Brand new board with rust?

Question
Hi Snoobored,

I bought a new Salomon board (but last year's model) wrapped in plastic. After one use, I noticed the tip edge and some side edges have rust. I brought the board back to the shop for warranty service, but they were quite reluntant about it. They cleaned up the rust and said there's nothing wrong with the board, yet couldn't explain why there's rust in the first place. I noticed also there're very slight "swellings" at the tip along the grooves, but they kept saying it's supposed to be like that.
So what're the possible causes? Bad storage? Is the rust a sign for concerns about the board, like its structural integrity? How should I deal with the store to get the problem fixed, if any?

Many thx!

Ed

Answer
Ed,
This is a common situation, the board has a small space between the edge, which is the metal part that you see and the composite material, which is the actual board itself.  Snow melts and stays in this area sometimes and this what is causing the layer of rust you see.  It helps if you wipe your board down after you are done riding but more importantly have it tuned about every 5-10 you go riding.  This will keep the edges sharp and will improve your riding.  Salomon is a legitimate brand name and will stand behind the products they manufacture, if the location you purchased it does not. The structural part you are asking about is nothing to worry about in regards to rust. When you refer to the swellings this is usually the composite of the board being seemed together.  Did you not notice this when you origanally purchased the board? If it continues to swell up I would send it back to Salomon.  Another thing that may help is to take advantage of gravity and store it so the water melts off quickly after riding.