Snowboard Tuning, How to wax and take care of your board from Home

Disclosure: When you buy something through the Affiliate product links I have created below, I earn a small commission. I only promote products and companies I support as well as believe in.

It’s that time of year where the lifts are spinning at your local ski resort, new gear is hitting the stores, and you might be looking to tune that snowboard that has been sitting in the garage all summer long. There’s actually a lot you can do from home to keep your board riding smoothly on snow. It’s nice to have these skills so that you know how to take care of your gear! Also, if you ever want to work in a tune shop, knowing how to wax and do minor upkeep on a snowboard is a good start.

Like a car, a snowboard needs routine maintenance to give you the best experience possible on the mountain or hill and can make all the difference when riding two feet of powder or spring slush. In this post I’ll be covering the different steps of Waxing and Tuning your snowboard, what you need, tune tips/terms, and the importance of taking care of your gear! Alright lets gooooo.

Why do I need to Wax my board

The main reason is snow temps change through out the season and in order for your board to glide across the snow properly you need to maintain the base with the proper wax. Also, your base has pores and over time, snow will dry the base out. Therefore in order to maintain speed it’s important to wax your board. Just like a car, home, or bike, upkeep is important to keep your equipment in great shape and give you the best experience possible!

Although this blog post is about waxing your board from home, I would highly recommend still taking it to a great tune shop in your local area from time to time. The best tune shops have really good equipment and knowledgeable staff with years of experience. They’ll also be able to fix any repairs that you can’t do on your own.

How Often Should I tune my board

It all depends on how often you ride and how much abuse your snowboard takes! You can also look at the base and see if it looks dry or has scrapes and scratches throughout the base. I would say on average if you are riding 2-3 days per week once every couple weeks should be just fine. If you are looking to ride the terrain park it would be a good idea to wax your board once a week to make sure you have the right amount of speed for jumps as well as rails.

Where should I wax my board from home

Ideally a garage or tool shed are the best places to wax a board, especially if there is a work bench of some kind. This will make it a lot easier when working on your board, mainly when your scraping wax off the base. Put on some music, hang out with your friends, or grab a drink and have fun. Also if you can find someone whose worked in a tune shop or has extensive experience with waxing snowboards, it will be very helpful so you don’t get into bad habits.

What are some terms to know

Base- The bottom of a snowboard or skis

Wax Iron- This is the tool you use to melt wax into your base

Scraper- What you use to scrape the wax off your board

Brush- After your done scraping, you’ll use a brush to smooth out the base

Wax- The material used to melt into your base

Temperature ratings- Wax has a snow temp range to follow, the most common being an all temp wax. You’ll also use a spring wax for warm temperatures and a cold wax for those ice cold days.

Core Shot- When you hit a rock or something sharp that digs through your base to the wood core.

Tuning Vises- What you put the board on to wax it

Edge- The metal part attached to your base. Allows you to be stable and turn on snow.

Edge Tuner- A tool used to hand sharpen your edges

Gummy stone- What smooths the rough parts of your metal edges. Somewhat soft.

Burrs- Rough areas on your edges caused from use

Diamond Stone- Used to also smooth out yours edges and contact points so that the edge doesn’t catch on the snow when riding.

Base Grind- Running your board through a machine to smooth it out

P-Tex-Used to repair your base if you have a core shot or ding in the base. Never use this material on the top sheet.

Epoxy- A glue like material used to fix top sheet damage

Contact Points- The metal part of the edge that touches the snow

Detune- Smoothing out sharp parts on the edges of your snowboard or skis

Sintered Base- faster, more durable, more porous, holds more wax

Extruded Base- holds less wax, requires less maintenance, and are slower

What supplies do I need

The tuning supplies you’ll need can be found at your local snowboard or ski shop and online at places like Burton.com

1. Wax

2. Waxing Iron

3. P-tex

4. Wax Brush

5. Lighter

6. Scraper

7. Edge Sharpener

8. Gummy Stone

9. Ceramic Stone

10. Apron

11. Tuning Vises

Step 1

The very first thing I like to do is to take the bindings off. You don’t want to wax your board with the bindings on because the heat from the iron could damage them. Put them off to the side and then make sure to wipe the base down with water. or base cleaner. It’s important not to wax the base when there’s dirt, debris, or hair because that can melt into the base and effect speed and maneuverability on the mountain.

