Kick Skins over Kick Wax

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.
User avatar
Lars_Danner
Posts: 38
Joined: Mon May 04, 2020 3:28 pm
Location: Anchorage Alaska
Ski style: Classic
Favorite boots: Fischer Comfort Pro
Occupation: Adventurer
Website: https://www.LarsDanner.blogspot.com/

Kick Skins over Kick Wax

Post by Lars_Danner » Mon Dec 21, 2020 1:59 pm

Does anyone have experience using skins over kick wax? Kick skins work in all conditions, but it would be nice to have better glide when the conditions favor kick wax. Specifically, for multi-day trips, I am thinking of using a hard (blue toko) kick wax when it is in the teens or colder and kick skins over that in warmer conditions. It may not be optimal in all situations, but if it works it would be easy and require minimal fussing which is really important when you are deep in the backcountry miles away from irons, wax remover, and work-benches.
Lars Danner

See my blog at: LarsDanner.blogspot.com
See my Facebook group at: Adventure Nordic Skiing--Alaska

User avatar
Musk Ox
Posts: 520
Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2019 7:53 am
Location: North
Ski style: Bad
Favorite Skis: I am a circumpolar mammal
Favorite boots: Hooves
Occupation: Eating lichen, walking about

Re: Kick Skins over Kick Wax

Post by Musk Ox » Mon Dec 21, 2020 2:29 pm

Lars_Danner wrote:
Mon Dec 21, 2020 1:59 pm
Does anyone have experience using skins over kick wax? Kick skins work in all conditions, but it would be nice to have better glide when the conditions favor kick wax. Specifically, for multi-day trips, I am thinking of using a hard (blue toko) kick wax when it is in the teens or colder and kick skins over that in warmer conditions. It may not be optimal in all situations, but if it works it would be easy and require minimal fussing which is really important when you are deep in the backcountry miles away from irons, wax remover, and work-benches.
In my experience, skins are fine over blue wax, Lars... I'm pretty sure that's the consensus roundabouts...



User avatar
lilcliffy
Posts: 4157
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2015 6:20 pm
Location: Stanley, New Brunswick, Canada
Ski style: backcountry Nordic ski touring
Favorite Skis: Asnes Ingstad, Combat Nato, Amundsen, Rabb 68; Altai Kom
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska BC; Lundhags Expedition; Alfa Skaget XP; Scarpa T4
Occupation: Forestry Professional
Instructor at Maritime College of Forest Technology
Husband, father, farmer and logger

Re: Kick Skins over Kick Wax

Post by lilcliffy » Tue Dec 22, 2020 7:58 pm

Depends on who you ask this question...

I personally have had no issue with using kicker skins over "hard" grip/kick wax.

By "hard" I mean (in the Swix V-Wax line) blue and colder (I.e. blue-green-polar).

I have slapped my kicker skin over Swix Red-Silver once...once...

(Do you remember that movie "Johnny Dangerously"? "My motha used my kicka skin over soft wax once...once...")

If you ask Asnes they will tell you to remove the kick wax first.

If you ask Fischer they will tell you not to worry about it.
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.



User avatar
Tele kid
Posts: 22
Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2019 8:30 pm
Ski style: Old school Nordic telemark
Favorite Skis: Fisher E-99's
Favorite boots: Andrews North rim

Re: Kick Skins over Kick Wax

Post by Tele kid » Wed Dec 23, 2020 1:51 pm

Good to know. I have brand new Kicker skins. Usually by the time I'm slipping bad enough then most wax is worn off or smoothed out anyway.



User avatar
phoenix
Posts: 873
Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2017 5:44 pm
Location: Northern VT
Ski style: My own
Favorite Skis: Varies,I've had many favorites
Favorite boots: Excursions, T1's
Occupation: I'm occupied

Re: Kick Skins over Kick Wax

Post by phoenix » Wed Dec 23, 2020 8:24 pm

I'm in the blue and colder is OK camp. And will add, I wouldn't try warmer than straight blue.



User avatar
dhdaines
Posts: 41
Joined: Sun Apr 12, 2020 12:50 pm
Location: Sainte-Adèle
Ski style: Scandinavian Skibreaker
Favorite Skis: E99, E99, E99
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska BC, Alpina Alaska BC, Alpina Alaska BC

Re: Kick Skins over Kick Wax

Post by dhdaines » Sat Dec 26, 2020 9:57 pm

I've put them over everything up to V45 (violet special) which is about the limit of where kick wax is really pleasant to use anyway. They don't fall off. The only problem I've had is that softer wax tends to pick up a lot of junk, which then gets transferred to the skin glue, so they look gross and eventually you have to reglue them.



User avatar
jyw5
Posts: 489
Joined: Tue Nov 19, 2019 12:52 am

Re: Kick Skins over Kick Wax

Post by jyw5 » Sun Dec 27, 2020 12:58 am

Hey Lars,

I'm in AK too. I use blue, green, and polar all the time and put skins over them with no problems.



User avatar
athabascae
Posts: 234
Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2015 9:17 pm
Location: Whitehorse, Yukon
Favorite Skis: Asnes MR48; Asnes Ingstad
Favorite boots: Alpina Traverse BC; Alpina Alaska BC

Re: Kick Skins over Kick Wax

Post by athabascae » Mon Dec 28, 2020 7:36 pm

Good info in this thread. Thanks.

Where I live blue IS a warm weather wax! I had only used kicker skins over special green or polar, with no issues. I have been too nervous about using them with extra blue, but will try.



User avatar
fisheater
Posts: 2622
Joined: Fri Feb 19, 2016 8:06 pm
Location: Oakland County, MI
Ski style: All my own, and age doesn't help
Favorite Skis: Gamme 54, Falketind 62, I hope to add a third soon
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska, Alico Ski March
Occupation: Construction Manager

Re: Kick Skins over Kick Wax

Post by fisheater » Mon Dec 28, 2020 9:25 pm

athabascae wrote:
Mon Dec 28, 2020 7:36 pm
Good info in this thread. Thanks.

Where I live blue IS a warm weather wax! I had only used kicker skins over special green or polar, with no issues. I have been too nervous about using them with extra blue, but will try.
Extra blue is when it’s dreamy. Life in the land of red/silver



User avatar
Woodserson
Posts: 2995
Joined: Wed Feb 11, 2015 10:25 am
Location: New Hampshire
Ski style: Bumps, trees, steeps and long woodsy XC tours
Occupation: Confused Turn Farmer

Re: Kick Skins over Kick Wax

Post by Woodserson » Mon Dec 28, 2020 9:54 pm

athabascae wrote:
Mon Dec 28, 2020 7:36 pm
Good info in this thread. Thanks.

Where I live blue IS a warm weather wax! I had only used kicker skins over special green or polar, with no issues. I have been too nervous about using them with extra blue, but will try.
Swooooon



Post Reply