What Is A Snowboard Tune Up?

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Tuning is an essential part of snowboard maintenance.

It’ll keep your snowboard in tip-top shape for longer and will ensure that it’s always ready to deliver an optimal ride.

Table of Contents

What does a snowboard tune up consist of?

There are several basic steps to tuning a snowboard, including:

Sharpening The Edges

The first step in tuning your snowboard is to remove the bindings, flip it upside down, and give it a good inspection, looking for any damage and imperfections.

Once the check is over, you can focus on sharpening the edges.

You can use a file guide to sharpen the edges at the same angle.

Alternatively, you may want to consider detuning, whereby the edges are rounded in preparation for freestyle snowboarding.

Repairing The Base Of Your Snowboard

Your snowboard will get damaged from time to time.

Bumps and scrapes occur when you ride over rocks and other tough terrain, and if they’re not fixed, those flaws will impact the performance of your snowboard.

If the underside of your snowboard is damaged, and you’re not very experienced or handy, you should probably contact a snowboard repair professional at the lodge or snowboard shop.

To perform those fixes yourself, you’ll need to sand-grind the bumps and make sure everything is clean and smooth.

Applying Hot Wax

One of the most important parts of the tuning process is the addition of wax to the bottom of your snowboard.

You will need a waxing iron that is designed specifically for snowboards and skis, as a home iron just won’t suffice here.

You’ll also need a scraper, some snowboard wax or ski wax, and a brush or buffer.

Before you begin, remove any existing wax from the snowboard using base cleaner, after which you can apply the wax.

Rub-on waxes work well, but hot wax is even better, significantly improving the performance by penetrating deep into the snowboard.

To apply hot wax, just heat the iron, drip the wax over the snowboard, and then rub it in using the iron.

Spend more time on the outer edges of the board, as well as underneath the bindings, as these are the areas that will contact most with the snow and require the most protection.

Make sure the wax is even all over the snowboard before letting it cool down.

It should take around 20 minutes for the wax to cool, at which point you can start scraping.

Use the scraper to go from the edges inwards at a 45-degree angle, applying lots of pressure and moving in long and even strokes.

The goal of applying hot wax is for it to get into the pores of the snowboard and not to sit loosely on the surface, but don’t be shy with that pressure and don’t worry if you see a lot of wax coming off.

Generally speaking, thinner is better, and it’s also important for the wax to be even.

So, grind away, and make sure your snowboard is slick, smooth, and ready for the snow!

How much is a snowboard tune up?

The cost of a tune up for your snowboard will depend what you are actually tuning up.

Here’s a rough breakdown of general snowboard tuning rates.

Keep in mind that you may pay more at a lodge during the on season vs at a shop during the off season.

The Work	The Cost
Snowboard wax	$15.00
Edge and roller wax	$20.00
Base tune up	$30.00
Full tune up	$40.00
Base and full tune up	$50.00
Binding adjustmen	$20.00
Repairs	$40.00 / per hour