Another thing to keep in mind is if you have black marks on the bottom from riding rails, the BEST way to get ride of this is to either scrape it off with a wax scrapper or melt warm temp wax over the marks and then scrape off right away.

Step 2

Next you’ll want fix and minor dings, gashes, or core shots in the base of the board. To do this you’ll need a lighter and a stick of PTEX. Ptex is essentially a type of plastic. It is available in clear and black. Personally I like the black color because if the clear gets too hot it will burn and leave a brownish color. AVOID having Ptex drip on your hand. It will be very painful.

You’ll light the end of the stick with a lighter, rolling the stick with your fingers as you get the stick to stay lit. Once lit, keep the flame low with the flame color blue. This means the ptex will be very hot when going into the damaged base, which means it will hold into the base better. Evenly drip the heated Ptex over the damaged area. AVOID getting the flame too large, causing the Ptex to get smoky. Once filled in, wait for the repair to dry. It will be ready to scrape after about ten minutes.

Use your wax scraper to scrap off the Ptex until smooth. If the repair isn’t completely filled in with Ptex, repeat the above steps until the base is nice and smooth.

Step 3

Choose the wax based on what the temperature will be for the next week. Most of the time you’ll use an all temp wax that has a range of 10-40 degrees fahrenheight (-12 to 4 degrees celsius). Since the edges of your base take the most abuse when riding on snow a good trick is to use a harder wax (colder wax) on the edge part of your base.

Check the packaging of your wax to see what temp the iron needs to be at and start to drip the wax evenly over the base by sticking the wax bar on the iron. Make sure that iron doesn’t start smoking! as this indicates that the temperature on the iron is too high.

You won’t need to drip wax on the nose or tail, as they don’t touch the snow very often. If you like to do presses and butters then wax these parts of the board, otherwise save time and wax. Try to cover most of the base with wax so you don’t leave any dry spots on the base.

Step 4

Next you’ll want to press the wax into the board. A lot of people think you should go over the base in a circular motion with the wax, but this is actually what you should avoid doing. The reason being is when you wax your board like this, it goes from hot to cold all over the board and can also leave scratches in the base. You want to wax the board how you ride it, which is tip to tail.

What you want to do is press the wax into the board from tip to tail, pulling the iron down in a straight line and then pushing it back up the same line. When you pull the iron towards you put pressure on the nose of the iron. When you push the iron away from you, put pressure on the heal of the iron.

This will really allow the base to absorb as much wax as possible. Pro tip-if you feel the top sheet is luke warm, then you know the wax has been absorbed into the base. Create even lines across the base until it’s covered. Wait until the board is cool to touch for scraping.

Step 5

Now that the board is cool, it’s time to scrape the wax off your board. One thing to note is that your scraper will dull over time. Another pro-tip is to use a fine or ultra fine grade piece of sandpaper to sharpen the scraper.

When first scraping, you’ll want to push the wax away from you (see photo below), while keeping the scraper even with the base. It also helps to flex the scraper as you push wax off the board.

You’ll want to scrape the board how you ride it, tip to tail. Another pro tip is to scrape the top area of the board before scraping tip to tail. This way when you scrape tip to tail, you can do it more evenly without the scraper leaving the board too much. Overall, it helps prevent damage to the base. Make sure to scrape as much wax off as you can before using a brush.

Step 6

Now that you’ve scraped as much wax as you can off, you’ll want to take a brush and smooth the base out, getting rid off any uneven spots that you missed with the scraper. Again brush tip to tail, just how the board is meant to be ridden. Try to make sure there’s no access wax left on the board as this will slow you down on the mountain.

Step 7

The last thing I like to do, is sharpen the edges. Machines will do a much better job with this at your local tune shop, however you can use a hand tool that allows you to make your edges nice and sharp. Swix makes a good one.

