Wanted: ski/snowboard builds

[SkiSquatch]

I’d look at what people are using regionally. I’ve probably logged 1,000 days of skiing on the East Coast, 1,000 in the Intermountain Rockies, and 1,000 in the Coastal Ranges.

While teaching at Baker I had a VW wagon with Michelin Ice X on them It rocked in the warmer, wetter snow. Not so great on ice.

Here in the Rockies, I am frequently traveling to PSIA and USSA events, in addition to teaching. The studded Nokians are amazing on those hard frozen, sub zero road surfaces in the AM. However when it is 35 degrees on my way home, and the road surface is slushy, they swim around a bit.

Currently driving an Audi SQ5. The Bronco doesn’t go out in snow.

I’ve been skiing a long time as well, mostly northern New England. My kids (grown now) all raced, and I have a lot of ‘USSA’ bad weather miles also . Snow storms only make us want to get to the mountains more! I’ve always run blizzaks or hakkapeliittas on my awd vehicles. I know the rubber compound on the sas tires isn’t ideal for winter driving, so I figured I’d see what this like minded group did.
I did pick up a set of sas takeoff rims for cheap (before I got my bronco). So really just trying to figure out what to put on them.

Sponsored

 

[BCKMRKR]

If you are hauling skis always put them in the vehicle or in a roof box. Road grime is terrible for ski bases and thus your ski experience.

I am planning to buy the grey Thule Motion XT XXL….this will fit four+ pair skis/poles in winter and our camp/raft/fish gear in summer. My family will transition from a Sienna to Bronco…..so it’s going to cramp our style for sure.

For bikes in the summer I’m planning on the Kuat Pivot2 with the 1up USA hitch rack or Kuat NV2.

I think you already have the answer. Didn't want to deal with a roof rack for many reasons, not enough room inside my 2-door. My solution is the Kuat Pivot, a 1UP hitch rack, and an old snowboard bag. Open the 1UP like you would for loading a bike, slide the ends where the wheels go, and fold the rack almost completely closed. The ski/snowboard bindings will be wider than the wheel openings, so the skis/snowboards can't escape the sides. You can then rig some sort of lock to keep the wheel carriers opening. To get in the back, you can tilt the 1UP down or use the Kuat to pivot it out of the way.

 

[FilmcoBronci]

On a related note, this is my first winter, I’ve got Sas. Any recommendations for winter tires? Like most that hit the mountains in the winter, we’re frequently driving in winter storms and immediately after.

Great luck on both the madness known as Colorado I-70, and old mining and ranch roads with Falken Wildpeak AT3’s

 

[Montana Bronco]

Nice to see so many fellow skiers on this board. I was starting to think everybody on B6G lived in Texas and were mainly interested in tire shine recommendations.

Ive got a 2-door and my daily driver is a 193 ON3P Billy Goat. I’ve been a volunteer patroller here for almost 40 years and always got a free locker, until this year. It took a few days to sink in just how spoiled I have been all these years. Every year it seems the benefits of volunteering are less and less. For now, my skis are riding inside with me, diagonally across my center console. Not a good solution but it will do for now.

 

[SkiSquatch]

Nice to see so many fellow skiers on this board. I was starting to think everybody on B6G lived in Texas and were mainly interested in tire shine recommendations.

Ive got a 2-door and my daily driver is a 193 ON3P Billy Goat.

Fun ski, jealous you can use those daily! Back east I’m on Bonifides or Black Crows Serpos depending on conditions. Liberty Origins for powder days. So typically carrying at least 3 pairs of skis including my wife’s every weekend.
Anyone look into Trapski.com for inside the bronco?

 

[Durangatan]

Fun ski, jealous you can use those daily! Back east I’m on Bonifides or Black Crows Serpos depending on conditions. Liberty Origins for powder days. So typically carrying at least 3 pairs of skis including my wife’s every weekend.
Anyone look into Trapski.com for inside the bronco?

