Newbie wax and snow question

[mca80]

It snowed about 1.5" (3.8cm) while 12F (-12C) this morning, and had dropped to 8F (-13C) when I went out in later afternoon. I put a few layers of green on. The attached pictures show the amount of snow sticking to wax. Seems like green was right per instructions. Am I doing something wrong in waxing? Too thick? Why would so much snow stick? It brushed off easily with a glove, but still seems not correct to me.

A second question relates to the first, regarding snow condition. I went on a very old, former single track trail that is now closed to 4wheeler use and hadn't been touched by humans this winter. The vast majority of the nearly 2 feet of snow on the ground has fallen without temps getting to freezing so was dry and fluffy and probably a bad idea to even ski it because the dog was in up past his belly, although he got a great workout. Anyway, that was the snow condition for today's short hike. I was sinking in deep with 190cm Nansens, especially in the middle of the skis everytime I tried to K&G. It was basically like walking with flexible sticks on. Is this my poor technique or is that snow simply too deep and light?

You have all been quite helpful so far, so thanks in advance.

[fisheater]

That really doesn’t look like it was sticking badly. Were you kicking and gliding or merely walking? I ask because if I were merely walking, because say I was going up a steep grade, I could definitely see having a bit of snow sticking like that. I would also expect that snow to come clean with a slide of the ski.
Remedies include corking, nylon brushing, and maybe a light scraping, or a quick wipe of polar over the top.
I will also plug Rex Universal Tar wax for cold powder. It’s rated down to -25 C. I don’t know if it works that cold, but it’s great in powder at blue and green temperature, and I don’t have to think very much. If it’s cold, and it’s powder, Rex Universal will work well.
As for the ski bowing a bit, I would think that is a function of where your weight comes in on Asnes’ ratings. The ski is said to be supportive, but maybe the powder was just super light? There is a reason Finnish forest skis are 270 cm long

[mca80]

When able to I was kicking and gliding. When I could not, I was walking. But I took that photo after getting home, following a few hundred feet of gliding down moderate grade in my prior tracks to get back to the road to walk home (I brushed the one ski off), so the snow should have come off eh?

Powder was very light I presume; I could stick swix pole with leather basket down a foot.

Will get some Rex Universal per your reco.

When does one use a nylon brush? I corked as hard as I could, a few times.

As for bowing, I got a clear size longer than weight reco. But the Nansen seems to have a lot of flex and low 2nd camber from what I have read here and what little I know and have observed.

[fisheater]

If you easily brushed the snow off, typically the snow would self clean on the glide.
I get more shine on wax with my natural cork, so that is what I would use to eliminate some minor sticking, followed by a good brushing. That being said said I use my synthetic cork a lot more. It took me a long time to realize that usually the synthetic cork is best for my uses. It doesn’t seem to generate as much heat to spread the wax. So I believe I get better grip, with a thinner coat of wax. This is just what I do, I’m just a guy from tropical southern Michigan.
As for the bow, we all experiment with skis a bit. We learn and try different things. That Lake Superior powder can be pretty light. I’m sure Nansen will serve you well most of the time

[mca80]

I will also plug Rex Universal Tar wax for cold powder. It’s rated down to -25 C. ... There is a reason Finnish forest skis are 270 cm long

Does it smell good? I used to use pine tar soap, gotta get some more of that to use in the sauna. How do they navigate tight trees and brush with such long skis? This has me intrigued--I may look for some long wood skis. I was hoping to cover a lot of ground looking for hare tracks and then resting and waiting with .22 in hand.

And yes, Nansen has been a dream thus far, but I don't have much experience for comparison. Prior to today I skiied trails that had been used by others--if not recently then at some point, so there was compacted base under whatever new powder accumulated.

[Stephen]

Wax is science and art.
Green might be the wax, per the charts, but not in real life (your experience today).
There are degrees of wax being too soft.
Really bad, and it would take a scraper to get off.
Almost right, and it would drag and stick like it did for you, but brush off easily.
I think most of us know the frustration of wax that has great grip, but is also dragging.
The wonder of wax is that, when right, it’s like magic.
Grip and magical glide.

So, like @fisheater said, you probably only needed minor adjustment to nail it.
A bit less wax, a light swipe and cork of polar, a few more miles, a bit warmer and it would work.

If it was me in those conditions, depending on what I had with me, I would try a light coat of a harder wax as first option, or a light scape of the green as the second option.

The Nansens are popular in Norway, for example, which generally has high moisture content snow which tends to consolidate.
You had the opposite conditions.
This is why a lot of people have more than one pair of skis.
Not saying you should…

Maybe a set of inexpensive longer skis, wood or something like E99, would be good to have for those sorts of days.
@lilcliffy might have used something like the Ingstad for that snow — maybe he’ll chime in?

