Looking for Wax Selection Advice

[Stephen]

Coming from the world of XC racing, it's a bit funny to me to come here and see people asking about fluoros. Ever since the EPA put a ban on Swix and Toko importing fluorinated waxes to the US a couple seasons ago, it's been a HUGE deal for the xc racing community. The EPA ban actually was more coincidental because they were really targeting companies using fluorocarbons for industrial purposes and Swix and Toko just happened to end up on that list of banned companies because of how much fluoros they import. The thing is, that also came at the same time as a lot of research about the lasting and harmful environmental effects of fluoros. Not only are they carcinogenic, they also get deposited on the snow and stay there throughout the year, affecting the local wildlife. FIS, which governs all international ski racing, Alpine and Nordic, banned them for the upcoming season last winter and NENSA, which is the governing body for xc racing in New England has also banned them, so it's a pretty big deal. I know the xcd and telemark community here probably doesn't care too much about the minutia of waxing in the world of xc racing, but it's been really interesting to watch it all unfold. If you're into high performance waxes, it's a very confusing and exciting time as all the big companies are now totally changing their wax lines.

Hi Rainbow83,
Just curious, Is your waxing system or philosophy any different for general XC, vs racing?
Do you see any benefit for race waxes in a recreational setting?
I see the fluoros on sale on Euro websites — maybe there is a lot of it still in the supply chain.
Are manufactures completely moving away from fluoros, or keeping them in some markets?

[Cannatonic]

not to mention the poor ski techs in those little trailers that follow the world cup tour around. I read that some of those guys had unbelievably high levels of PFC's in their bloodstream.

[Jackdied]

“Not to dwell,” but plastic is f’ing killing us, we’re drowning in it.
I try not to think about it...

Getting rid of the MH pants and astroworld pants, you already own won’t make the world a better place — they had to have not been made in the first place.
I’m not judging, just making an observation.

Cast iron for me, SS can release harmful metals.

Yes, I agree with you opinion.

[johral]

Back to wax-
I hope I don't wake up one day and find out I am yet again a hypocrite-
My understanding is that only fluoro ski waxes are toxic-
But what about my beloved non-fluoro grip waxes? I really don't understand their chemical make-up...
I sure hope that my daily ski touring is not contributing to microplastic in the ocean...

Quick question - when you use Polar on the whole ski, do you scrape and brush the glide zones after applying, as you would with a glide wax?

[Woodserson]

Quick question - when you use Polar on the whole ski, do you scrape and brush the glide zones after applying, as you would with a glide wax?

I do not, I buff it with a cork and keep it thin.

[Ptarmigan]

I am glad to see this waxing thread pop up as I also have some questions regarding this. 

My husband and I picked up our new Asnes Nansen skis from Neptune this week and can't wait to use them once there is enough snow. However, I have never owned a pair of waxable classic XC skis. I have a lot of experience waxing our skate skis, tele skis and snowboards, but these involve only applying hydrocarbon glide wax so I don't know much about using kick wax. The Nansen skis will be used in the Colorado mountains so temperatures tend to be pretty cold... at least until the spring.

After talking to some staff at the shop and reading online tutorials, I had been planning on waxing the tips and tails with cold-temp glide wax and then rubbing and ironing in some Swix Polar kick wax into the kick zone (or maybe Swix blue base binder instead? I wasn't sure what would be best.) I then planned to crayon and cork a our daily wax on top of that. However, reading some threads here, it sounds like perhaps I should iron Swix Polar kick wax onto the whole ski, tip to tail instead of just in the kick zone? I would love to get suggestions on what is best (or at least what to try first until I develop more experience)?

Also, tutorials say to sand the kick zone. Taking sandpaper to our new ski bases sounds scary! How can I make sure to sand the correct area? Any tips on that part?

Thanks!

[johral]

After talking to some staff at the shop and reading online tutorials, I had been planning on waxing the tips and tails with cold-temp glide wax and then rubbing and ironing in some Swix Polar kick wax into the kick zone (or maybe Swix blue base binder instead? I wasn't sure what would be best.) I then planned to crayon and cork a our daily wax on top of that. However, reading some threads here, it sounds like perhaps I should iron Swix Polar kick wax onto the whole ski, tip to tail instead of just in the kick zone? I would love to get suggestions on what is best (or at least what to try first until I develop more experience)?