Be careful what you wish for! Anything becomes a job at some point. I had a long ski season last year - well into the summer. Headed to Argentina next week to extend my summer. Not ready for winter yet.

In my Audi, if I don’t have the box on top, I just use a padded ski bag to keep the interior from being scuffed. FIS GS skis fit fine.

Enjoy!

 

[SkiSquatch]

Be careful what you wish for! Anything becomes a job at some point. I had a long ski season last year - well into the summer. Headed to Argentina next week to extend my summer. Not ready for winter yet.

In my Audi, if I don’t have the box on top, I just use a padded ski bag to keep the interior from being scuffed. FIS GS skis fit fine.

Enjoy!

Agrentina, sweet! My retirement dream job is to be one of those ski ambassadors that hangs out and tells people where the good snow is (after skiing it of course!).

I'm hopeing for 30-40 days this year...damn day job!

Have a great trip!

 

[the poacher]

In the winter, our bronco is our snow vehicle (our AWD prius does well too!). I've got a rack on backorder, and will be installing a tailgate table for parking lot lunches.
I'd love to see builds that are ski/snowboard minded. Racks, boxes, storage for gear all are important. I'm wondering what other items are off my radar.

Hey EruptionEnvy602,
I believe in keeping your skis/boards outside of the vehicle so they do not become weapons if you are involved in a winter conditions accident.
I also believe in keeping your skis/boards on top of the vehicle due to this location keeping them the safest. The safest from theft, damage due to potential rear enders, and also from the nasty salt and grit that gets thrown up and into your skis/boards binding systems.
I do not believe in ski boxes as the are a big drag on your fuel economy. If you are going on a long road trip, ski bags will keep your skis/boards protected. For short journeys, no ski bags are necessary.
So what do I use? I have the Yakima scissor rack, named the "Fat Cat EVO 4" system (they do make a 6 too). It is fairly aero, simple and easy to use, works nicely with the OEM roof rack, and is an (relatively) inexpensive solution.

There, you now have my two cents worth...

Enjoy your ski/board season. Ours is already off to a pretty good start.

 

[harpo]

Consider this… A binding is a relatively precision piece of equipment. It is calibrated to your height, weight, age, perceived self reported ability, and boot sole length in mm. Road grime is not friendly to it.

As a full time instructor I have two identical pair of skis - Stockli Laser AX - as my daily driver. I work on one pair for 5 days while the other goes home for a tune.

As a masters level racer, race skis are tuned daily.

I’m 30 minutes to the hill and none of my skis ride outside.

You're probably on the mountain/road 4-5 times more often per year than I am but I think it's melodramatic to say putting your skis in a rack will ruin your ski experience. As a non racer and master avoider of groomers my skis are tuned quinquennially ; ) with an occasional wax when they need it.

My bases have more to fear from rocks, stumps, gravel, and dirt when the skis are on my feet than 20 miles on the roof on the drive home.

That said - on my way to work this morning the rack produced a god awful whistle. If it wasn't so cold I would have stopped to take the rack off on my 22 mile commute. Took the front piece off at lunch and the whistle disappeared. The whistle was absurdly loud. I've got a 2 door and the front rack is really close to the roof seam. Most be some weird interaction, the whistle sounded like it was inside the car. I'll have to ponder other solutions...

 

[mikes781]

If you are hauling skis always put them in the vehicle or in a roof box. Road grime is terrible for ski bases and thus your ski experience.

I am planning to buy the grey Thule Motion XT XXL….this will fit four+ pair skis/poles in winter and our camp/raft/fish gear in summer. My family will transition from a Sienna to Bronco…..so it’s going to cramp our style for sure.

For bikes in the summer I’m planning on the Kuat Pivot2 with the 1up USA hitch rack or Kuat NV2.