Follow the arrows on the tool and use the 1 degree option. Snowboards typically come out of the factory at 1 and 1. Which means 1 degree off from 90 degrees for the base and side edge, so 89 and 89. Make sure to start with the Base edge FIRST and then sharpen the side edge. You should feel the tool catch the edge while smoothing it out. Do this a number of times until the edge is nice and sharp. If you are using the tool incorrectly on the edge, you will be able to hear a weird noise.

Step 8

Next you will want to smooth out the edges and detune your contact points. The contact points will be near the tip and tail and are the part of the edge always in contact with the snow. You want these to be smooth and not sharp, so that they don’t catch on the snow.

A diamond stone will work best for smoothing out contact points. But if you only have a gummy stone, that will work too. Use a gummy stone for the rest of the board, to smooth out your entire edge.

Step 9

Now that the board is waxed and tuned up, put your bindings back on and set up a stance that is comfortable to you. You’re bindings will have different angles on them. I would mess around with those until you find something that works. For stance width, ideally you want something a little bit wider then shoulder width. Each snowboard will have reference points and how much the width is from those reference points.

It’s also a good idea to periodically check binding screws, buckles, straps, and highbacks to make sure everything is dialed. The last thing you want is to have your binding’s malfunction while on a snowboard trip.

Step 10

Lastly, go out and ride your board! Whether your riding solo or with friends remember to keep it fun

A hot wax will typically last you 4-7 days on snow. Warmer temps will take the wax out of your base a lot quicker. Other then that, tuning your own equipment can save you money over the long run and is a great way to understand how to maintain it.

Thanks for reading the blog! If you liked this post, subscribe to our email list for information on the latest outdoor content. Looking for snowboard trip ideas? Check out our post on Jackson Hole Ski Resort. See you on the next post!

Top 11 Best Things to do In Twin Lakes Colorado

Disclosure: When you buy something through the Affiliate product links I have created below, I earn a small commission. I only promote products and companies I support as well as believe in.

It’s no secret that Colorado has some of the best camping and outdoor recreation, with numerous places to explore all over the state. A favorite that is a great spot to spend a day or weekend is Twin Lakes! In between Leadville and Aspen, the actual town is pretty small to say the least with a few lodging options, one restaurant, a food cart, and a general store. You’ll probably even see backpackers rolling through town that have been hiking the Colorado Trail.

Even though there isn’t much of a town, Twin Lakes still has a lot to offer and is a fun place to spend a weekend or even just a day in the Spring, Summer, and Fall. In this post I’ll be going over how to get to Twin Lakes, where to stay, what to do, and things to know before visiting this unique spot. Alright lets goooo.

Where is Twin Lakes

Twin Lakes is a very small town between Leadville and Aspen in the beautiful state of Colorado . In the summer when Independence Pass is open, you’re likely to drive through it on your way to Aspen or to the top of Independence Pass. Below I’ve listed times and distances from major areas in Colorado.

Denver- 2 hours and 15 min/117.5 miles/189 km

Summit County- 1 hour and 15 min/55.5 miles/89 km

Leadville- 27 min/22 miles/35.5 km

Aspen- 1 hour and 15 min/39 miles/63 km

Vail- 1 hour and 8 min/60 miles/95.5 km

Best time to visit

Twin Lakes is more of a summer destination place, so the best months for outdoor recreation here would be late May to early October. Campgrounds stop taking reservations around Labor Day through the end of September, however there is still BLM (dispersed) campsites around the lake or close by. Weekends will as expected be busier and campgrounds fill up quickly. Make sure to book reservations months in advance.

What to Pack

1. Sunscreen- If you’re outside in Colorado, especially at a higher elevation it’s important to protect your skin. I like Sun Bum, based out of California, because it is none greasy.

2. Sunglasses- Again, the sun will be more intense at a higher elevation so it’s important to have these on a hike or on the lake. Dragon is a favorite brand of mine for shades. They even make sunglasses that float in the water in case they fall off your face.

