Waxing for Recreational Skiing
by
Coleridge M. Gill

Fundamentals:
Waxing is a very simple process and is not as difficult as it is made out to be. First of all, on no wax skis (skis with a pattern in the center third of the ski) the pattern area is never waxed. However, on waxable skis (skis without a pattern in the center third of the ski) only the center portion of the ski is waxed with grip wax - the wax for the temperature and conditions of the day. The tips and tails for both no-wax and waxable skis are waxed with glider wax. Glider wax is applied from the tip of the ski to a point 12 - 14 inches in front of the binding ( I use a piece of masking tape to mark this point) and from the heel plate or end of the binding to the tail of the ski. For waxable skis, the area between the heel plate and the masking tape is where the grip wax goes.

Just remember to apply glider wax to tips and tails of skis; do not wax the pattern area of no-wax skis and on waxable skis apply grip wax from the heel plate forward to a point 12 - 14 inches in front of the binding.


Glide Wax Application aka Hot Waxing:
First, secure skis firmly to a waxing bench or vise and clean ski bottoms with wax remover.

Use a calibrated or old iron to apply glider wax. If you do not have an old iron and you use your regular clothes iron cover the bottom with aluminum foil to protect it and keep the wax out of the holes. Generally, you want to use an iron that has a smooth bottom. Set the temperature at warm. You want the iron at a temperature so its hot enough to melt the wax, but not so hot that the iron smokes.

For general or recreational skiing, I use Swix CH7 glide wax because it has a wide temperature range. Hold the glider wax against the tip of the iron (with the tip of the iron pointing down toward the ski) and drip wax on the glider areas (tips & tails). Then iron the wax on the ski - just like you iron your clothes, moving the iron back and forth until wax has melted.... about 2 to 3 minutes. Do not leave the iron in on spot too long because excessive heat can bubble the skis base. In other words - keep it moving.

Let the wax cool indoors 15 - 30 minutes and use a plastic scrapper to scrape off the excess wax and make the bases smooth. Dont forget to scrape the wax out of the center groove. The bases can then be polished with a cork, fibertex or a nylon stocking.

Generally, you will glide wax your skis once or twice a year. If the bottoms look whitish or ashy gray, the you need more glider wax.


Kick/Grip Wax Application:

On waxable skis, the kick area (from the heel plate / end of the binding forward to about 12-14 inches in front of the binding) you initially put special green or green kick wax. You never put glide wax in this area because grip wax does not adhere well to glide wax.....like oil and water dont mix. Apply/crayon the wax on and use your iron to smooth it out. Dont forget to wipe off the bottom of the iron first with a rag so that you dont get glider wax in this area. Do this about three or four times - this protects the base. Now you are ready to apply the wax of the day. Iron in one layer of this, the put on a second layer and smooth it out with a cork. Go ski.
.
Over the years, I have found five grip waxes that cover a wide range of conditions:
o Rhode Special Green for cold temps....12f and lower
o Rhode Super Blue for moderate cold temps.....13f - 22f
o Swix Extra Blue for moderate to warm cold temps.....18f - 26f
o Swix Red Special for warm temps........26f - 32f
o Swix Universal Klister for ice, slush and crusty snow

Other:

• Pick one brand of wax and learn to use it well
• Use a scrapper to smooth out klister.....never us a cork to smooth it out
• Wax indoors.....all wax will be softer and easier to apply at room temperature
• Beginners usually need a longer kick wax area than more advanced skiers
• Skis should be clean and dry before applying wax
• The same color waxes from different manufactures are not always interchangeable

Thats all, go ski and have fun.