Very few recreational skiers wax their skis enough. Big deal you say? I don’t want to go fast anyway? Wrong on both counts! Don’t fall into the idea that wax is not a key element of ski performance. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that once a year is enough. Don’t think that waxing skis regularly is not an important part of ski maintenance. Waxing should be important to you for multiple reasons.
From a fun and performance standpoint, waxing makes the skis glide more evenly and smoothly through the different types of snow we encounter on each run. You have all experienced the sudden jolt of hitting a slush puddle but did you consider that minor variations of this happen all the time on every run? Waxing minimizes this effect and makes us better skiers who are having more fun
Waxing is also good for your skis general health. Ski bases accept wax not just onto the surface of the base but INTO the base which keeps it from drying out. Just as your skin dries and gets chalky and flaky if it is too dry, your base has the same needs. A base that gets too dry will get a sort of furry feel texture which makes it very sticky and grabby on the snow. This will make it harder to ski well. Not irreversible, this can be fixed but at some cost to you. A new wax job will not fix this damage. The ski must be stone ground to cut past the damaged surface. If left too long, the base can even dry to the point where it can shrink and pull away from the edges. This allows moisture to get into the skis core the next time you ski. This can ruin your prize skis.
How often do I need to wax my skis? This is a good question with a tough answer. Most of our employees check our bases every ski day and wax after most ski days, but we are admittedly geeks. You really need to wax every 1-10 ski days depending on snow conditions. Wet snow has a more abrasive structure that leads to more frequent wax needs. Fluffy dry powder snow may mean you do not have to wax for a dozen days or more. How to tell if your skis need wax? Well, the best tip is to get a good visual feel for your bases. A freshly waxed ski will have a rich deep black look. As the wax dissipates it will look less black and more dull and chalky. If it looks gray instead of black it should be waxed asap (areas near the edge usually show this first). If it looks very gray and has a light fuzzy texture instead of smooth, it is long overdue!
There are different types of wax jobs. Here are the basics ones you may consider:
A real hot wax is done with an iron. It takes at least 20 minutes to do it right. Prolonged exposure to heat will open up the porous base and drive wax deep into it. Cooling, scraping, and buffing are important components of a hot wax.
Many resorts and shops advertise “hot wax” specials for about $5. This usually entails running your skis over a roller that runs through a vat of “hot wax”. Many times you are still standing on the skis and simply glide over the roller right on the slopes. Not necessarily a bad thing, but not a “real” hot wax; really more of a “topical” wax treatment.
This is typically the stuff that gets rubbed or sprayed on the ski base without the use of heat. Buffing it in will help but this really only puts a coat on the surface. Topical waxes certainly have their place but for the average Joe, this is not a substitute for a hot wax. TIP: Topical waxing every day will prolong the durability of a hot wax and will save you time and money in the long run.
We built a “hot box” a few years ago to deliver the best wax penetration possible. While a standard hot wax uses heat to drive wax deep into the ski, the hot box is simply the next step. Wax is generously applied to the base and the skis are then placed into a heated storage box for an extended period of time. Multiple sessions are sometimes necessary to fully penetrate the thickness of the base. The final product is a base that is fully saturated with wax. A necessity for racers to be competitive, many of our recreational customers have become addicted. You can surely tell the difference!
There are many different brands and types of waxes out there. Unless you do your own work don’t worry about it. Waxing with a candle is probably better than not waxing at all in most cases. For most tunes and hot wax work we use a universal wax which is pretty good for general California conditions other than spring skiing (see below).
Racers have their own deal which is based on speed. No need to address that here. What is of importance is spring condition waxes. We have special waxes to deal with sticky California spring snow. If you are going to ski in California when the weather is warm, come by. We can recommend some special “juice” to make your day soo much better!
The most simple tech task and it can save you lot’s of $$$, we encourage everyone to consider doing their own wax work.
I attempted to write a description of the layman’s waxing process and found it very difficult. Pictures would really help, I thought. A better way to describe the process than what I had written was necessary. To this end I looked on line at what others had written. I found this site and decided to give you the link and come back to try it again myself at a later time.
IMPORTANT: We feel that waxing at home is easy and important for your skis general health and well being. To that end we are happy to meet you at the end of our business day and give you a live demonstration free of charge. Better yet bring your own skis and for the usual fee we will let you do the work yourself (with instruction of coarse). Talk about a win-win situation! Just call ahead and we will make the time.
Here is the link to the basic process: skicenter.com/service/waxing.htm