3. Teva Sandals- If you’re spending time on the lake, a pair of Teva’s are clutch. These sandals are also nice when you are just hanging out at the campsite.

4. Hiking Footwear- Avoid tennis shoes when hiking trails. Anything with good traction and support is what you’ll need. I recommend Merrell because they have many different styles and their soles are Vibram. Also make sure to pack socks that are not Cotton! I highly recommend Smart Wool because they will keep your feet dry and comfortable all day.

5. Rain Jacket- If there is one thing you shouldn’t forget in Colorado, it’s a rain jacket. You’ll want something that not only is waterproof, but also breathable. If you want to go the extra mile buy a jacket with Gore-Tex. There’s a lot of great brands out there however I like Burton rain jackets because they are packable and keep me dry on the trail.

6. Lightweight warm Jacket- Weather in the mountains can change quickly no matter what the weather channel calls for. Always bring a warm jacket. Down jackets are great for hiking because they are packable, lightweight, yet still really warm. I recommend the Baker Down because it packs into it’s left pocket and is great for when you’re doing longer hikes.

7. Headlamp- If you are camping, this is needed. I personally like Black Diamond. They will sell these at any outdoor store.

What to know ahead of time

• Due to weather, it’s not always safe to get on the lake. Keep this in mind if you’re interested in renting a kayak, canoe, or stand up paddle board for the day.

• Campsites book quickly, especially weekends. Make sure to book months in advance. You can make a reservation for campsite on recreation.gov.

• If you’re not into camping, there is lodging in town, however this needs to be booked ahead of time as well because options are limited!

• Download AllTrails for reviews, interactive maps, and trail information to navigate trails more easily.

• If you need to get food or supplies, do this in Leadville as there is only one small general store in town.

• If you need firewood, Campgrounds and the Twin Lakes General store both sell firewood, however it is more expensive and on days where it is really windy, they might not sell it. Point being, purchase firewood ahead of time if possible.

• Which brings me to my next point. There are times where Colorado summers are extremely dry and with those conditions come fire bans. There’s a chance you might not be able to have a campfire depending on fire danger.

Summer Activities at or near Twin Lakes

1. Hike the Interlaken Trail- This trail is great if you’re looking to do something different from most other Colorado hiking trails. The trail is right on Twin Lakes and will take you to a Historic group of buildings and a home. The buildings were once a place for the wealthier class to vacation at in the late 1800’s. Purchased by Millionaire James Dexter who built the home and had hopes of turning the area into a destination resort, eventually passed away, and with it the resort.

The trail is a little over four and a half miles out and back with 213 feet of elevation gain, perfect for families or people looking for an easier hike. The best time to hike this trail is late spring (May) through Early Fall (October). To get to the parking lot I would recommend AWD or having a vehicle with good tires as the road is somewhat rocky. For more details on this hike, I wrote a detailed blog post that you can find here.

2. Rent a kayak, Canoe or Stand up Paddle board- If the weather is good, a pretty fun thing to do for the day is to rent a kayak, canoe or stand up paddleboard. In town there is Twin Lakes Canoe and Kayak Adventures (also known as Johnny Canoe). There is also a second location right on the lake that is walkable from the White Star Campground. There will be parking close to Johnny Canoe that is paid. If you have a campsite, parking will be free. Just leave your parking pass on the dash.

A life jacket will be provided and I recommend bringing a dry bag to pack your lunch, a jacket, car keys, or even a camera. Hang out on the lake or paddle through the channel to Interlaken. It takes about 45 minutes to an hour one way to Interlaken. Rentals are offered in 2 hour and 4 hour increments.

3. Take a Scenic Drive to the top of Independence Pass- 17 miles west of Twin Lakes is the top of the Continental Divide where Independence Pass is. The drive alone is incredible, especially in the evening! It’s a perfect place to catch a sunset. There are no guardrails and the road itself has a number of switchbacks, so make sure to be careful and drive slowly!

