Self tuning or Shop tuning?

[Boston Bulldog]

Which do you prefer?

Back in High School I learned how to self tune on the racing team. It saves a few bucks, but it doesn't get the job done as well as the shops do. I would rather shell out a few dollars for quality tuning in the store than doing a free, but shoddy job.

 

[goldsbar]

At the very least I touch up my skis after every day of hard snow skiing. To have a shop do that would cost a fortune in time and money. Why would doing it yourself result in a shoddy job? The only thing you can't do well is flatten your bases (there's a tool for this, but it only works to an extant) - which I never do. I've never had my skis to a shop and they're razor sharp.

 

[Scruffy]

Both. I get a stone grind once every 1 - 2 years if needed, otherwise I tune em up my self. I keep my skis pretty tuned, deburr after every outing, edge tune if needed after about every 3 days, wax every 2-3 days depending. I have a hand ski plane I use sometimes to flatten the bases but it's a chore to use.

 

[drjeff]

Both- for the 1st time in my skiing "career" via some very generous shop owners throwing in season tunes with my ski purchases this year and some luck in a charity golf tourney raffle, i've got season tunes for my families skis.

I still self tune, but will readily admit that the convience of dropping the skis off after a weekend of skiing and then picking them up ready to go for the next weekend is great. Especially now that after a few weeks and some 6-12 packs to the guy in the shop that handles the tuning to get the various personal tweaks to my tune that I like! Its also very nice to get the full shop base treatment should any rock damage have happened the prior weekend!

Is my shop tune any better than what I can do after 20+ years of self tuning?? Nope. Is it nice to have some extra time on Friday night to just drink beer and not drink beer and tune skis?? Yup! :beer:

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[bdfreetuna]

Whaaat? The self tunes I did back in high school on the team blew away the shop tunes I get lately.

Actually I've been dissapointed in the last shop tune I got, plus how long it took for them to get around to tuning it.. I am 100% positive I will be doing my own tunes again from now on. Just need to grab a few tools.

 

[andyzee]

I haven't allowed a shop to touch my skis in at least 4 years, don't trust them.

 

[drjeff]

Whaaat? The self tunes I did back in high school on the team blew away the shop tunes I get lately.

Actually I've been dissapointed in the last shop tune I got, plus how long it took for them to get around to tuning it.. I am 100% positive I will be doing my own tunes again from now on. Just need to grab a few tools.

Full disclaimer, the guy who tunes my skis at the shop where I get my families gear taken care of used to be a tech for Swix who handled a bunch of national level racers, so he's not your stereotypical shop guy tuning skills wise- his tunes are something that I wouldn't feel like I paid too much for, unlike some tunes I've gotten in the past!

My rule of thumb, especially if i'm say on a ski vacation for a week and want some tuning work done, is i'll check out the skis of the kids on the mountains race team and see where they get their skis tuned- usually takes me about 5 to 10 min, and if I hear the same shop over + over - chances are that's where i'll take my skis and mention to the shop guy that I talked to a bunch of the racers and that they suggested that I come to that shop.

Patrollers and full time instructors aren't a bad source for good shops for tuning work, but far too often the answer they give has more to due with the likely mountain shop owned discounts they get than where necessarily the consistantly best tuning results come from

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[Boston Bulldog]

Whaaat? The self tunes I did back in high school on the team blew away the shop tunes I get lately.

Actually I've been dissapointed in the last shop tune I got, plus how long it took for them to get around to tuning it.. I am 100% positive I will be doing my own tunes again from now on. Just need to grab a few tools.

My high school tunings were always very rushed, and that's most likely the reason why I prefer the shop. As Drjeff said, the rock damage repair is always a plus.

 

[Gilligan]

My rule of thumb, especially if i'm say on a ski vacation for a week and want some tuning work done, is i'll check out the skis of the kids on the mountains race team and see where they get their skis tuned- usually takes me about 5 to 10 min, and if I hear the same shop over + over - chances are that's where i'll take my skis and mention to the shop guy that I talked to a bunch of the racers and that they suggested that I come to that shop.

