Opening day always seems far away until suddenly the snow starts falling, the lifts are spinning, and everyone is digging their gear out of the garage. The last thing you want is to discover rusty edges, binding issues, or those same uncomfortable boots you promised yourself you'd deal with last spring!

A little prep now means more time enjoying that first day back. That’s why we are here to give you the ultimate opening-day checklist to dial in your skis or snowboard and get you ready for the season.

1. Check Your Setup

The first step on your opening-day checklist is to take your skis or snowboard out of storage and check their condition. Even if you put everything away properly last spring, a few things may need attention before hitting the mountain. 
Look for:

• Storage wax - If you left wax on your bases for summer protection, scrape it off and buff before riding.
• Rusty edges - A summer in the garage can leave some rust behind. A base grind and edge sharpening can clean things up.
• Base damage - Check for gouges, scratches, and core shots that should be repaired before your first day.
• Bindings - Make sure everything looks secure and properly adjusted.
  

Not sure what you're looking at? Bring your gear to us at Ski West, and one of our experienced technicians can take a look and recommend the service it needs!  

2. Get Your Skis or Snowboard Tuned

A proper tune can make that first day back feel a whole lot better. At Ski West, we offer ski and snowboard tuning at all three of our locations, so you can get your equipment ready before opening-day excitement kicks into full gear. 

If your gear had a rough season, a full tune can fix gouges or core shots, smooth out the base, sharpen the edges, and finish with a fresh wax. If everything still looks pretty good, a lighter tune may be all you need to get ready for your first day back.

Get Ready at the Ski West Tune Shop

Starting November 1, the Ski West Tune Shop inside Bike Shop Northwest opens for the season and is ready to help get your skis and snowboards back on snow.

Bring in the setup that's been sitting all summer and let our team take care of the edges, bases, wax, and repairs before the season gets busy. Whether you need a quick refresh or a full tune, it's an easy way to get your gear mountain-ready while everyone else is still searching the garage for their gloves! 

3. Check Your Bindings

New boots can change more than how your feet feel. If you've replaced your ski boots since you last used your setup, make sure your bindings are properly adjusted to fit them before you arrive at the hill. 

Checking your bindings should always be part of your opening day checklist. Have an experienced technician inspect and adjust them, especially if you’ve bought new boots since you last used your setup.  

For snowboarders, binding compatibility, flex, and positioning also matter. Check out our Nidecker Snowboard Gear Guide for more tips on matching your board, bindings, and boots for a comfortable, responsive ride. 

4. Deal With Those Uncomfortable Boots

If your boots were ruining otherwise great ski days last season, don't sign yourself up for another winter of the same thing! 

The tech team at Ski West has been punching, grinding, and customizing ski boots for more than 50 years. Our expert boot fitters can assess your current boots and determine whether a few modifications can improve the fit or if it’s time for something new.

Sometimes you may simply need a different liner. Our team can also help you look at aftermarket options such as Intuition or ZipFit liners to improve the fit and feel of your current boots. 

5. A Few Final Checks 

Before heading to the mountain, give your setup one final look. A few common issues are easy to take care of before opening day:

• Rusty edges? A base grind and edge sharpening can clean them up after a summer in storage.
• Base damage? A full tune can include filling gouges or core shots, a base grind, edge sharpening, and fresh wax.
• Not sure what your gear needs? Bring it to us at Ski West, and one of our experienced technicians can take a look and recommend the right service.
  

Once your gear is tuned, bindings are checked, and boots are comfortable, you’re ready for the fun part. If your setup needs an upgrade, check out our selection of skis and snowboard equipment and get everything dialled in before the lifts start spinning.

We’re here to make sure you enjoy that first run back!