You can think of ski construction like a sandwich. Ski builders take many different materials and lay them up in a mold. Each layer is sandwiched with epoxy, and when pressure is applied, the ski bonds together and produces a beautiful tool that lets us fly down the mountain. 

While ski construction is nuanced, for our purposes, there are several essential elements:

• Base- The base of the ski is usually made from PTEX and is designed to slide effortlessly with the snow
• Core- The core of the ski gives its strength and feel. Core construction usually involves combing several materials to keep the ski light and strong. Common core materials are hardwoods like ash, soft, low-density woods like Paulownia, fiberglass, and carbon fiber. Importantly, core materials like wood are porous and can absorb water.
• Sidewall/Edge- The edge allows us to bite into the snow and is made of hardened steel. The sidewall sits above the edge and works to reinforce the edge, which undergoes tremendous force when you turn. Notably, the sidewall seals out moisture from the core.
• Top Sheet- The top sheet of your ski isn't only for beautiful graphics. Topsheets are the barrier between the elements and your core. They help maintain the integrity of the ski construction.

During the day-to-day wear and tear of a ski, top sheets get damaged. Damage is usually focused on the edges and tips, and tails of skis. Some people hate topsheet damage because it’s ugly (in my opinion, it means you're ripping with your gear as intended), but the real issue is that damage on the topsheet exposes your ski core. 

When your core is exposed, water can enter the porous core materials and cause them to expand. The combination of contracting and expanding wood and moisture affects the integrity of the epoxy that holds are ski-sandwich together. Unaddressed, this will cause edge and sidewall delaminations and further topsheet delaminations. Ultimately, it's these deeper edge, base, and sidewall delaminations that will destroy a ski.

The good news is that we can prevent further catastrophic damage by being proactive. You only need to track down some marine-grade epoxy and several clamps. I also like to use two metal ski scrapers to help disperse the force of the clamps. Mix your epoxy and apply it to the damaged areas. If you have top sheet damage, simply paint the epoxy over the damaged area to create a water-tight seal. If you already have minor sidewall delaminations, you'll want to ensure the epoxy penetrates the ski to hold everything together. If needed, clamp the ski to hold everything in place. This is useful if you want to reattach part of the topsheet or press the sidewall back into place. In these cases, the metal scrapers I mentioned are essential to dissipate the pressure from the clamps. Finally, leave the skis for 24 hours to cure. Afterward, you can remove excess epoxy and drips with a razor blade and sandpaper. 

If your damage is more extensive than basic delaminations, it's worth going to a proper shop. At Cripple Creek Backcountry, our ski techs have decades of experience and specialized tools to ensure your gear is safe and ready to keep you going, so don’t hesitate to reach out!