So, I'm driving up to the farm today sans skis of course since there isn't any flippin snow! and I pass a van on the way up. On top of this van are two pairs of XC skis strapped down to some type of luggage racks. The skis were first strapped together as they are for carrying and transporting and then put on the rack on top of the van. We were driving down the freeway at, ah, higher than posted speeds and all I could do as I was alongside this guy was watch the tips of those skis (which were pointed forward) bounce and bend in the wind. I know skis are meant to bend and take that kind of abuse on the trail but do you think they should be transported that way? Usually they are in some type of bag/case or something. I have seen skis like this before but never really noticed how the onrush of wind beat on the tips/ends of the skis. Personally, I have always put mine in the back of my truck or the Tahoe. Thoughts on this??

I have a roof-top ski rack on my Explorer, but I always put them on tails forward. I like having my skis at outside temperature when I arrive at my destination so they don't melt snow which then refreezes to the bottoms.

Ours are always tail-forward in our Yakima rack. Been doing that for many, many years with no problems, except maybe the occasional salt spray. Never gave bounce much thought as our crossbar spread is nice and wide. Agree, you want the skis to be outside temp when you arrive at your playground.

(Hey, it's a WHITE morning here in Perham!)

I don't like to expose skis to the road salt/dirt, so they ride inside. Haven't had difficulty with icing, but I rarely drive for more than 40 minutes (usually about 10) to ski. This year I bind them with ski-keepers, hang the pole straps on the tips, throw them on my shoulder and trudge down the Echo to nearest portage.

Schweady - Your in Perham? Nice, I spend a lot of time there, family cabin is on Big Pine. Currently at the farm north of Wadena. It is white here now as well. Nothing last night and now two inches and rising on the driveway.
I'll be driving through in a couple hours on my way to Bismarck and back through again tonight. Was hoping to get out on big pine tomorrow morning.

I haven't had icing problems either that I recall but then I usually have the skis in the back of the truck. Inside the tahoe for less than 10 minute drives to Fort Snelling.
So tips back should be alright it sounds like. As tough as some of these newer skis are, I wouldn't think the salt would hurt much if wiped off right away. I'd be more concerned with wood skis though.

You mention icing problems... It reminded me of the drive home one year ago today. Was raining hard when we left the kids' but the temp kept dropping and the last stretch of 50 miles or so was a progression of rain->freezing rain->sleet->ice->snow. White knuckles all the way to the driveway. Really got dumped on that night with a ton of snow and wound up with stuff that was really hard to move. My poor skis wound up encased in the rack... had a pretty tough time chiseling them out:

Thanks to last years lack of snow, I didn't pursue the ski stowage issue. Had them in the back of the truck or in the Tahoe a few times.

Now I have a new vehicle. I bought a 2012 Escape (didn't like the 2013's!). I spent the last week or so agonizing over the cargo boxes for the tops of the vehicles. Would be nice to keep them "down to temp" yet covered from the elements to prevent icing like Schweady had.
REI had their 20% sale this past weekend and I was bound and determined to get a top cargo box for skis and other year-round uses. I didn't get one. Couldn't get one that would fit the Escape's factory rack without interfering with the back hatch/window. That really bummed me out a bit. I was looking at the Thule's and to a lesser extent the Yakima's.
I really don't want to have a cargo box interfere with the back hatch but if I have to do it I will. Or even move the box farther ahead than needed if I have to. I was all over the top of my Escape with a measuring tape and at REI twice measuring. I should have just bought it and dealt with not opening the gate all the way. Oh well...
There is always the spring 20% off coupon.
Is anyone else having or had this problem? Should I just say screw it and get the ski racks and leave the ski's exposed?

fit- you could buy a ski bag to keep them protected on your rack.

I keep my skis in a Fischer bag. Holds 3 pr of skis and poles. I think it cost about 70 bucks 10 yrs ago. Many different ski bags out there you can throw in the car or strap onto the roof rack.

You guys are right. I think I'll just get the ski rack for the roof and put them in ski bags.

i spend a great deal of time waxing my skis. i love doing this, scraping and brushing until i feel that the skis are perfect is a large part of my nordic skiing experience. it probably matters that i spent several years as the wax guy for a high school nordic ski team. road salt and dirt would render my wax efforts as useless, salt does not make a good ski base. classic or traditional, the wax is critical. if i am using a pair of vintage wood bonna skis the effort is less critical, the skis aren't designed for performance, a bit of salt won't matter.

One of the criteria a few years back when getting a new vechile was it was large enough to put the skis inside.

Picked up a single-pair ski bag for $28 today from Battle Lake Pack Co in Clarissa, MN. Nicely made, $11 less than the online price. Also, they were selling the Grand Portage canoe pack for $140 (over $200 online).