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Nordic skiing—the sensation of swiftly
gliding over packed snow with winter’s wind whipping
across your face, speeding through the woods and trekking
across fields, climbing steep hills to get the gorgeous view
at the top and finally flying down the other side with minimal
effort.
There is nothing I would rather
do during a frigid, white Wisconsin winter than strap on my
skis and hit the trails. But before I can lace up my ski boots,
I have to wax my skis. Waxing is a less glamorous aspect of
skiing, but it is still very important. For years, scientists
have been developing products and procedures that will allow
skiers to go as fast as possible.
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You can take advantage of their
hard work by correctly waxing your skis to get the most from
your skiing experience.
Why Wax Your Skis?
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.
Step One: Choosing the Wax
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.
Because of this, friction is usually high
with this type of snow. Old snow has lost its crystal structure.
It can be damp and full of water or ice.
How snow crystals interact with each other
depends on temperature. Warmer temperatures give wetter, stickier
snow, while cooler temperatures give drier, more powdery snow.
Each requires a different type of wax.
When the air is humid, there is excess water
on top of the snow. Using a wax with fluorocarbons in it helps
the skis repel the water and glide over the snow faster.
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. If you have to guess, it
is better to have a too cold of wax on than too warm. Using
too warm of a wax will make your skis stick to the snow. To
store skis for the long summer, use a warm, nonfluorinated
wax.
Step Two: Deciding on Procedure
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.
Step Three: Preparing to Wax
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.
Step Four: Applying the Wax
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.
Step Five: Removing the Wax
Using the corner of the plexiglass scraper,
scrape the wax out of the central groove. To remove the wax
from the rest of the ski, start from the tip and run the edge
of the scraper at a 45½ angle down the entire length
of the ski.
The first few runs should scrape off a lot
of wax; the final few runs should remove almost nothing. Next,
aggressively sweep a nylon brush the length of the ski beginning
at the tip. The brushing will remove another layer of wax
and leave a polished shine.
Sufficient wax will remain in the base of
the ski to fill in any small holes or scratches in the ski.
This wax guarantees optimal gliding characteristics and base
protection.
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 |