This is the setup (Motion XT XXL) that I’m going with for multi-day trips when I’m hauling several pairs of skis. Picked up a pair of Ski Blocks to help keep them organized in the cargo carrier. Cargo box will also see use for family trips or I would have gone with something a little lower profile like the one that @Durangatan posted or the Thule Alpine. For day trips a few pairs of skis can ride in the back with the seat down

https://www.skiblocks.com/product/cart/

 

[X-Rack]

X-Rack has a system that works with our Rear Spare Tire Carrier. Can have 2 rows of snow gear and a cargo box or bag. We will be posting kits on our site in a few weeks to make it easy to choose. https://www.xrack.us/product/over-spare-tire-carrier-bracket-for-2021-ford-bronco-coming-soon/ We also have hitch mounted options. With or without cargo carrier. https://www.xrack.us/product/flex-wing-accessory-carrier-xl-for-spare-tire-carrier-vehicles/

 

[harpo]

Nice to see so many fellow skiers on this board. I was starting to think everybody on B6G lived in Texas and were mainly interested in tire shine recommendations.

Ive got a 2-door and my daily driver is a 193 ON3P Billy Goat. I’ve been a volunteer patroller here for almost 40 years and always got a free locker, until this year. It took a few days to sink in just how spoiled I have been all these years. Every year it seems the benefits of volunteering are less and less. For now, my skis are riding inside with me, diagonally across my center console. Not a good solution but it will do for now.

Hey - I got my 195 gigawatts to fit inside my 2 door by putting the tails in the rear passenger footwell and tips near the top of the back window. I really hated it when the skis were between the front seats. I have a manual and it just made it awkward.

I also got rid of the whistle from my rooftop ski rack by centering the rack it on the roof and flipping it around so the rack was offset to the back versus the front. I had it as close to the edge as possible to make it easier to access and I like to make the centerline of rack to rack as wide as possible so I had it offset to the front.

I think I might be getting a little more wind noise from the back but not much worse than normal. I think my top is on the average to slightly above average for roof/wind noise.

 

[FilmcoBronci]

Nice to see so many fellow skiers on this board. I was starting to think everybody on B6G lived in Texas and were mainly interested in tire shine recommendations.

Ive got a 2-door and my daily driver is a 193 ON3P Billy Goat. I’ve been a volunteer patroller here for almost 40 years and always got a free locker, until this year. It took a few days to sink in just how spoiled I have been all these years. Every year it seems the benefits of volunteering are less and less. For now, my skis are riding inside with me, diagonally across my center console. Not a good solution but it will do for now.

You're not alone! Live in midwest and work in the Rockies parts of the winter filming for ski, winter sports, and some avalanche information work. Have skis on feet +50 day/s year and Bronco is doing slippy and muddy things everyday! Not a very elegant solution though as I just put the skinny side of the seat down and lay them on the floor. Not transporting many people so it generally isn't an issue.

 

[harpo]

I took out the rear speakers, super easy to load the skis now. I never used the rear speakers anyway and had been thinking I should take them out since a week after I bought it...

I'll upgrade my old shirt post protection but all in all I'm pretty pleased I can get the skis inside.

The mountains are getting hammered this weekend and the Wasatch is open for business.

Forecast:

Storm Duration	Storm Total Water	Storm Total Snow
December 1, 2023 12:00 pm - December 4, 2023 12:00 pm	2.5-4.0"	35-50"

Still snowing but the snow report is looking good.

SNOW REPORT
Last Update 04:00 pm
STORM TOTAL 43”
BASE DEPTH 61”
SEASON TOTAL 110”

 

[RedShiftWT81650]

I haul my wife and kiddo to the mtn a 3-4 times a week all season long. I prefer to use a box. I just bought a Thule force L, it fits my extra long board, her short board and the kid’s skis.. I prefer the box because it’s a great place to keep beers and lunches cold and provides enough extra storage for stinky boots on the way home. I prefer the box to the rooftop scissor style rack because road grime (mag chloride) is terrible for skis and boards. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ to each their own.

Sponsored