Ski and Snowboard Tuning, Waxing, and Repairs
A local’s guide from Bend
Tuning here is not optional. Mt. Bachelor gives you chalk, wind buff, coral in the morning, and hero corn by lunch. Pumice shows up after storms. Spring turns can feel like peanut butter. A fresh tune keeps you fast, safe, and smiling.
Below is a clear, local-first guide you can use all season. We’ll add the list of shops later.
Best Ski & Snowboard Services in Bend
Table of Contents
Powder House
Address: 311 SW Century Dr, Bend, OR 97702
URL: https://powderhousebend.com/winter-gear/ski-snowboard-tuning-repair/
Area: Westside, Century Dr corridor (on the way to Bachelor)
Standout: Full Wintersteiger tune room, infrared finish options, clear service menu.
What people say: Precise work, fair turnaround even on storm weeks, consistent results.
Helpful info: Book early during big cycles; ask about race vs. all-mountain structure.
Between Evergreens (Shop + Mobile)
Address: 2843 NW Lolo Dr, Suite 110, Bend, OR 97703
Area: Northwest Crossing, close to Phil’s
Standout: In-shop tunes plus true house-call service; backcountry-savvy techs.
What people say: Friendly, detail-oriented, quick fixes before trips.
Helpful info: Call ahead for mobile slots; easy parking at the shop.
Pine Mountain Sports
Address: 255 SW Century Dr, Bend, OR 97702
URL: https://www.pinemountainsports.com/articles/ski-service-repair-pg186.htm
Area: Westside, Century/Simpson hub
Standout: Reliable edge/wax packages, AT/tech mounts, skin trims.
What people say: Straight talk, careful mounts, great for touring setups.
Helpful info: Open seven days in winter; ask about turn times during holidays.
Sunnyside Sports — Waxing Services (Nordic focus)
Address: 930 NW Newport Ave, Bend, OR 97703
URL: https://www.sunnysidesports.com/about/ski-waxing-services-pg196.htm
Area: Westside, Newport Ave
Standout: XC race prep, hot-box, structure; longtime Nordic community hub.
What people say: Fast skis, smart wax calls for local conditions.
Helpful info: Book race-day slots early; ask about pine-tar for classics.
Mt. Bachelor Tune & Repair Shop (on-mountain)
Address: West Village, Mountain Gateway building (slope-side)
URL: https://www.mtbachelor.com/amenities-groups/tune-repair-shop/
Area: On hill at Bachelor
Standout: Day-of wax and repairs so you’re back on snow in minutes.
What people say: Lifesaver for core shots and draggy spring bases mid-day.
Helpful info: Hours shift with season and storms—check the site before you drive.
Between Evergreens
Address: 2843 NW Lolo Dr, Suite 110, Bend, OR 97703
Area: Northwest Crossing
Standout: Deep dive on their tune philosophy and options (alpine, split, board).
What people say: Clear expectations, easy to choose the right level of service.
Helpful info: Use this page to pick a package, then text/call to lock timing.
Second Wind Sports (Consignment + Tunes)
Address: 725 NW Columbia St, Bend, OR 97703
Area: Old Bend / Galveston
Standout: Affordable hot wax and quick edge work with solid used gear finds.
What people say: Good value, handy for last-minute pre-mountain touch-ups.
Helpful info: Walk-in friendly; great add-on when you’re grabbing consignment gear.
BEAST Tuning (Tools & DIY education)
Address: 665 SW Columbia St, Bend, OR 97702
Area: Old Bend
Standout: Pro-grade tools, guides, and supplies for tuning at home.
What people say: The kit that makes home tunes actually feel pro.
Helpful info: Pair tools with a clinic or online how-tos; ask about starter bundles.
Mountain Supply of Oregon (Backcountry-centric)
Address: 834 NW Colorado Ave, Bend, OR 97703
Area: Old Bend / Galveston
Standout: AT/tele mounts, skin trimming, basic tunes for touring rigs.