Excellent advice. Nobody needs sharper edges or a faster base than a racer.

 

[steamboat1]

Been paying $125 bucks for a season tune at a shop near K for years. Drop them off for a tune maybe 6-7 times a season, not every trip. I'm no tuning expert or racer but they seem to take good care of my ski's. It's nice to be able to just drop them off for a week or so & pick them up next trip. The ski's are in VT. now. Even stored the ski's in the shop for the summer a few times. I've been happy with the service.

 

[Smellytele]

Once a year before the season I bring them to the shop then tune every few times out.

 

[snowmonster]

I invested in a pretty good home tuning set-up. Haven't sent my skis to a shop in years. I had some binding work done on my BSquads last summer and told the shop guy that I do my own tuning. He flipped the ski over and ran a true bar down the base. He said that most home tuners butcher their skis. After his inspection, he said that my skis were very well tuned. Told him I learned everything about tuning from Alpinezone.

 

[Scruffy]

Whaaat? The self tunes I did back in high school on the team blew away the shop tunes I get lately.

Actually I've been dissapointed in the last shop tune I got, plus how long it took for them to get around to tuning it.. I am 100% positive I will be doing my own tunes again from now on. Just need to grab a few tools.

EdgeWise at Stowe does a great job.

 

[Warp Daddy]

Each preseason I have the edges tuned by a shop that does Atomics, then do my own waxing after each 3 day period on the hill .

 

[hammer]

Meant to get a shop tune before the start of the season but I just decided to do the skis myself. For the skiing we do it's worked out fine so far. I could use better tools to sharpen edges and I do need to get or make ski clamps but I manage...

 

[jrmagic]

I use the shop a 2-3 times a season when they need it and maintain my edges between tunes and wax every few days of use. The shop is great for fixing those gouges that the magic rocks and trees do to my bases off trail.

 

[Hawkshot99]

Skis get tuned begining of the season, then I maintain the rest of the year. If I get a core shot or bad damage Ill send them for a tune.

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[Cheese]

Full disclaimer, the guy who tunes my skis at the shop where I get my families gear taken care of used to be a tech for Swix who handled a bunch of national level racers, so he's not your stereotypical shop guy tuning skills wise- his tunes are something that I wouldn't feel like I paid too much for, unlike some tunes I've gotten in the past!

My rule of thumb, especially if i'm say on a ski vacation for a week and want some tuning work done, is i'll check out the skis of the kids on the mountains race team and see where they get their skis tuned- usually takes me about 5 to 10 min, and if I hear the same shop over + over - chances are that's where i'll take my skis and mention to the shop guy that I talked to a bunch of the racers and that they suggested that I come to that shop.

Patrollers and full time instructors aren't a bad source for good shops for tuning work, but far too often the answer they give has more to due with the likely mountain shop owned discounts they get than where necessarily the consistantly best tuning results come from

Sent from my DROID RAZR using AlpineZone mobile app

Excellent advice. Nobody needs sharper edges or a faster base than a racer.

Yes, but let's not forget that those race skis will likely be on ebay the following season. If you expect to keep your skis (edge material) 5+ years, you may want to tune yourself so that your limited edges don't wind up on the quick and easy base grind machine every time they're in for a tune.

 

[tt431]

I tried doing it myself a few years back but now I prefer to pay the 100something $s for a season tune. I take them to the shop every week(about every 3-4 days of skiing).

 

[Gilligan]

Yes, but let's not forget that those race skis will likely be on ebay the following season. If you expect to keep your skis (edge material) 5+ years, you may want to tune yourself so that your limited edges don't wind up on the quick and easy base grind machine every time they're in for a tune.

I said following the racers was a great way to find a local, competent shop to get a tune. I never said how often a base grind is needed. I think somewhere around once every 20 snow days is more than often enough. Remember that not all shop tunes include a base grind.