Also, tutorials say to sand the kick zone. Taking sandpaper to our new ski bases sounds scary! How can I make sure to sand the correct area? Any tips on that part?

Thanks!

Will you be skiing on groomed trails or off trail?

[Ptarmigan]

After talking to some staff at the shop and reading online tutorials, I had been planning on waxing the tips and tails with cold-temp glide wax and then rubbing and ironing in some Swix Polar kick wax into the kick zone (or maybe Swix blue base binder instead? I wasn't sure what would be best.) I then planned to crayon and cork a our daily wax on top of that. However, reading some threads here, it sounds like perhaps I should iron Swix Polar kick wax onto the whole ski, tip to tail instead of just in the kick zone? I would love to get suggestions on what is best (or at least what to try first until I develop more experience)?

Also, tutorials say to sand the kick zone. Taking sandpaper to our new ski bases sounds scary! How can I make sure to sand the correct area? Any tips on that part?

Thanks!

Will you be skiing on groomed trails or off trail?

Oops! Forgot that part . We will be backcountry XC skiing off trail or on ungroomed trails.

[fisheater]

I am glad to see this waxing thread pop up as I also have some questions regarding this. 

My husband and I picked up our new Asnes Nansen skis from Neptune this week and can't wait to use them once there is enough snow. However, I have never owned a pair of waxable classic XC skis. I have a lot of experience waxing our skate skis, tele skis and snowboards, but these involve only applying hydrocarbon glide wax so I don't know much about using kick wax. The Nansen skis will be used in the Colorado mountains so temperatures tend to be pretty cold... at least until the spring.

After talking to some staff at the shop and reading online tutorials, I had been planning on waxing the tips and tails with cold-temp glide wax and then rubbing and ironing in some Swix Polar kick wax into the kick zone (or maybe Swix blue base binder instead? I wasn't sure what would be best.) I then planned to crayon and cork a our daily wax on top of that. However, reading some threads here, it sounds like perhaps I should iron Swix Polar kick wax onto the whole ski, tip to tail instead of just in the kick zone? I would love to get suggestions on what is best (or at least what to try first until I develop more experience)?

Also, tutorials say to sand the kick zone. Taking sandpaper to our new ski bases sounds scary! How can I make sure to sand the correct area? Any tips on that part?

Thanks!

I use Polar as the base wax over the entire ski. In the Telewiki section Lilcliffy has a kick wax tutorial thread. While Gareth (Lilcliffy) recommends ironing the polar in, then corking. I just cork the Polar over the entire ski. While I am not saying corking in Polar as a base wax works. I believe ironing will give better results, I’m just cheap and don’t want to waste kick wax.

Now assuming you have a base wax of Polar over the entire ski you simply apply the wax of the day in the kick zone. Keeping it simple on your Nansen call the kick zone from your heel to the X-skin attachment point. I usually crayon on a layer, and cork it in repeating for at least 3 layers. I used to really put a lot of elbow grease into the corking, and really made that wax shine. I now believe that to be unnecessary and even counter productive. Just use the cork to spread it around into an even layer.

Now let’s say you put the wax on and you slip. Before you put a warmer temperature wax on, just extend the wax all the way to the tip. Many times that is all you need. I have only had problems and never any benefit applying wax behind the heel.

So let’s say you extended the wax to the tip and you’re still slipping. No problem, now you apply the next warmer wax. I usually start in the wax pocket area before extending to the tip.

Now let’s say you were slipping with blue, and when you went to red it gripped, but clumped to the bottom of your ski. I’ve found in those circumstances ONE layer of blue back over the red and you have grip and glide.

I live in Michigan and deal with a lot of temps right around or just above freezing. It really isn’t difficult, I just use red/silver. In colder temperatures where you use blue and green it’s pretty simple.

Don’t let people make this complicated. When first applying wax when in doubt lean to the colder wax. If you slip, apply the next wax warmer.

Oh... We will be looking forward to photos!!!
And... the Link to Lilcliffy’s tutorial:

https://www.telemarktalk.com/viewtopic. ... 020#p32020

https://www.telemarktalk.com/viewtopic. ... 020#p32020

[Ptarmigan]

Fisheater, thanks for explaining this so clearly! It helps a lot. I also read through Lilcliffy's tutorial and it provides great information as well. I will give ironing in Swix Polar from tip to tail a try and then apply the wax of the day to the kick zone as you describe for the various situations. I am sure I will get the hang of it with the help of all this valuable advice.