Once you get to the top you will be at 12,095 feet so make sure to bring warm clothing and a rain jacket with you! Parking shouldn’t be an issue as there is a parking lot as well as restrooms at the top. Once you’ve parked, there will be a short paved path you can walk on that ends up overlooking the Sawatch Mountain Range. Peaks such as Ouray Peak, Star Mountain, and La Plata Peak can be see off in the distance.

What is the Continental Divide

The Divide is the topographic line that separates the drainages to either the Pacific Ocean or the Atlantic Ocean. This line runs down the Rocky Mountains between Alaska and Mexico. Your probably wondering “what does this have to do with Independence Pass?'“ Well Independence Pass is the highest paved road in North America that intersects with the Continental Divide.

The earliest recordings of travel over the pass were in 1879, when miners found gold near the pass. If you keep driving towards Aspen you will be able to see a small historic mining town on your left. These abandoned mines can be seen scattered through out your drive over the pass. Eventually the pass became abandoned when mining ran its course. The road was resurrected in 1920 and realigned to what it is today.

If you’re looking for a hike on Independence Pass, you can hike the Ridge Line. You’ll notice a dirt trail on the right side as you starting walking up the paved path. This trail is a 4.7 mile out and back hike that has 1,200 feet of Elevation gain that overlooks both sides of the pass with 360 degree views of the Rocky Mountains! I would recommend either doing this hike in the morning or during the day because it takes 2-3 hours to complete. The hike itself is moderate and the trail was pretty smooth the whole way up (Colorado hiking trails typically have a lot of rocks that you have to step over when hiking).

4. Hike the Bartlett Gulch Loop Trail- This trail is great for those looking for something that overlooks the lake and surrounding mountains, but isn’t too difficult or long. You can park at the South Mount Elbert Trail and start byhiking on the 4X4 road. This road will go through Aspen trees, taking you to the top of where the parking is for the start of the South East Mount Elbert Trail. Having All Trails will be beneficial for this hike so that you can see where to turn and Loop back around to the parking lot.

Near the Elbert Parking lot at the top you will see a sign on the left that says Colorado Trail NO 1776, South Elbert TRHD 2 1/2, Take a left here and you will walk through forests with views overlooking Twin Lakes. My favorite time to do this hike is in the late afternoon to evening to catch the Golden Hour as you head back to your car. The Trail is 3.9 miles with 859 feet of elevation gain. Dogs are allowed, but required to be on leash. If you don’t want to hike on the Service road you can do an out and back starting at the trailhead instead of the service road.

5. Wake up early and Hike Mt Elbert- One of the more challenging hikes I’ve done, yet most rewarding, Elbert is the second tallest Peak in the Lower 48 and tallest 14er in Colorado. If you’re unfamiliar with a 14er, it is a mountain peak greater then 14,000 feet. It’s no walk in the park, but Elbert has a well maintained trail that makes it easier to reach the Peak.

There’s 3 different routes, but one of the more scenic routes is the East Ridge Trail. You’ll want to arrive as early as possible, especially on weekends. The earlier the better because you want to reach the summit before potential thunderstorms roll in. In Colorado, Summer afternoons can be notorious for rain showers and storms.There is a small parking lot at the Trailhead and if you have high clearance with AWD, you can drive up the service road to save time and park at the actual start of Mt Elbert.

The trail is a 14.7 mile loop with 4,895 elevation gain and you can read the full detailed guide here. This hike has a lot of variety, starting out right next to the lake then through Aspens and then eventually above tree line with vast 360 degree views of the Sawatch mountain range. Make sure to pack enough water, use sunscreen, and bring warmer clothing as well as a rain jacket.

6. Eat Lunch or Dinner at the Twin Lakes Inn and Saloon- Open for dinner starting at 4pm 6 days a week, Fridays/Saturdays for lunch, and Sundays for Brunch this restaurant is one of the best I’ve been to in Colorado. It’s pretty old fashion on the inside and the property itself has been there since 1879! It even use to be a stagecoach stop and even a brothel.

Although the menu isn’t extensive there’s a lot of creative flavors and great options for apps, salads, entrees and desert. A must stop if you are in Twin Lakes, just make sure to book a reservation ahead of time!

