The snow is already falling in Tyrol, Austria, and with all that anticipation in the air, it’s the perfect time to prepare for the upcoming ski season!
So, last Tuesday, some of the Outdoor Chicks got together at SPURart in Innsbruck to wax our skis and boards and get them in top-notch condition for the start of the season. And, of course, to share a few glasses of wine while making plans for hopefully another incredible season.
When I arrived at the event, the workshop was brimming with excitement. I had brought my old snowboard with me, which had been a little neglected and in serious need of some TLC.
First stop: edges
The guys at the workshop kindly prepped the edges on everyone’s skis and boards – is a job best left to the professionals, mainly because of the potential health and safety risks (especially after a glass or two of wine).
The team were also there to help patch up any scratches, dents, or damage caused last season.
Next step: waxing my board
After the edges were done, I headed over to the iron and picked up a chunk of wax. Then stood there probably looking a little confused!
Although I hate to admit it, this was the first attempt (ever!) at waxing my own snowboard. Truth be told, I’m usually pretty lazy and opt for the hands-off approach, which basically means dropping my board or skis off somewhere so the experts can make them all shiny and new.
But since my collection of ski and snowboard equipment seems to be growing exponentially these days, I thought this year might be a good year to finally learn the process! As it turns out, it’s pretty easy.
And luckily, that evening I was in good company: among the experts at SPURart and some awesome ladies who were more than happy to offer some advice.
After receiving careful instructions, I used the iron to first drip wax in a zigzag pattern across the board and then to lovingly spread an even layer of wax across the entire surface, making sure to press a little harder closer to the edges.
Easy-peasy! Once that was done, it was time to wait.
In other words: time for more wine!
Final step: scraping and polishing
After the wax cooled, the last step was removing the hardened wax with a scraper. Also, pretty straightforward. And since the SPURart crew was there, they kindly used a big noisy machine to polish the base of my board to a nice even finish!
All done and ready for the mountains!
At the end of the evening, I bid farewell to my friends — new and old — and stumbled home, delighted with my first-ever successful attempt at waxing my snowboard. And buzzing in anticipation of my first day on the snow.
Are you ready for winter?
If you didn’t have the chance to attend the Wax and Wine event, you could always pick up a bottle of wine, invite a few friends over, and get the wax and iron out! It’s definitely a lot more fun when you’re hanging out with friends and planning your first ski tour of the season.
More about SPURart
Innsbruck-based SPURart specialise in custom hand-made skis and snowboards. The company was founded by Michael Freymann and Peter Pfeifer, who are both passionate about building high-tech ski and snowboard equipment using quality materials. Learn more about their products and workshop here.