THR Pre-Season Gear Check

Crisp mornings mean it’s time to check the backcountry gear before snow flies.

The snow sliding is the fun part. Gear blow outs and fails out in the field are a buzz kill. Take some time this pre-season to check through the essential gear.

“Tools not jewels” remains timeworn backcountry dogma. Those skis, once shiny and new with unblemished P-tex and top sheets screaming, “These are the latest graphics for an otherwise unchanged ski,” have taken a beating. Your once lustrous boots are scuffed with a mountain patina. This is all the sign of one thing for certain: you’ve been doing mountain travel things and treating your gear like the tools they are.

However, it is the first gear-related piece of the season. There’s the assumption, too, that you will be using your backcountry snow-sliding tools again and again. For maybe a precious hour of your time, it makes sense to treat your ski/riding tools like jewels. Consider this the clarion call for the preseason backcountry gear once-over. Might as well make it count now–nobody likes a gear failure. We’ll go in the order of boots, bindings, skis, board, and poles.

Check to ensure buckles and the ski/walk mechanism function properly.

Ski Boots 

If your shell is beat up, that’s ok. We are only concerned with structural type wear, not cosmetics. 

• Find the appropriate hex key and/or screwdriver and tighten all the screws on the boot. 
• Tighten the pivots appropriately if they feel loose. In some instances, if the pivot is prone to loosening, add a dab of Loctite, and secure it. 
• Examine the buckles and ensure the hook, ladder, and throw are functional. Some brands are known to have ladders that chip, which can reduce the ability to tighten the boot sufficiently. If the buckle is compromised and doesn’t look reliable, check if spare parts are available, replaceable, and repairable at home. If not, check with a local shop, and 100% carry some extra Voilé straps in your pack.
• Many lighter weight touring boots feature a BOA-type closure system to secure the lower shell. Check for basic functionality—the BOA dial should tension and loosen the cable. The dial should be smooth to operate and easy to pull up (to loosen), push down, and lock in place to tighten. Replacing a BOA with exposed cable, as with the Fisher Travers series of boots, is a relatively easy proposition. If the cable looks worn, replace the cable only. Replacing the cable and housing is tricky if you have a closure unit like Dynafit’s Twistfit system with internal cable routing. (That’s a how-to for another time.)   

Note the buckle ladder. The lowermost ladder (right side) has broken off. In this instance, it’s not a big deal. However, eye your all your boot buckles.

• Pull the liners from the boot. Check for any obvious worn spots, packed-out foam, and tears. Any interior tear and liner deficiency will likely cause discomfort and possible blistering. If you feel like the liners have life remaining, yet they display some obvious abrasion zones (maybe near the pivots), consider purchasing low profile patches for the outer liner or locate, on the inner shell, the cause of the rubbing and place some duct or packing tape over that zone. This might help prolong the liner’s life. 
• Liners do have a lifespan, and a shorter lifespan, at that, compared to the shell. Only you can say what works for you. For those who guide and live in boots 8-10 hours per day most days, a liner might last three months. From a budgeting standpoint, start thinking about checking and replacing liners when you’ve ticked 75-100 tours. 
• Insert the liner and put your foot in the ski boot. Secure the buckles, and fasten the power strap. Place the ski/walk throw into ski mode—effectively locking out the pivots. Rock back and forth to ensure the throw remains in ski mode. Also, check to determine there isn’t too much play in the cuff when locked out. If you experience excessive play, check with your local shop to determine if this is a typical sign of wear and tear in your boot model.

Check to ensure BOA type retention systems function properly. And eye the cable, too. Replacing a BOA type system where the lacing is external (shown here) takes some know how, but is certainly a DIY project.

This is an older and well loved Fischer Travers Carbon boot. The toe inserts, although slightly worn, still function properly.

• Check your tech inserts. The inserts should be secure and easily accept the binding’s toe pins when stepping into the toe piece, pulling the toe lever into the ski, and lock-out positions. Then, snap the boot heel into the binding heel unit. The binding pins should align and insert without excessive force—just a bit of force. 
• Lastly, and this relates to boots, if you use a pair of crampons in winter (you have a long while until spring), ensure they are sized for your go-to winter touring boots.

The basics: check all the binding retention screws for tightness. Hand tighten. But, don’t over tighten.

Look for any gaps where the binding interfaces with the ski’s top sheet. Any gap likely indicates the bindings retention screws have loosened.

Bindings

Elegant in their simplicity and complexity, tech bindings interface your boots and skis. In the best of times, the toe piece clicks into place with a crisp auditory “snap,” the heel unit rotates easily to engage a flat mode or high/low riser. Conversely, a wonky binding is fiddly and, even worse, a potential point of failure.