7. Go Camping- There’s plenty of camp spots in the area. If you’re looking for dispersed camping with no facilities there will be sites near the South Mount Elbert Trailhead as well as along the service road near the trailhead. Just make sure to have a high clearance vehicle with AWD if you plan on camping off of the service road. There’s also dispersered camping on the other side of the lake near the Interlaken trailhead. Just make sure to pick up your trash and to pack out what you packed in. Please note there is wildlife in the area so don’t leave any food or trash out unattended.

If you’re looking for campsites with facilities you’ll want to book through recreation.gov asap. Sites will fill up quickly on the weekends in the summer, certain ones being first come first serve. The three main campgrounds near the lake are Whitestar, Dexter, and Lakeview with White Star and Dexter being right on the lake. Campgrounds will provide restrooms, a picnic table, water, and fire pit. If you forgot firewood, chances are the campground ranger will have a stack for sale.

Dispersed Camping (free)

Coordinates: 39.0992854, -106.3673805

Paid Campsites: White Star Campground and Dexter Point will both be right on the lake which eliminates having to drive down to the lake and pay $7 for parking.

• Dexter Point

  • First Come First Served

  • Bathrooms and picnic tables on site, no water available (make sure to bring your own)

  • Check-In: 2pm/Check-Out: 12pm

  • Open Late May/Early June-Tuesday after Labor Day

  • 8 people max, Two Tents/Cars max

  • $20/night, payable by check or cash

  • tent camping, camping trailers

• White Star

  • Reservations can be made at www.recreation.gov, up to four days in advance

  • Bathrooms, Fire Rings w/ grates, picnic tables and water available

  • Check-In: 2pm/Check-Out: 12 pm

  • Open Late-May/Early June-End of September

  • 8 people max, two tents/cars max

  • $24/night for Sage Loop, $23/night for Ridge and Valley Loop, payable by check or cash

  • Tent camping, camping trailers

• Lakeview

  • Reservations can be made at www.recreation.gov, up to five days in advance

  • Bathrooms, water, and picnic tables available

  • Check-In: 2pm/Check-Out: 12 pm

  • Open Late May/Early June-Tuesday after Labor Day

  • 8 people max, two tents/cars max

  • $24/night, payable by check or cash

  • Tent Camping, Camping trailers

8. Stop by the Visitor Center and check out the historic parts of Twin Lakes - Although small there’s a historic area in town worth checking out. Stop in at the visitor center for a brief history on Twin Lakes or to talk to the visitor center guide. There’s a parking lot right next to the visitor center and behind the building there will be a trail that leads to a lookout above the lake.

9. Interlaken Boat Tour- Not looking to hike to Interlaken or Kayak to it either? not an issue, as you can take a two hour boat tour to this historic area. Tours range in prices depending on your age, but for adults it will be around $50. Boat Tours will start in June and end in September and can be booked through Twin Lakes Boat Tours.

Tours require a 3 person minimum and can hold up to 11 passengers. You’ll depart from the Red Rooster parking lot and plan to arrive 20-30 minutes before your reservation time.

10. Bring a Beach towel or camping chair and hang out at the lake for the day- Bring a cooler, cards, or a book and just relax at the lake for the day. There is parking at different parts of Twin Lakes, but I like to park near the White Start campground at Deception Point. There is a fee for parking if you don’t have a campsite and you’ll pay when you first enter the parking area.

There is also a trail that goes around this area of the lake that doesn’t have a name, but is perfect if you have a campsite nearby and want to go for a walk in the evening or morning.

11. Grab coffee at Perkolated Peaks- Can’t miss the VW van as you roll into town, especially the bright orange one. This unique van sells coffee, breakfast burritos, and sandwiches making it a quick way to start the day if you don’t feel like cooking.

Alright that’s it for Twin Lakes Colorado, if you have anything to add or have a question please leave a Comment below! Thanks reading the blog and I’ll see you on the next post. Also, if you like the blog subscribe to our email list below for the latest outdoor content!