ski storage question

**srsosbso** · 10-29-2012, 08:23 PM

I'm in the midst of a huge and wildly overdue reorganization of the house and garage. I have two options for ski storage- either in the basement (heated) or in the detached garage (unheated.) Any virtues of one or the other with respect to ski/binding longevity? (You'd think a person would know this by my age, but I really have no idea.) I think I'm going to just store them horizontally on those vinyl coated ladder hooks.

**huhh** · 10-29-2012, 10:27 PM

Heated basement.

**Max Archer** · 10-30-2012, 12:39 AM

Actually, since this is here, might as well ask my own version. Living room or unheated locked outdoor porch closet? I think I can guess the answer. GF would be a lot happier if they weren't inside the apartment, though.

**bfree** · 10-30-2012, 01:57 AM

Meh, I doubt it makes much of a difference. I'd pick the basement, but because of humidity not temperature (directly anyway).

**dark_star** · 10-30-2012, 05:55 AM

Originally Posted by Max Archer

Actually, since this is here, might as well ask my own version. Living room or unheated locked outdoor porch closet? I think I can guess the answer. GF would be a lot happier if they weren't inside the apartment, though.

This one's obvious: skis go inside, girlfriend in the garage. Done.

**~mikey b** · 10-30-2012, 06:51 AM

My wife does not like skis or my girlfriend in the house.

**AlpiNord** · 10-30-2012, 07:07 AM

If you are going to be waxing or repairing bases on a regular basis, warmer skis are better than cold ones. Keeping them convenient in at least moderate temps would save time and make for a better job. The Kootenays warm might be a Sacramento cold.......

A few other ski storage ideas from the past:

---Quote---
I place the skis in hermetically sealed box, located in a cool, dark place, and line the base with JC Penny white sale pillows of different thicknesses to match the ski camber. Connected to a PV cell and battery will be an iPod and small speakers to continually play soothing music. Once a month, I'll open the lid, rotate the skis, massage them with a soft nylon brush, then tickle them with a soft horsehair one, while talking about how special our next excursion together will be. Before sealing it up again, I'll replace the flower pedals with fresh ones of the season.
---End Quote---
And:

---Quote---
The most important thing about storing your boards is to tell them you love them from time to time, stroking them and remind them that the next winter is coming. It all comes back when they first touch snow again.
Then, when winter is apporaching, in August or so (you have to start early), put the board into your living room, or even better, into your bedroom (If you stored them somewhere else in the first place!) They like that and will appreciate it in an appropriate way once on the snow.
---End Quote---
Other options:

---Quote---
I built a hover bed for my skis. Several electric fans provide a cushion of air for the skis to float on, providing as perfect a pressure distribution as possible.

I'm a bit worried because the weight of the bindings might alter the flex, so I'm thinking about removing the bindings when not skiing.

Another option is to have the skis put into orbit around Earth during the off season. While a tad bit more expensive, the payoffs might be worth it. Unless, of course, they collide with a asteroid.
---End Quote---

**skimaxpower** · 10-30-2012, 09:13 AM

Stored horizontally on ladder hooks is tried and true. Temperature control is not particularly important, but humidity control is.
Basement/garage is good if you have space to build a ski workbench. It's nice to have your skis next to your ski tools - you'll be more likely to give them proper maintenance. Proximity to the car is nice for early-morning loading up.
Storing your skis in the living room makes you look like a dumbass in summer.

**pfluffenmeister** · 10-30-2012, 10:21 AM

Originally Posted by Alpinord

If you are going to be waxing or repairing bases on a regular basis, warmer skis are better than cold ones. Keeping them convenient in at least moderate temps would save time and make for a better job. The Kootenays warm might be a Sacramento cold.......

A few other ski storage ideas from the past:

---Quote---
I place the skis in hermetically sealed box, located in a cool, dark place, and line the base with JC Penny white sale pillows of different thicknesses to match the ski camber. Connected to a PV cell and battery will be an iPod and small speakers to continually play soothing music. Once a month, I'll open the lid, rotate the skis, massage them with a soft nylon brush, then tickle them with a soft horsehair one, while talking about how special our next excursion together will be. Before sealing it up again, I'll replace the flower pedals with fresh ones of the season.
---End Quote---
And:

---Quote---
The most important thing about storing your boards is to tell them you love them from time to time, stroking them and remind them that the next winter is coming. It all comes back when they first touch snow again.
Then, when winter is apporaching, in August or so (you have to start early), put the board into your living room, or even better, into your bedroom (If you stored them somewhere else in the first place!) They like that and will appreciate it in an appropriate way once on the snow.
---End Quote---
Other options:

---Quote---
I built a hover bed for my skis. Several electric fans provide a cushion of air for the skis to float on, providing as perfect a pressure distribution as possible.

I'm a bit worried because the weight of the bindings might alter the flex, so I'm thinking about removing the bindings when not skiing.

Another option is to have the skis put into orbit around Earth during the off season. While a tad bit more expensive, the payoffs might be worth it. Unless, of course, they collide with a asteroid.
---End Quote---

these people clearly have their priorities in order.

**El Chupacabra** · 10-30-2012, 10:21 AM

I'm going to build a larger version of my last ski storage rack (ran out of space):

2x4 in a "U" shape, screwed to the ceiling studs in the garage -- make it as wide as necessary for as many skis you need to store up there.

Simple, cheap, out of the way, easy to access whenever needed.

**old goat** · 10-30-2012, 10:49 AM

By storage I assume you mean in the off season. I assume that since you live in the mountains summer humidity is relatively low so rust in the garage shouldn't be a problem, but if other stuff in your garage tends to rust then keep them indoors. Winter--doesn't mater, whatever is most convenient.

