basic maintainence

A major factor around the quality of any snowboard ride is the quality of the snowboard. Even great snowboards need to be maintained to remain great. Some basic maintenance can be done at home; other tasks are best done at your favorite snowboard shop.

Snowboards need to have sharp edges and smooth, even surfaces. If your board has any deep scratches or gouges, it's a good idea to let the professionals repair it. Snowboards also need to be flat. If your edges are rounded or the middle looks indented it needs to be fixed. It's a tough home repair because it's easy to make it uneven. Take it to the shop. There is basic maintenance you can do, but whether you choose to send it out or do it yourself you need to keep your snowboard clean, waxed and repaired.

1. Cleaning the base - Use a cloth to wipe off the surface dirt then apply a special snowboard base cleaner. It will dissolve the wax and dirt. You need to let the base cleaner dry for about 15 or 20 minutes, then wipe dry.

2. Minor snowboard base repair - If you have any small chips you can fix them with a P-Tex candle. Light a P-Tex candle and drip a couple drops drip into the chip. After it cools down, use a scraper to smooth out the surface. (Send the major gouges and chips into the shop.)

3. Waxing snowboards - All boards need to be waxed, both new and old. You can send it in or do it yourself. Use an old iron to melt wax onto the surface of the snowboard. Then use the iron to spread the wax evenly. If the wax starts smoking, your iron is too hot. Once the wax cools, use a plastic scraper to scrape off the excess wax. Use a scotch pad to polish the board.