What people say: Knowledgeable staff who actually ski tour here.
Helpful info: Wallet-friendly services; call for mount timelines mid-season.
Christy Sports (Tuning Program)
Address: Various locations; check site for nearest shop
URL: https://www.christysports.com/stories/ski-snowboard-tuning.html
Area: Chain provider; use for travel days or if you’re near a Christy’s
Standout: Consistent chain workflow and package pricing.
What people say: Easy to understand, predictable service levels.
Helpful info: Use for trips or mail-in options if you’re out of town.
Tactics (Snowboard-forward)
Address: 933 NW Wall St, Bend, OR 97703
Area: Downtown Bend
Standout: Board tunes, hot waxes, base repairs, and strong demo lineup.
What people say: Friendly crew with real board culture.
Helpful info: Demo-to-buy credits help test new shapes before you commit.
REI Bend - Ski & Snowboard Shop
Address: 380 SW Powerhouse Dr, Suite 220, Bend, OR 97702
Area: Old Mill District
Standout: Full tune menu with national-chain consistency.
What people say: Solid backup when indie shops are slammed.
Helpful info: Check current shop hours and turnaround before drop-off.
Sunnyside Sports
Address: 930 NW Newport Ave, Bend, OR 97703
Area: Westside, Newport Ave
Standout: One roof for rentals, retail, and service—easy family logistics.
What people say: Helpful sizing and no-pressure advice.
Helpful info: Reserve rentals early for holiday weekends.
The Gear Fix (Ski + Outerwear repairs)
Address: 550 SW Industrial Way #183, Bend, OR 97702
Area: Box Factory / Old Mill
Standout: Tunes plus outerwear and gear repair—zippers, patches, skins.
What people say: Clutch fixes that keep you on snow without buying new.
Helpful info: Good parking; plan a coffee stop next door while they work.
The Race Place
Address: 665 SW Columbia St, Bend, OR 97702
Area: Old Bend
Standout: Race bases, structure tools, wax, and deep tech knowledge.
What people say: The place ski racers point people to for speed.
Helpful info: Call for service referrals; incredible selection of tuning tools.
WebCyclery & WebSkis - Nordic Service
Address: 157 NW Franklin Ave, Bend, OR 97703
URL: https://www.webcyclery.com/about/nordic-ski-service-pg79.htm
Area: Downtown / Old Bend
Standout: Flex testing, multi-step race wax, and serious XC expertise.
What people say: Trusted for getting skate and classic skis truly fast.
Helpful info: Check current service status and plan ahead for race weekends.
Why tune at all
You turn easier.
You stop when you need to.
You glide on flats and traverse with less effort.
Your bases last longer.
You avoid surprise edge catches on firm mornings.
How often to tune in Central Oregon
Use this as a starting point. Adjust for your riding days.
Hot wax: every 3–5 days in mid-winter. Every 1–2 days in spring.
Edge touch-up: quick diamond stone pass every 2–3 days on firm cycles.
Base repair: fix scratches you can catch with a fingernail. Do it soon.
Full tune: grind, structure, and edge set after 15–20 days or after a rock event.
Storage wax: once at season’s end.
Snow here, wax here
Cold and dry (Jan–Feb mornings): cold temp wax.
Typical mid-winter: all-temp or “universal.”
Warm storm or wind buff: a hair warmer wax helps.
Spring corn and slush: warm temp wax. Brush well to speed up water release.
Tip from locals: spring speed matters on flat runouts. Start the day with a fresh scrape and a solid brush.
Simple home hot-wax step-by-step
You can do this in a garage with good ventilation.
Clean: brush bases with a nylon or brass brush tip to tail.
Melt: drip wax from an iron across the base. Low heat, no smoke.
Iron: smooth into a thin film. Keep the iron moving. 8–10 minutes total.
Cool: let it sit 20–30 minutes. Longer in cold spaces.
Scrape: sharp plastic scraper. Tip to tail. No white fuzz left behind.
