Cross Country Ski Services

Gear West offers the BEST ski service work in the country. Run by David Chamberlain, an icon in his knowledge of what makes a ski fast: flex, grind / structure followed by wax. David knows more than a thing-or-two about ski service. Additionally Gear West owns the state-of-the-art Tazari Grind Machine from Italy. With our knowledge of which grinds work, how to program the best grind for the right ski and for a specific weather condition, we make skis flat and fast. Lastly, the grind quality, besides the man behind the curtain, rests on cleaning, replacing and improving all the parts of the grind machine when needed. Gear West uses the newest stones, the cleanest emulsions, and the sharpest diamond to provide YOU with the best serviced ski in the nation. Service Fees: Grinds: $95. Grinds for Skin Skis take additional time and are an additional $15: $110 All ground skis should be followed with a wax service. We recommend a “RTS” Ready -to-Ski ($35 a pair) for most skiers. With a RTS, the ski is Hot-Boxed post grind, and is then scraped and waxed with a hard wax. For racers, we recommend our Race Ready Hotbox ($50 a pair). Race Ready skis are double hotboxed with a hard wax for the ultimate base hardening. Gear West charges $40 for up to 3 pairs of skis to return skis sent to us for service. Turnaround times may vary. All grinds are initiated in batches starting Monday morning and take 5 days to complete.

Classic Stone Grinds

Unique to the classic LC grinds is our ability to make linear 'centered' grinds. In traditional linear grinds, the structure pattern trends off the ski to one side, from left to right. In 'centered' grinds the pattern begins at the center and trends off the ski both to the left and right, allowing for better moisture management and tracking. Our classic grinds also take advantage of the VarioTech Technology on our machine. Variotech allows us to cut grinds that get deeper and wider down the ski from tip to tail.

• LC4: Wet and transformed snow - range +25F and up The LC4 is an aggressive, wet snow grind and is a good choice for 'klister' and 'klister-covered' conditions.
• LC2: Universal grind for all types of snow - range +10F / +30F. The LC2 has a large temperature range and is a good choice for classic skiers looking for one grind suitable for all conditions.
• LC0: Fine grind for all types of snow - range -5F / +15F. The LCO is a classic stone grind suited for cold-temperature snow, new and transformed.

Skate Stone Grinds

All of our core skate grinds are compound grinds made as two grinds cut onto the ski one on top of the other or two grinds cut into the stone. The LZ0 and the LZ2 run well in both new and transformed snow and both can perform outside of the printed range. The PL3 and PL4 are best suited for transformed snow, but the PL3 will often perform well in new snow if the humidity is high enough. The PL3 and PL4 are cut using our new VarioTech technology recently installed on our Tazzarri grinder. The VarioTech allows us to cut grinds that get wider and deeper down the ski from tip to tail. This helps to better manage moisture and friction on the parts of the ski that need it most. For skiers looking for one grind to perform in all conditions in the Midwest - the LZ2 would be the choice. In other parts of the country with warmer and more humid snow, the PL3 would be a good choice. At Gear West, we are always happy to discuss appropriate grind choices for skis!

• PL4: Aggressive skate grind for wet snow conditions - range +32F and up. The PL4 is for wet, transformed snow and is a good choice for those with a dedicated wet snow ski.
• PL3: Universal grind - range +20F / +40F. The PL3 is a broad range grind and runs well in many different snow types. It is more aggressive than our LZ2 making it a better option as a universal grind for areas of the country that have warmer and more humid snow. It is also a good option as a base grind for warmer profile skate skis and clear base skis.
• LZ2: Universal/Cold grind - range +10F / +35F. The LZ2 is a universal grind that runs well in all snow types and has a broad temperature range. This grind is our go-to grind for customers looking for one grind that performs in all conditions. It accepts hand structure very well and can be made more aggressive this way for warm and wet conditions.
• LZ0 Fine, cold grind - range -10F / +15F. The LZ0 is a fine, cold snow grind that is suitable for all sold snow types. It has an ideal range of -10F to 15F but can often perform outside of the range. The LZ0 is a good option for those skiers looking for a grind for dedicated pair of cold skis, and can also be a suitable option as a base grind for those with experience with hand structure.

Wax and Base Prep

Gear West offers the best options in getting your skis ready!

Wax and Base Prep Options:

• Base Hardening Base Prep: The Gear West Base Hardening Base Prep (formally our Race Ready Hotbox) starts off with the standard four-hour saturation with soft hot box specific wax. The skis are then scraped and brushed before being put back into the hot box for two hours with a racing blue to harden the bases using slow hear base saturation. This process is the best way to have fresh stone grounds skis and new race skies prepped for skiing without having to use a hot iron on the skis. Since the base is pre hardened after a Race Ready Hot Box, the only service that is required after completion is the application of one or more layers of the 'wax of the day'.
• Ready to Ski Hot Box: Our Ready to Ski treatment involves complete saturation of the ski in the hotbox with a yellow layer of wax. After the hotbox treatment, the ski is scraped and brushed and the 'wax of the day' is applied and scraped and brushed. This is the best way to have skis ready to ski when you walk out of our door.

Race Ski Selection

Let us hand pick your new race ski!

Team and Bulk Service

For coaches and team leaders looking for bulk service, we offer a number of good deals on team grind batches. We are happy to grind as big a batch as can be sent our way and can also offer to consult on grind selection to maximize ski performance. Collectively as a staff, we have experience skiing and testing all over the world and we use that experience to make sure skis get the appropriate grind for where they will be used.