When to Drop a Knee

[FourthCoast]

Then I guess I am not sure what to try next. I am looking at doing laps on small hills most likely. Do you have a suggestion for smooth transitions from up to down to up?

[Andy M]

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[fisheater]

Then I guess I am not sure what to try next. I am looking at doing laps on small hills most likely. Do you have a suggestion for smooth transitions from up to down to up?

I find I can use kick (grip) wax for really all my skiing here in Michigan. I cork on a base of Swix polar, and then use the appropriate color of wax based upon temperature. My wax quiver has grown to Polar (White), green, blue, violet, red, red/silver. I could get by without red, and violet. There is a nice shop on M-72 just west of Grayling that is my wax hook up. I do have a pair of Asnes kicker skins, and I do have an S-112 waxless, but wax and a herringbone handles our moderate climbs in the lower peninsula. There are some long trails, with some climbs that I would want the kicker skins in my pocket just in case. However I have been getting by with wax, herring bone, and a little sidestepping for a few years. It’s really wax for the most part, and figuring out the easiest and most fun route. I’m really good at finding the steepest climbs, and the most gentle descents my first time through an area. Not a talent I really appreciate.

[FourthCoast]

I am giving the wax at least one more try. I stripped the glide wax off and hot waxed one layer of swix polar. Then I corked in two layers of swix polar on top of that.

Today we finally had snow. Wet heavy stuff.

I started out corking in swix blue under the toe piece. It was about a foot long. It was a lot easier to get the blue on the ski and corked in until it was no longer visible. Good advice from cliffy on hot waxing polar first.

I let the skis cool down for maybe 20 minutes in the garage then I went outside. I had no grip. Just after that it started raining so it was obviously warmer than when I checked the temp. Thinking again about moving to the UP.

I tried to get a nice consistent layer of swix red on the ski but it was like trying to cork in bubble gum. It clumped up and actually ripped off little specks of my cork.

It did give some grip but I think I need it on the whole ski to do any climbing.

Is it possible that my eBay wax kit is so old that the red expired and went bad? Any advice on how to get an even layer of the red wax corked in?

[jyw5]

I seem to have the most success just hot waxing polar, wait for it to cool, and then corking it. Then repeat several times with color of the day. grip and glide are excellent. Then touch up after a run or two with skin wax like the bicolor colltex for glide and anti glomp and more grip wax in the kick zone. I buy my wax from reputable places...never on ebay. I don't know about why your red isnt spreading well... I just think it isn't worth trying to save a few dollars especially since waxes lasts a long time.

for steep climbs I still use skins. I have Pomoca Race Pro 2.0 mohair full skins that easily remove without taking the skis off. Polar and blue don't affect the glue.

[FourthCoast]

Thank you for taking the time to respond, jyw5. I have no idea what I am doing and I have been somewhat stingy about how I am buying things like wax.

Are you saying that you hot wax the color of the day on top of polar?

I tried again and had a lot more luck getting a layer of red wax on at room temperature and a slightly warm base. Maybe I had the wrong idea thinking I could wax and cork out in the cold-ish weather.

I am having fun playing with my skis. Thanks for the help.

[fisheater]

I was out today. Corked in blue at the house, heel to toe. I wasn’t fooling myself I knew blue was a long shot. Skied maybe 100 yards, slipping all over, so tried purple heel to shovel. I gave that 200 yards maybe, then went straight to red/silver. I don’t bother with red anymore. I find myself starting out with the synthetic cork. I usually finish my hard waxes with natural cork, but I have grudgingly admitted to myself that the synthetic cork really spreads soft wax well.
By the way, I stopped slipping with the red/silver. I didn’t have good glide through 6” of heavy snow, but I didn’t have good glide with blue when I first started.
It was really tough out there today.... and I was sooo thankful for getting out!

[jyw5]

If you are in warmer weather with soft wet snow, I think the combo of ironed on polar + red probably works great. So far, we haven't been warm enough for me to try red wax on my new skis...but the days that are above 10F, the polar + blue have been awesome. I iron and cork in 2 layers of polar tip to tail, then wait for the iron and skis to cool a bit then iron and cork the blue in the kick zone.

I have not had to use blue from tip to tail as it has been fairly cold and it seems my method is working with good grip, glide, and good downhill control when the conditions are right...new light dry snow, 15F, sunny, no wind.

[lowangle al]

Waxing for rainy conditions would be pretty tough so don't get down about having a hard time.

Your glide waxing with the polar sounds good, I just cork in a couple thin layers and reapply every couple times out.

As far as putting on a foot of blue under your toe piece, I don't think it was enough even if the temps were right. You need to go from about heel to shovel like fish said. I have also found it's also possible to cork your kick wax too much. It could just be due to my huge muscles but if I cork it too hard it makes the wax work like a harder one. Some times I'll do it to get better glide if the wax is a little soft.

Red wax is tough to get smooth. After applying a kick wax I pull the plastic side of my scraper down the ski base like you would back blade with a snow plow or road grader to smooth out any lumps. Then I cork it with lightly with not too much pressure. Sometimes when I'm waxing on the go I'll just "cork" it in with my palm. Like fish above I've also givin up on red and gone to red/silver.

Waxing is variable and it's possible if I put a lot more on I would be able to cork it harder, you have to find what works for you.

[FourthCoast]

Thanks fish and Al and jyw5. I eventually put red on the whole ski and was able to work up my backyard with lots of switchbacks. I would like to be able to climb straight up a hill at this angle but maybe this is the limit of what wax can do?

The place you recommend, fish, is out of stock in the red/silver according to the website. I ordered some from racewax.com.

It is 18 degrees and big fluffy lake effect snow is falling in the yard!

Now I am looking at the the blue and green. 18 seems right in between those two.