This is the World Famous TelemarkTalk / TelemarkTips / Telemark Francais Forum, by far the most dynamic telemark and backcountry skiing discussion board on the world wide web since 1998. East, West, North, South, Canada, US or Europe, Backcountry or not.
This is the World Famous TelemarkTalk / TelemarkTips / Telemark Francais Forum, by far the most dynamic telemark and backcountry skiing discussion board on the world wide web since 1998. East, West, North, South, Canada, US or Europe, Backcountry or not.
This is the World Famous TelemarkTalk / TelemarkTips Forum, by far the most dynamic telemark and backcountry skiing discussion board on the world wide web. We have fun here, come on in and be a part of it.
Swix blue ice klister and Rode's cold ice klisters have limited use but can work well in cold refrozen and very icy/windblown conditions when hard waxes just won't work at all...
Do not apply a huge amount of klister, start with only a single thin bead down the length of the wax pocket, or even slightly shorter, on each side of the tracking groove and use the paddle to spread it very evenly. Let the ski base cool out of the sun, if there is any sun, before you put it on the snow, or the klister might glaze over with ice. After skiing a few minute or more, if you need to, add a bit more further towards the tip rather than adding a second layer.
Remember with klister to apply it sparingly, usually a single thin bead on each side of the tracking groove, down the length of the wax pocket; don't apply gobs of klister in a herringbone like is shown on the Swix box! Use the klister paddle to spread that thin bead in the wax pocket only. No need to cork in. Ski. If the grip needs improving, try extending the klister towards the tips in increments of maybe 10cm/no need to extend any wax towards the tail, past the heel plate, as that just adds drag but has no benefit.
This is the single best piece of klister advice I have ever gotten from this forum. Thank you for this! Rocked my world today, crusty windblown snow on lake, did this on my wax MT51's, flew like the devil, so smooth, so efficient.
The chevron/herringbone crap is what screwed me all up for years and turned me off the stuff. Why didn't I think of it.
Thanks again man for taking the time, really. Fantastique.
This is the single best piece of klister advice I have ever gotten from this forum. Thank you for this! Rocked my world today, crusty windblown snow on lake, did this on my wax MT51's, flew like the devil, so smooth, so efficient.
The chevron/herringbone crap is what screwed me all up for years and turned me off the stuff. Why didn't I think of it.
Thanks again man for taking the time, really. Fantastique.
Thank you very much, I'm flattered that my suggestions would be useful to you and maybe others.
No need to be afraid of klister anymore!
"To me, gracefulness on skis should be the end-all of the sport" --Stein Eriksen
This is the single best piece of klister advice I have ever gotten from this forum. Thank you for this! Rocked my world today, crusty windblown snow on lake, did this on my wax MT51's, flew like the devil, so smooth, so efficient.
The chevron/herringbone crap is what screwed me all up for years and turned me off the stuff. Why didn't I think of it.
Thanks again man for taking the time, really. Fantastique.
Thank you very much, I'm flattered that my suggestions would be useful to you and maybe others.
No need to be afraid of klister anymore!
I had read somewhere those klister scrapers weren’t any good, and keep it simple and use your thumb. Well, I figured you correct about what I knew, I would give the klister scraper a try. It gave better results, and a less sticky thumb!
Good input. As a keen teenager, I also started with the herring bone application as shown in descriptions. After having struggled getting anywhere, I just called it a day. After complaining about it to my father, he instructed me that less is more when it comes to klister.
I find that applying it shorter in the wax pocket vs regular wax is beneficial, e.g. just a couple of inches in front of the binding to the back of the heel.
Fun fact, klister in Swedish means glue. Appropriate, no?
I could never figure out the logic for the chevrons.
I assume there must be SOME reason for that technique — anyone know?
Seems like it would be like having cleats.
I know its supposed to be spread out flat, but seems unlikely to end up being even, and application seems like a PITA, carefully making little chevron stripes.
I just run a bead down each side of the groove, and use a “scraper” to putty knife it flat.
@Stephen, I believe the chevron thing is about optimization for water dispersal, much like how the ptex of the ski's base has a certain structure to it that is designed to funnel water out from under the ski, and the same reason you always wax/scrape/brush from tip to tail, for maximum gliding efficiency. Of course, some readers here on TelemarkTalk may be wondering what I'm talking about as they slap Swix Polar on over their entire base, to which I say, it' a racing thing. All I know is that whenever the coaches klistered my skis for me, they did the chevron thing, and the skis always had supreme grip and glide. In fact, now that I say that, I think it may also have to do with having a pattern that grips and glides unidirectionally, although I'm not really sure about that. Anyways, it's probably not really relevant for touring much at all, and I doubt any benefit over just running a bead is significant.
I believe the chevron thing is about optimization for water dispersal, much like how the ptex of the ski's base has a certain structure to it that is designed to funnel water out from under the ski, and the same reason you always wax/scrape/brush from tip to tail, for maximum gliding efficiency. Of course, some readers here on TelemarkTalk may be wondering what I'm talking about as they slap Swix Polar on over their entire base, to which I say, it' a racing thing. All I know is that whenever the coaches klistered my skis for me, they did the chevron thing, and the skis always had supreme grip and glide. In fact, now that I say that, I think it may also have to do with having a pattern that grips and glides unidirectionally, although I'm not really sure about that. Anyways, it's probably not really relevant for touring much at all, and I doubt any benefit over just running a bead is significant.
I can see that, especially in wet warm snow with non-blue klister, as opposed to the dry old cold snow we have now.
Great lake skiing this past week in central NH with 1-2" of refrozen wet snow on hard ice. Maybe you had the same in MA? Hoping you go out.
...I believe the chevron thing is about optimization for water dispersal, much like how the ptex of the ski's base has a certain structure to it that is designed to funnel water out from under the ski, and the same reason you always wax/scrape/brush from tip to tail, for maximum gliding efficiency. ... it' a racing thing. ...it's probably not really relevant for touring ...
Good points! Most touring skiers are less inclined to elaborate their waxing overall, kinda a "keep-it-simple" solution vs. technical solutions so widely used in machine set tracks to eke out a few extra seconds or milliseconds...but it does overlap; I think racers, and those nordic center users with good classic experience, make great backcountry skiers. They, as you, have a bigger bag of tricks, so to speak, that they can use in difficult waxing conditions.
But that brings up another point; having worked at a nordic center for many seasons, until very recently, I rarely saw classic skiers, it's mostly freestylers...
"To me, gracefulness on skis should be the end-all of the sport" --Stein Eriksen
