Skiing and snowboarding are fun pastimes to engage in during winter. In addition to purchasing a board and every gear that goes with these past time, there is usually an additional maintenance cost to consider for the boards. Owning a snowboard is certainly a good decision because this gives you the freedom to customize it to meet your taste and also use it whenever you wish. With a snowboard or a ski, you will need to decide whether you will be taking it to a professional or to the dealer at the shop for regular tuning or waxing or get a snowboard waxing kit to do it yourself, the latter being the cost-effective option. First, let’s address the fundamentals.

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Why is tuning necessary for skis and snowboards?

Boards are tuned to keep them in a top performing condition and to keep them working longer. Tuning should be done once or twice every year. However, if you are a regular enthusiast, you may need to tune your boards every week or bi-monthly depending. All the same, bear in mind that if your board does not have a flat base, sharp edges, and excellent waxing, it is not ready for use.

Tuning takes care of the base of the board and its edges and involves:

Repairing the base

The base of your board is usually exposed to some damage and scratching mostly from its impact with rocks. Repairing involves scraping the very shallow gouges, filling medium gouges with P-Tex, or grinding the base with stone. It all depends on the magnitude of the damage.

 

Beveling the edges

Just like the base, the edges of the boards are also exposed to damage. Repairing the edges involves smoothing them out with a file or a stone grinder in case the damage is extensive.

 

Waxing

After repairing the base and smoothing the edges, waxing your board is necessary for protecting your board and for giving it a smooth glide on snow. However, you will need to be familiar with the different types of wax and their application.

 

Selecting the correct wax

Wax can either be temperature specific or all-temperature.

All-temperature wax

If you are skiing or snowboarding in an area whose temperature is unpredictable, this type of wax makes a great option.

 

Temperature-specific wax

This type of wax is designed for specific temperature ranges usually indicated on the label. This includes both the cold waxes for temperatures below -2 °C and the warm waxes for temperatures above -2 °C. The only con with such wax is that in case the temperature is different from what you had anticipated, you may be forced to re-wax with the right wax for the temperature range you will experience. However, you can use two different temperature-specific waxes if you expect the conditions to change.

 

Fluorocarbons

These are simply hydrocarbon waxes that have varying amounts of fluorination added to them. They can be slow, mid, or high depending on the amount of fluorination added. It would be important to point out that as the number of fluorocarbon increases, so does the price of the wax and the performance of your board.

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Best Ski & Snowboard Tuning (Waxing) Kits 2024

This review features 7 top tuning kits and analyzes in detail, what makes them stand out.

 

1. Demon Podium Ski & Snowboard Tune Kit with Iron

Demon’s all-inclusive podium comes with all the tools you will need to tune and wax your board including an 88 / 90 degree side angle edge tuner along with shavings brush, a flat file with a file brush made of brass bristles, a handheld base brush made of premium nylon, metal scraper, 1 clear and 1 black T-Pex, 2 brake retainers for your ski board, a tuning stone, a wax scraper designed with an edge notch, polish pad along with a detailed instruction guide. However, you’ll need to consider purchasing a separate brush if you’ll need one for cleaning your ski/snowboard base.

Its universal wax kit includes a total of premium 399 g of wax that will serve you up to 40 times before you can think of getting another. This includes a 133 g bar of Demon’s own white lightning universal blend, a 133 g bar of black gold graphite as well as a 133 g bar of Hydro Universal blend. In addition to keeping your boards top notch, their scent will definitely woo your nostrils.

Demon’s wax iron box is certainly a great addition to this package. This dual voltage iron features a numbered temperature control knob that easily adjusts between 65 °C (149 °F) and 230 °C (445 °F). This package comes with a classic easy-to-clean carrying bag designed with a strap on the inside to keep the iron box intact as well as numerous interior pockets to organize all the items inside the bag. On the outside is a durable shoulder carrying strap that makes it easy to move around with your kit.

 

2. Demon Complete Tune Kit with Wax

The complete tune kit by Demon is another great option for winter sports enthusiasts intending to save big on their ski or snowboard maintenance. It consists of 13 tuning items including a tuning stone, a brush with wire bristles, shaving brush, metal scrapper, a large 7.5-inch wax scrapper, a white and black P-Tex, a 90/88 degree edge tuner, a flat file, polish pad, and an instruction guide to help you get the tuning process right.

It also comes with Demon’s dual voltage wax iron with adjustable temperature ranging between 65 °C (149 °F) and 230 °C (445 °F). It is quite easy to adjust temperature thanks to the numbering on the knob. One of the other two items in this package is a 133g bar of Demon’s White Lightning Wax ideal if all your board needs is this specific wax. However, if you need other types of wax, Demon has in stock a variety of premium scented blends of wax suitable for different conditions. Finally, this kit comes with a carry case with an equally tough hand-held handle that will guarantee you years of service.

 

3. RaceWax Complete Ski Snowboard Wax Tuning Kit

RaceWax tuning Kit is agreeably one of the best snowboard tuning kits one can have. It features an excellent edge tuner designed to tune up to 20 angles for both your board’s base and sides, unlike most others with limited angle tuning capabilities. This makes it a valuable asset for tuning a wide variety of skis and snowboards. Also included in this kit is a 70 mm diamond grindstone for fine tuning your board; Gumi stone that’s functional for prepping, detuning or deburring your board’s edge after sharpening, as well as removing rust; and another Blue Diamond Stone for maintaining and sharpening edges.