**XXX-er** · 10-30-2012, 10:51 AM

Wherever you can get them under cover, I built a nice rack that stores skis currently in rotation verticaly in the coat closet but that is just 3 or 4 pair, I got some in the living room, some in the bedroom closet along with all kinds of gear form road bikes to paddles

I can either work to buy a bigger house with a garage more storage more room for more shit I don't really need or live with my gear hanging everywhere in a smaller house and do what ever I want when I want

**Alaskan Rover** · 10-30-2012, 03:10 PM

I keep them in various places where I can fit them. Growing up, though, my dad put more thought into stowing them. He built racks on the ceiling of the garage, and stuffed the skis on the racks upside down with boots already into the bindings. With the boots in the bindings, you used the boot as a handle to lever the ski into the upside-down ceiling rack. Because the boots were upside down with boots attached, this might or might not have helped sustain the camber while stowed during off season. We always had them freshly tuned and waxed before putting them up...ready to go for next season.

But he was an engineer, and he thought like that. Me....I throw them in the closet and have to remember that I put a bunch of dings and scratches on the base from the spring, and have to rush to P-Tex them before the next day's trip!!! And then have to remember where I put the boots and skins, etc.

--

sb · 10-30-2012, 03:22 PM

You can store them at my house, whats your BSL again?

**RShea** · 10-30-2012, 03:43 PM

The drier of the 2 places- if one is higher humidity, then avoid that. Temperature will not make a bunch of difference unless they are both really wet areas.

**Max Archer** · 10-30-2012, 04:28 PM

Originally Posted by RShea

The drier of the 2 places- if one is higher humidity, then avoid that. Temperature will not make a bunch of difference unless they are both really wet areas.

That's kind of why I was wondering about my situation here in Sac. It's not cold here, but it definitely can get pretty wet. Hopefully it DOES get pretty wet here all winter since that'll mean pow up the hill.

**Snowy Spartan** · 10-30-2012, 04:40 PM

Maybe this is a Jong question. Everyone around here is saying horizontal. Is there anything wrong with vertical?

**srsosbso** · 10-30-2012, 05:25 PM

As usual, fantastic input and great humour from the TGR forums. Love it here. Thanks guys.
I can answer the last question, there is absolutely no problem with vertical storage. Horizontal just uses space better for a lot of people, and is maybe easier to build.

**XXX-er** · 10-30-2012, 05:44 PM

Another good place to put skis is inbetween the floor joists if you can get at them from the basement

I got tired of skis standing up against walls in the house so ripped the insides out of my entrance closet and put in a vertical pair of 2x4 to hold 4 pair of skis at the top & bottom so it can even hold the tele boards that don't have brakes to hold the ski together

Hanging them verticaly there was a whole lot of closet left so I was able to build shelves to put boots and gear

**old goat** · 10-31-2012, 06:06 PM

Originally Posted by Max Archer

That's kind of why I was wondering about my situation here in Sac. It's not cold here, but it definitely can get pretty wet. Hopefully it DOES get pretty wet here all winter since that'll mean pow up the hill.

I had a lot of rust problems with my tools in the garage in Sac in the winter, not in the summer. In the winter hopefully they're getting used enough that it's not an issue. Driving up and down from Sac the big issue is salt from the road--I assume you know not to travel with the skis in an open rack (or was them off when you get them home.) Frankly, the only problems I've ever had with storing skis anywhere is a little rust on the edges, which comes off with the first tune of the season. They are intended to be used in the cold and the wet, after all.

**Max Archer** · 10-31-2012, 09:48 PM

Originally Posted by old goat

I had a lot of rust problems with my tools in the garage in Sac in the winter, not in the summer. In the winter hopefully they're getting used enough that it's not an issue. Driving up and down from Sac the big issue is salt from the road--I assume you know not to travel with the skis in an open rack (or was them off when you get them home.) Frankly, the only problems I've ever had with storing skis anywhere is a little rust on the edges, which comes off with the first tune of the season. They are intended to be used in the cold and the wet, after all.

Fortunately the road salt isn't an issue, I transport my skis inside my car. (In a ski bag so they don't trash the interior.)

**Al_Rouse** · 11-01-2012, 12:22 AM

Originally Posted by srsosbso

I'm in the midst of a huge and wildly overdue reorganization of the house and garage. I have two options for ski storage- either in the basement (heated) or in the detached garage (unheated.) Any virtues of one or the other with respect to ski/binding longevity?

How hot does your garage get in summer and how big are the diurnal temperature swings?
Basement is probably quite stable temperature wise.

**srsosbso** · 11-01-2012, 12:42 AM

Hmmm, good question. Yeah, the basement it definitely more stable temp wise, probably min of 55 F on a cold winters day (the storage space has furnace ducting but we mostly heat with the woodstove upstairs, so its a bit cool in there) and max maybe 80 in the summer, on the hottest days. The garage, of course, is pretty much ambient temp as its detached, so it probably is over 90 on the hottest summer days and of course 20 below Celcius on the coldest winter nights. So yes, way more extreme in the garage. Diurnal? Not sure. I guess thats what i was wondering, does that lead to any sort of detioration for equipment over time.
Sorry for mixing C and F temps. I grew up in the wrong decades. Somehow i still think F in summer and C in winter.

**cinnepa** · 03-29-2013, 08:20 AM

so if temperature seems not to be a problem from some comments above, then my attic in the summer should be ok? skis will be stored in ski travel bags, attic gets to 100 degrees i'd say in the summer, sometimes a bit more. basement is cooler but too much humidity/dampness - the dehumidifier gets emptied everyday basically.