Summer storage

Summer is approaching and many of us are transitioning to biking, climbing, and boating. Before you put away all of your ski gear for the warm months, here are a few things to remember:

• Diamonds are forever, but batteries are not.
  Take the batteries out of your transceiver – storing transceivers without batteries is important. You don’t want to end up with battery corrosion by leaving those AAAs (or AAs) in for the summer. Take them out. And next season, put in fresh batteries. Charge those battery packs for your radios and store them separate from the radios, as well.
• Summer waxing…
  Store your skis with a coat of wax on the bases. This prevents the bases from degrading over time. Here are a few more thoughts on storing your gear for the summer: http://bit.ly/2shrZBN
• Check yourself before you wreck yourself.
  Check your shovel and probe for any cracks before you store them. Make sure your gear is in good working order, so when next season rolls around, you’re ready to go.
• Be nice to your boots… and room-mates.
  Dry your boots out before you store them. You don’t want mildew build up in your boots by November. Throwing some shoe deodorizer in the liners doesn’t hurt either.
• Avoid playing tug-of-war with your skins.
  Dry your skins and store them with the skin savers. I only use the skin savers during the summer, and they help preserve the glue when those skins are stuck together for months at a time. It also makes the first use of the next season far easier.
• Combat early on-set Alzheimers.  If you are like us, you rob Peter to pay Paul. We take our first aid kits, repair kits, multi-tool, extra layer, etc. out of the ski pack and put in the bike pack, rafting dry box, or climbing pack. Make a list of your winter kit and leave it in the top of your ski pack – that way the first ski tour isn’t a series of wishing you remembered moment