There are several things you can do to optimize your precious time on the slopes, such as waxing the bases, structuring the base material and beveling your edges.  At the elite level - i.e., Alpine racing - such optimization techniques are incredibly complex, to the point that no mere citizen would attempt this level of care.  At the other end of the spectrum lies the time-honored method of doing absolutely nothing and hoping for the best. Somewhere in between these extremes lies a practical way to take good care of your gear.  In this two-part series, I illuminate the way forward.