• The first step is to check for loose screws using the proper-sized Torx/Phillips screwdriver/ Pozidriv and tighten any loose fasteners. The idea is to tighten without over tightening. 
• Hold the ski to ensure there is no gap between the binding and the ski’s top sheet. If even a small gap exists, this is a sign the mount job may not be ideal or a binding mount screw is not set properly.  
• If a screw seems to be stripped, remove the binding unit (heel or toe) and inspect for any ski core water damage. We are examining to ensure the ski core retains its structural integrity in the binding mount zone. No one wants a toe/heel unit pulling out while on a tour. 
• Here’s our THR primer for removing a stripped screw. 
• In the event you determine there is water damage to the ski core once the screw(s) is removed, find a trusted shop to take a look and determine your next step. 
• Check to ensure the unit rotates properly and smoothly with just the right amount of resistance. (Here’s the THR primer on re-greasing an ATK heel unit.)
• Ensure the heel pins are set to the proper “heel gap,” essentially the gap between the boot heel (once pins are inserted) and the heel tower. Your binding likely came with a plastic shim to check/test and adjust to the proper heel gap. 
• This is also critical: if you de-tensioned the heel unit retention settings for the summer, it is time to adjust them back to their proper settings.

Skis

Skis can take more of a beating than you think. Many of us at THR have gently dried skied on descents or scurried across a short rock/dirt section to prevent removing skis while skinning or descending. And as far as topsheets go, as long as no obvious points are exposing the core to water/water damage, you should be good for the season even if your topsheet boasts last season’s colorway. Of course, you’ll want to inspect the base, sidewalls, and edges. 

• Let’s begin with the base. If the base appears whitish or dry, it is time for wax. 
• You have options: the 20-minute wax/tune or the go-deeper full immersion ski0-base-spa-treatment: the 60-minute wax/tune.
• But before waxing, check to see if deep base gouges need repairing. If you notice a ding ripe for repair, check out this repair tutorial. 
• Check the edges all around the ski. The edge should be securely affixed to the ski and show no signs of separation. Small dings here and there are ok—these are tools.
• Do the same for the sidewalls and topsheet. Essentially, like with the edges, we are looking for spots where water may penetrate the ski between the topsheet & core, edge & base, and edge & sidewall. No matter the friction coefficient of cured epoxy compared to a freshly waxed ski base, we are here to tell you that epoxy won’t slow you down or compromise your turns. This all might keep your planks out of the landfill a little longer.
• If you detect a spot that may need a fix, don’t despair. Again, ensure there’s no water damage, and find the slow-cure epoxy and clamps. Get to work. Of course, if the repair job seems too complex or the damage too severe, grab a scone at the bakery, head to the ski shop, hand treat to your go-to ski-tech, and call it good.

Hanging on by more than just a thread. Barely. Note the stitching securing the tail attachment to the skin—time for some reinforcement.

Skins      

Often neglected, but oh-so-critical: skins. There is no going higher without properly functioning skins unless, of course, it’s spring, the surface is firmed up, and you have crampons for the steeps. We’ve heard skins referred to as disposable. This is true to some extent; you’ll likely need to replace skins at some point (especially if they are used intensively in the spring when crusty/firm snow degrades the plush).

• Start with the plush. Look to see how worn the plush is. Plush degradation is often more pronounced under the binding zone (where you place more pressure on the ski/skin as you travel upwards) and along the edges of the binding mount zone (especially if you side-hilled a ton last spring). Only you can tell how the grip is, but if you slipped backward here and there last season, the skin tracks weren’t too steep, and your technique was proficient, new skins might be in order. 
• Inspect the plush for small tears. This could be a deal breaker, too. However, we’ve used a burly sewing needle and floss to fix tears. Thinner skins, like those in the Pomoca line, seem easier to sew/repair at home. A local outdoor gear repair service might assist if you have a more significant tear.
• Inspect the tip and tail attachment systems for integrity. Rivets should be sound, and plastic and metal pieces should have no cracks or potential failure points. If your tail attachment is stitched on (Pomoca) eye the stitching’s integrity—it may be time to find someone with an industrial sewing machine to reinforce the attachment points.  
• Ensure the skins are adjusted properly to the ski.       
• The Glue. Your skins should easily peel off the ski/board base without leaving glue and/or glue residue on the base. (Skins peel off a waxed ski base more easily.) If your skins are stored glued side to glide side, they should also peel apart semi-easily. If the skins are tough to peel off a ski, or apart, start thinking about cleaning and then re-gluing the skins.  
• Inspect the glue. The glue should appear somewhat smooth. It’s ok if a few pine needles are stuck on the glue—you can pick them off with a tweezer if that stresses you out.
• If the glue is not evenly distributed and the skins need a glue refresh, we have you covered. Check this tutorial out.   
• Iron in a thin layer of ski wax onto the plush. 
• To close this section out, several online or brick-and-mortar touring-specific stores carry skin glue, attachment system parts, and skins sold by the meter for a DIY skin build. 
• And yes, if the skin truly is spent, call it disposable. Purchase a new pair of skins. 

A simple and easy check—if you use two-part adjustable ski poles, ensure the clasp mechanism at the interface between the upper and lower shafts parts is adequately tightened. No one wants the shafts to slip in consequential terrain. This is also something to periodically check throughout the season.

Poles

Why not add poles to the pre-season gear checklist mix? There are only a few key items to inspect. Ensure the baskets are in good enough condition to make it through the season. If you have pole straps (or releasable ones), ensure they function, too. Lastly, if you use collapsible poles, ensure the clamp mechanism/quick lock secures the upper and lower pole sections. Place weight on the pole to ensure there’s no slippage between the two shaft sections. If you note slippage, adjust the quick lock appropriately.  

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