How to Wax Cross Country Skis at Home

One of the benefits of cross country skis is the ability to do most of the work on the skis yourself. Cross country skis require a minimum of upkeep, with the majority of that being the waxing. Wax your skis at home to keep them in maximum performance mode throughout the season. As a general rule of thumb, the skis require one application of glide wax at the beginning of the season and kick wax added each day you ski.

Things You'll Need

  • Work bench
  • C-clamps or ski vise
  • Glide wax stick
  • Waxing iron
  • Kick wax selection
  • Cork
  • Scraper
  • Horsehair brush
  • Outdoor thermometer
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Instructions

  1. Glide Wax

    • 1

      Place the cross country skis onto the work bench so the bases are facing up. Clamp them down or put them into the ski vise. Turn the waxing iron on and let it heat.

    • 2

      Hold the iron over the ski bases and push the glide wax stick onto the iron's nose. Let the glide wax drip onto the ski bases, allowing a few droplets for each inch of the ski bases.

    • 3

      Iron down the ski bases so the glide wax becomes smooth and clear on the ski base surface. Scrape off the sides of the ski bases to remove excess glide wax. Brush down the bases with the horsehair brush. The skis are ready for kick wax and do not need more glide wax for the season.

    Kick Wax

    • 4

      Set the skis outside at least one hour prior to the ski of the day. Let the skis acclimatize to the outside temperatures.

    • 5

      Get the temperature off the outside thermometer and select a kick-wax appropriate for the temp.

    • 6

      Smear kick wax on the ski base, between the end of the binding heel plate and the front toe-box. Use the cork on the kick wax to create friction and smooth the wax into the base.