Nordic Ski Wax Tips

Cross country ski wax is designed to provide glide and traction, as opposed to alpine skiing, in which the goal of waxing is to create a slick surface so skiers can soar down the slopes as fast as possible. As such, cross country skiers apply two types of wax to different parts of the ski, applying a glide wax at the tip and tail and a kick wax underfoot in the wax pocket. Selecting the right wax is sometimes difficult, and many serious cross country skiers will bring several waxes with them to the trailhead.

  1. Kick Wax

    • Kick waxes are color coded to match the temperature of the snow. The warmer and wetter the snow, the more friction the skis encounter, whereas the colder and drier the snow, the faster it is. If you are unsure what temperature the snow is, err on the side of a wax for colder temperatures. Generally, blue-coded waxes are better for colder temperatures, and red-coded waxes are designed for warmer temperatures. Another type of kick wax is Klister, which is exceptionally sticky and best used on warm days or when the terrain is icy and you need extra traction. Kick waxes are rubbed on under the wax pocket, which is the area of the ski under the foot that is off the snow when the ski is laid flat. Rub on the wax in even layers from front to back in the pocket. Apply one to two layers. Add more layers to get better traction if the wax doesn't seem to grip enough.

    Glide Waxes

    • Glides waxes, like kick waxes, are temperature dependent. Glide waxes come in several varieties, including rub-on waxes and hot waxes. For ultimate performance, use hot waxes. You need a waxing iron to apply hot waxes. Apply the wax from the tip to the front of the kick wax pocket, and from the end of the kick wax pocket to the tail.With rub-on waxes, simply rub the wax against the base. If you are hot waxing, hold the wax against the iron and drizzle a small amount of wax onto the ski base, then use the iron to iron the wax into the base. .

      Regardless of whether you use hot wax or rub-on wax, you should cover the wax pocket with masking tape so you don't inadvertently apply glide wax to the wax pocket. Cold waxes are usually color-coded white or green. Blue waxes are ideal for most winter conditions, while yellow wax is for warm temperatures. Another type of glide wax is fluoro wax. It is ideal for wet snow because it causes water to bead up like ball bearings and enables the skis to move faster. Fluoro was is usually expensive.

    Base Prep

    • Base prep waxes help the kick and glide waxes stay on the skis longer. Base prep waxes can be applied either by rubbing it on or by using a waxing iron, though a waxing iron will produce better results. Base prep is applied to the entire ski base, from tip to tail.

    Tools

    • In addition to a waxing iron, you will need a plastic scraper and a nylon or horsehair brush for the glide wax. After applying each layer of glide wax, scrape off as much of it as possible with the scraper, holding it at a 45-degree angle to the ski base and moving it from front to back. After removing the excess, use the brush to buff the surface for ideal performance. If you wax your skis often, it is best to purchase a waxing bench with ski clamps to hold the skis while waxing.