Other tools in this kit include a set three 3 x 4-inch brushes including file brush with brass bristles, nylon handheld brush, and soft fine horsehair brush covering most if not all of your wax brushing needs. You ’ll find two brake retainers, 1 ski and 1 board wax scraper designed with a corner notch for easy edge cleaning, double-sided metal file, a metal scraper designed with a storage sleeve made of the tough durable vinyl material, as well as an 8mm clear and an 8mm black P-Tex. With the base-side bevel file guides included in the package, setting angles to precision between a zero and five-degree range with increments as small as 0.5 degrees is made easy.

The 800-watt Wintersteiger wax iron rated 110 volts also has a thick curved base plate which keeps your set temperature consistent throughout your waxing process. Easy to tune thanks to the numbered temperature knob, this wax iron allows you to set temperatures within a range of 100 °C (212  °F) and 170 °C (338 °F). The curving design on its plate is to hold melted wax. The all-temperature wax, a 150 g bar, is enough to take you through 15 waxings.

All these items fit well in the durable handheld Cordura bag that is organizable with an internal strap to hold the wax iron in place. It also features numerous interior pockets including meshed, zippered and open-access pockets as well as on end-to-end quick-access external pocket with a velcro closure.

 

4. Demon Complete Tune Kit with Iron and Wax Pack

If you are looking for a tuning kit with a variety of wax, Demon kits come as a great option. This specific kit like the others comes with 4 bars of wax including Demon’s Universal White Lightning bar, Universal Modified hydro wax bar, Orange Crush Wax bar, as well as Blue Blur bar. Demon’s wax bars are all scented and blended to the best standard so your boards will be in for a real treat.

The kit also includes a flat file, wire brush, wax scraper, tuning stone, buff pad, P-Tex, an edge tuner, and an instructions guide. Don’t forget to check out the video links provided for invaluable tuning tips. Compared to others, these tools are fewer, however, if you can trade these for the four bars of wax, it shouldn’t be a dealbreaker. Also included in the kit is Demon’s temperature adjustable easy-to-carry wax iron and a carrying bag.

 

5. Dakine Super Tune Tuning Kit

This Super Tune tuning kit by Dakine will be a great addition if you are looking for something basic to start you off. It is equipped with an edge tuner, a 10-inch metal file along with a wire brush for cleaning the file, a metal scraper, a wax scraper, 2 P-Tex sticks, a pocket stone, and scuff pads. Also in the durable zippered handheld bag is a waxing iron

It also comes with an all-temperature wax bar if you intend to ski or snowboard in destinations with ranging unpredictable temperatures. The only con is that the bar of wax seems small in size so you should consider getting another one along with the one provided in this package. All in all the Super Tune kit is of good quality and will certainly not disappoint you. Plus it is a compact size making it easy to travel around with it.

 

6. Demon Hyper Speed Ski & Snowboard Tune Kit with Iron

The Hyper Speed ski and Snowboard by Demon is another revolutionary kit with a unique rectangular base wax iron. This dual voltage iron is designed to adjust temperature fast and easy between 65 °C (149 °F) and 230 °C (445 °F) with the numbered temperature knob. Also included is 1.06 lb Hyper X universal blend wax block, specially made by Demon, which can take you through 40 waxings. In addition to this, a citrus base cleaner also by Demon is included to help you prep your boards well before waxing and a wax scrapper with an edge notch.

This kit also comes with 1 clear and 1 black P-Tex, 2 brake retainers for your ski board, a tuning stone, polish pad, along with an instruction guide to help you get through the entire process even if doing it for the first time. Other tools in this package include an 88/90 degree side angle edge tuner together with a brush for cleaning the wood shavings that come off the board during tuning, a metal scraper and an edge file along with a 10mm brass brush. These three are functional for tuning your board’s edge and when carrying out P-Tex repairs. For wax removal, a 10 mm nylon brush and another 10 mm horsehair brush are included. The first is for removing bulk wax and the latter for removing finer wax particles from the base of the board.

All these items fit pretty well in the roomy bag that has been equipped with several internal pockets for organization purposes. A heavy duty carrying shoulder strap helps you move around with your kit comfortably and conveniently.

 

7. OneBall Jay Ski/Snowboard Tune Kit With Waxing Iron

This tuning kit by OneBall Jay comes with 2 clear and 1 black P-Tex candlestick, Fibertex polishing pad for your board’s base, and OneBall Jay’s own wax scraper. The 120-volt wax iron also by OneBall Jay adjusts quick and easy within a temperature range of 100 °C and 160 °C and is designed with a broad 11 cm by 13.5 cm base and a beveled edge for fast and easy waxing with the 130 g fluorinated X-wax bar included in the kit.

On the con, this kit does not include a metal scraper and an edge tuner. However, this does not compromise the value that this kit adds as you can still acquire these separately. Again you may want to consider getting another wax scraper if you need one with a corner notch for scraping the edges of your board.

These items fit well inside the roomy carry bag designed with two handheld carrying straps.

 

Conclusion

Taking care of your boards is critical if you have to keep them longer and in great performing condition. This demands for regular tuning and waxing depending on how often you use your boards. While DIY tuning will save you some bucks, it is important to note that there is a level of damage that can best be fixed by a professional. However, this rarely happens. Every other wear and tear issue can be addressed by the right tuning process and obviously the right snowboard tune-up kit.