Brush: nylon, then horsehair if you have it. Long strokes. Tip to tail.
Wipe: fiber pad or paper towel to finish.
Edge basics that work at Bachelor
Angles: 1° base bevel and 2° side edge works for most riders. Grippy but not grabby.
Detune: soften the first few centimeters at tip and tail. Park riders detune more.
Touch-ups: a few light passes with a fine diamond stone keeps it sharp without removing much metal.
Burrs: hit them as soon as you feel chatter. Burrs cause hooky turns on firm cord.
Safety note: if you are not sure on angles, leave the set-up to a tech. You can maintain with stones between tunes.
Base structure and grinds
What it is: tiny grooves in the base that wick water.
Why it matters here: cold days want a fine, straight structure. Spring wants a slightly coarser one.
When to grind: base looks white and dry, or you see high spots, or you have deep scratches across the ski.
After a grind: you need a few wax cycles to saturate again.
P-tex repairs, the right way
Shallow scratches: drip P-tex, cool, shave flat with a sharp metal scraper.
Core shots: if you see white base layer or fabric, bond first with metal-grip or epoxy, then P-tex.
Near edges: be careful. Edge-adjacent repairs fail if the bond is poor. Big hits go to a shop.
Board-specific and ski-specific tips
Snowboards: detune contact points a touch more to smooth turn entry. Keep edges sharp between the bindings for control on morning groom.
Twin tips and park: detune tips and tails more so rails do not bite. Wax often.
Powder skis and surfy boards: keep edges less aggressive at the ends. Focus on fast bases and smooth structure.
Splitboards and backcountry
Keep skins clean. Store glue-to-glue.
Stone edges lightly to keep sidehilling confidence.
Use a glide wax that plays well with skins. Scrape and brush very clean.
Check screws on pucks and interfaces every few days.
Binding checks you should not skip
Look for loose screws. Tighten by hand.
Watch for cracked heel pieces or worn toe wings.
DIN and forward pressure are safety items. Get a certified tech for adjustments and release checks.
A small home kit that covers 90% of needs
Wax iron
Universal and temp-specific wax
Plastic scraper and a groove tool
Nylon brush and a brass or horsehair brush
Fine and medium diamond stones
Gummy stone for detune and polish
P-tex candles and a metal scraper
Painter’s tape, shop towels, and rubber bands for ski brakes
Storage wax and summer care
Dry bases and edges before you put gear away.
Melt on a thick layer of wax and do not scrape.
Loosen snowboard binding straps. Back off ski binding spring tension only if a tech advises it.
Store in a cool, dry spot. Not in a hot shed.
When to hand it to a shop
Base grind and structure reset.
Edge replacement or blown sidewall.
Delamination.
Core shots along the edge.
Binding mount, remount, or any safety adjustment.
We’ll plug in a list of Bend shops and what each one does best in the next step.
On-hill quick fixes locals carry
Pocket scraper or old credit card for surprise spring stickiness.
Green Scotch-Brite for a fast buff.
Small diamond stone for a burr after a rock hit.
Paper towel to wipe dirty snow off bases before you drop in.
Common problems and fast cures
Sticky flats in spring: warm wax, scrape clean, brush more. Add a little liquid glide if you carry it.
Chattery turns on firm mornings: edge burrs. Light diamond stone pass.
Dry, white base: wax now. Two or three hot cycles brings it back.
Board feels hooky: detune contact points a touch and polish with a gummy.
Eco notes that fit Bend values
Fluoro-free waxes work great here.
Scrape into a bin. Toss shavings in the trash, not the drain.
Ventilate. Wear a dust mask when you brush a lot.
Fix bases early so you waste less material later.
Pre-trip checklist for a good day at Bachelor
Fresh wax for the temp.
Edges smooth and burr-free.
Poles, scraper, pass, and a small brush in the car.
Tools for your stance if you ride a board.
A towel to wipe wet spring snow off the base before the drive home.
Other winter related services in Bend:
