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Waxing your skis helps you ski faster. A waxed
ski glides better because its base is smoother than an unwaxed
ski. Waxed bases also last longer because the risk of minor
damage that disturbs the ski’s performance is reduced.
Even skis that are not used are
subject to oxidation through UV radiation and oxygen. Waxing
also protects equipment during transport, particularly during
the summer break.
The science of waxing skis begins with picking
the correct wax. The type of wax that is used depends on the
type of snow, air or snow temperature and air humidity. New
snow is sharp and pointed, allowing the finely grained crystals
to penetrate into the wax.
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To avoid having to make waxes for all possible
conditions, it is recommended to mix different waxes to work
for different conditions. For example, if the temperature
was thought to be around 20½ F, a wax that has a temperature
range of 9½ to 21½ F could be mixed with a wax
of range 18½ to 28½ F.
There are two different types of waxing to
go with the two different styles of Nordic skiing. There is
glide waxing and kick waxing. Glide waxing is used in skate
skiing. This wax is applied over the entire ski to smooth
the base and give maximum glide. Kick waxing is used for the
traditional classic skiing.
Classic skiing involves two opposing forces:
gliding forward and pushing backward. To get the backward
kick, a sticky wax is rubbed into the area of the ski under
the foot; the rest of the ski has glide wax. Ideally, only
the gliding zones touch the snow when gliding to allow for
maximum speed.
To wax skis, you need a vice to secure your
ski into place, a hot iron to melt and spread the wax on the
ski, a plexiglass scraper to take the wax off, a brush to
polish the ski, a synthetic cork for kick wax and the wax
itself. Cleaning the ski base with a base cleaner before waxing
is recommended.
Begin by securing the ski in a vice at about
waist level. Allow the iron to heat up enough to melt the
wax, but not so much that the iron will smoke. Use the iron
to drip a dime-size drop of wax every inch or so on the base
of the ski.
Then spread the wax evenly throughout the
entire length of the ski with the iron. Allow the wax and
ski to cool to room temperature. This may take as long as
30 minutes. Once you have your skis all set and ready for
speed, you can sit back and wait for the snow to fall.
Why
wax the skis? | How
to apply ski wax | What
is wax? | How
to Wax Your Skis With Kick Wax |
Facts
on Nordic Ski Wax | Waxing
for Recreational Skiing | The
Fundametals of Glide Waxing |
Ski
wax can slow your glide |