[the Big Mao]

I was thinking the wax might have been just a little too much on the one ski in the photo, given those conditions. Wax just a little less next time and see if it makes a difference. And good hunting! I should stir my stumps and take the S-Bounds out for that myself!! Our snow's boiler plate after a decent rain though, so it's not fun, and won't show any tracks. Crunching around on the crust beats shovelling it though.

[mca80]

Wax is science and art.

The Nansens are popular in Norway, for example, which generally has high moisture content snow which tends to consolidate.
You had the opposite conditions.
This is why a lot of people have more than one pair of skis.
Not saying you should…

Maybe a set of inexpensive longer skis, wood or something like E99, would be good to have for those sorts of days.

Thanks for the response. Sounds like experience in my local conditions will eventually lead me to discovery. The drag wasn't that bad. As Bob said, the snow stick didn't seem that bad, just being new it looked bad to me but the glide was ok. Not superb but ok.

More than 1 pair of skis is fine with me, I will have a few very specific needs and then the Nansens for all around.

Wood skis specifically for deep powder forest treks sounds good. These would be limited in distance if dog is with because he would get tired more quickly. Mostly if I went out in such conditions it would be to hunt and/or take deep powder a couple two three miles till it reaches groomed trails and then cruise those for fun.

[lilcliffy]

It snowed about 1.5" (3.8cm) while 12F (-12C) this morning, and had dropped to 8F (-13C) when I went out in later afternoon. I put a few layers of green on. The attached pictures show the amount of snow sticking to wax. Seems like green was right per instructions. Am I doing something wrong in waxing? Too thick? Why would so much snow stick? It brushed off easily with a glove, but still seems not correct to me.

A few points/questions-

What was the feel like underfoot? Did it feel like the snow was globbing up and preventing the ski from gliding underfoot?

My point here is if the ski is gliding- then DO NOT worry if there is fresh snow sticking to the wax-

Techinically the kick wax must "stick" to the snow in order for it to offer any grip-

If there is no glide- the kick wax is too soft- scrape it off and switch to a harder grip/kick wax.

Over the years I have listened to and read an incredible number of reports of skiers concerned/confused about fresh snow sticking to grip wax-

These are either:
a) skiers with no experience
b) skiers with no experience with grip/kick wax

For example- my wife- an expert downhill skier- still is confused by grip wax- for her, wax is for 1 purpose = glide- and if wax is sticking to snow = there must be something wrong with it!
(FYI- she certainly appreciates and loves an efficitively grip-waxed touring ski- but she still is confused by it...)

The vast majority of the nearly 2 feet of snow on the ground has fallen without temps getting to freezing so was dry and fluffy and probably a bad idea to even ski it

NO! This is the stuff of dreams man! You just need to figure it out!
These are the conditions when I wish I didn't have a day job- or wish I had a job I could step away from at a moment's notice and hit that snow! I will do anyhting to ski those conditions- including skiing at night and destroying my legs on my days off!

I was sinking in deep with 190cm Nansens, especially in the middle of the skis everytime I tried to K&G. It was basically like walking with flexible sticks on. Is this my poor technique or is that snow simply too deep and light?

There is no way a ski that short and narrow underfoot is going to float high in the snow column- especially in snow like that.
If you want to float higher- you need a ski that is either longer and/or wider.
Anthing over 70mm underfoot is going to be downhill-oriented and although it "might" offer higher flotation- a donwhill ski is not going to track like a XC ski.
The Finns (and Siberians) use straight and VERY long skis for XC skiing in this kind of snow.

On the other hand- what if you "got over" sinking and tried to get your curreent touring ski to perform better in those conditions?

I can't remember your metrics but IIRC you are lighter than me (I would not want a ski shorter than 205 for Nordic touring in that kind of snow).

In that kind of snow- my approach:
very hard grip wax on the ENTIRE base (e.g. Swix Polar)- at that temp I doubt you need any kick wax at all...
(It has been very cold here for a few weeks and I have been on almost exclusively Polar wax)

What is your base prep? Glide wax on the shovel/tail?

The Nansen has a stable flex- you can get that ski to perform in that snow- but it is not going to float on top of it.
Your problem sounds like a grip-glide problem.

[Stephen]

@the Big Mao he wiped the snow off of the one ski for illustration.

@mca80, if you go with wood skis, you might look into carrying an emergency ski tip with you. Wood is less robust than the newer skis. Or at least some duct tape so you could splint a broken ski tip.
That’s one of those “Don’t ask me how I know” things.