Kinds of Waxes Used to Make Surf Board Wax

Surfing without wax is like running track without cleats, or figure skating with dull blades. Wax is a necessity for gripping your feet to your board. Surf wax has come a long way from the sport's early days in the 1900s of candle wax and the paraffin canning wax (sprinkled with sand for extra traction) prevalent in the 1930s and 1940s. Modern surf waxes have an array of ingredients and various melting points designed for different water temperatures.

  1. Paraffin

    • Paraffin is the basic component in most surf waxes, and it is made from petrochemicals. The use of paraffin wax in the sport originated in 1935, when a surfer named Alfred Gallant decided to try it on his board -- at the time, paraffin was commonly used in households for sealing cans and jars. Gallant's astute solution caught on quickly in the surfing world, and it remained the traction of choice until the late 1960s when other ingredients were added to paraffin to make surf wax.

      The downside of paraffin is the environmental impact: the crude oil-based product eventually ends up off the surfboard and into the ocean, where it can damage delicate ecosystems. Paraffin is the final byproduct in the petroleum refining process, according to the website Surf Science.

    Microcrystalline Wax

    • Microcrystalline wax is what gives surf wax its sticky quality. While paraffin is still the base of most surf waxes on the market, microcrystalline can make up 15 to 20 percent of the ingredients. Other additives such as petroleum jelly, adhesive and dyes and scents are prevalent.

    Beeswax

    • Beeswax is typically the main ingredient in the natural, "organic" waxes on the market, such as the California-based Matunas brand. Known for its flexible, softening properties, beeswax can be mixed with coconut oil to make a basic surf wax, or combined with other natural waxes. Beeswax is naturally more sticky than petroleum-based products, but also rubs off onto clothes more easily.

    Wax Makeup for Different Temperatures

    • If you are surfing in warm water, such as in Hawaii, you want wax that contains less softeners and a harder-base paraffin wax with a higher melting temperature. This harder wax will not melt as easily in the sun; it maintains its stickiness so that you don't slip on your board. For cold water in which wearing a wet suit is required, you want a softer, lower-melting temperature wax. The softer wax is easier to apply and provides better traction when water temperatures dip below 60 degrees Fahrenheit.