage, the gear is dried completely, a coat of storage wax is applied to the base without scraping it off, and it is kept somewhere that is neither hot nor damp.
The steel edges of skis and snowboards provide grip, especially on hard, icy and artificial snow. A dull edge slides in the turn and does not inspire confidence on ice. As the edges rub against rocks, rails and boxes they get nicked; over time they need sharpening.
Base bevel and side bevel
Edges are sharpened on two surfaces:
Angle
What does it do?
Typical value
Base bevel
Lifts the edge slightly off the base; makes it easier to start a turn and to slide
0.5–1°
Side bevel
Makes the edge sharper; increases grip
2–3° on skis, 1° on Burton snowboards
The angles are often written as "base/side": "1/2" means one degree base, two degrees side. Some manufacturers write the side bevel as the angle of the edge itself, such as "89°" or "88°"; 89° is a one-degree side bevel, 88° a two-degree side bevel.
Manufacturers' factory settings are close to each other but not identical. For example, according to a retailer's compilation, Rossignol and Völkl skis use 1/2, and Atomic uses 1/3 or 1/2. Burton ships all its snowboards except kids' boards with 1° base, 1° side. When sharpening your own equipment, keep the factory angle; if you want to change it, ask a workshop.
Edge sharpening, step by step
Burton's order:
Base edge: First, lightly work the base bevel with an edge tool set to a fixed angle.
Side edge: Then sharpen the side edge, keeping the same angle, with long, even strokes from tip to tail.
Remove the burr: Use a gummy stone to clean the burr and rust off the edge.
Wax: Once sharpening is done, hot-wax the base. The waxing steps are in our ski and snowboard waxing guide.
Burton also recommends slightly detuning the contact points at the nose and tail of a snowboard, so the ends of the board do not catch in the snow.
Base repair: what at home, what at a workshop?
Damage
What to do
Surface scratch
Clean and hot-wax
Small gouge (within the base)
Fill with a P-Tex candle, scrape and level once it has cooled
Deep scratch down to the core
Workshop
Delamination (layers separating)
Workshop
Damaged or torn-out edge
Workshop
Filling with P-Tex: According to Burton, the flame should be blue when you light the candle; a yellow flame mixes carbon into the filling and it will not hold. Drip the P-Tex into the gouge, let it cool and level off the excess with a scraper. P-Tex fumes are toxic; work in a well-ventilated place. A scratch down to the core needs a workshop, because P-Tex does not bond to wood or metal.
Storing over summer
Burton's and Salomon's advice:
Remove the bindings (snowboard); keep the binding screws and parts together.
Dry everything completely. Remove rust from the edges and gouges in the base before storing.
Storage wax: Iron a thick coat of wax onto the base and do not scrape it. You scrape and brush it at the start of the season.
Edges: Toko recommends covering the edges with wax too; Salomon, on the other hand, says to scrape only the edges so they do not rust. What both agree on: the edges should go into storage dry and rust-free.
Location: A dry, cool place, away from hot attics (Burton: above 30 °C) and damp basements.
Bag: According to Salomon, a bag that is too waterproof traps moisture inside and rusts the edges. Use the bag in a dry place, only after the equipment has dried completely.
Ski bindings: According to Salomon, loosening the DIN setting for storage is optional; if you have loosened it, make sure to have it set again at the start of the season. For DIN, see our ski bindings and DIN settings guide.
If you are going with rental equipment
The rental shop takes care of the edges and bases of rental skis and snowboards. If you see big nicks in the edges or deep gouges in the base when you pick them up, ask for a replacement. For the differences between renting and buying, see our guide should you rent or buy ski and snowboard gear?.
A week without maintenance worries
If you do not have your own equipment, maintenance is not your job either: on Doğadayız winter packages, ski or snowboard equipment is included and collected from the rental shop. That way you can spend all the energy of an activity holiday on the slopes. And leaving your gear behind in the evening to spend time with the group is the ease of a social adventure holiday. For programmes, see our winter activity holidays page.
Doğadayız Packages
Doğadayız packages for your level
Winter activity holidays with accommodation, ski pass and equipment included, shared with a group.
The easiest way to learn to ski: a winter activity holiday
An activity holiday puts a sport at the heart of your trip: transport, accommodation and meals are planned, so you can focus on learning on the slopes. On Doğadayız winter activity holidays, accommodation, ski pass and ski or snowboard equipment are included in every package; course packages include basic lessons with instructors affiliated with the Turkish Ski Federation, while experience packages let you practise on the slopes at your own level.
What makes the programme different is the group: sharing the slopes with people at a similar level, dinners and nights out together, and a group leader by your side at all times. Solo travellers become part of this social adventure holiday from day one. That is why we describe our programmes as a social adventure holiday.
On recreational skis, the factory setting is mostly 1° base and 2–3° side bevel; there are small differences between manufacturers. Burton ships its snowboards with 1° base and 1° side bevel. It is best to keep the factory angle.
How do you repair a scratch in the base?
Small gouges are filled with a P-Tex candle: the candle is lit with a blue flame, dripped into the gouge and the excess is scraped off once it has cooled. A deep scratch down to the core, delamination and a torn-out edge are jobs for a workshop.
How do you store skis and snowboards over summer?
Dry the equipment completely, remove any rust, iron a thick coat of storage wax onto the base and do not scrape it. Store it in a dry, cool place, away from hot attics and damp basements; remove the snowboard bindings.
Wax helps ski and snowboard bases glide better on snow and protects the base from drying out. The longest-lasting method is hot waxing: the wax is melted into the base with an iron, left to cool, the excess is scraped off with a plexi scraper in the direction of travel and the base is brushed. According to Toko, the base starts absorbing wax from 70 °C; the iron temperature depends on the wax (Toko: yellow for warm snow 130 °C, red for general use 140 °C, blue for cold snow 150 °C), and you need to let it cool for at least 30 minutes before scraping. Wax is chosen according to snow temperature. FIS has banned fluorinated waxes in all races from the 2023/24 season onwards. With rental equipment, the rental shop does this maintenance; if you have your own equipment, it is time to wax when the base starts to look dry and whitish.
The DIN setting is the setting that determines the force at which a ski binding releases your boot in a fall; the name comes from an old German standard, and today settings are made according to the ISO 8061 and ISO 11088 standards. The value is chosen by weight, height, age, boot sole length and skier type (I, II, III). According to the 2015 edition of ISO 8061, the value is reduced by 15% for a type 1 skier and increased by 15% for type 3; it is also reduced by 15% for skiers under 10 and over 50. A setting that is too low can make the binding release unnecessarily, while one that is too high can stop it releasing in a fall and lead to injury. That is why the setting is made and tested by a trained technician; all you need to do at the rental shop is give your correct weight, height, age and level.
For a beginner, the right approach is to rent in your first season. According to Burton, while you are learning you should prioritise lessons over new equipment, rent your gear and invest once you have learned the basics. When you decide to buy, the usual order is: first personal items (helmet, goggles, gloves, socks), then boots that fit your feet perfectly, and skis or a snowboard last. The main risk with rental equipment is a poor setting: for short-term rentals, the binding should be set by a technician according to ISO 13993. On a winter activity holiday package, equipment is usually already included.
