Waxing

[Jay's Dip Powcher]

Quick question, how important is waxing to the base of the ski and it's chemistry? Other than the glide factor what happens to the base when not waxed? Any breakdown? Just turn white and not glide as well?
If you do not care about going fast is it really necessary?

I think it is but had this question come up and I had no chemical reason for waxing other than "to protect the base"

[nick > jesus]

waxing keeps the base from drying out and cracking,

[INDY GS]

Waxing is not purely about speed. It is about performance of the ski. A ski with bad edges and no wax will ski like shit, a ski with good edges and no wax will ski like shit, a ski with good edges and a decent wax job will ski well and perform like it was intended to.

Waxing helps lubricate the base to provide less friction when sliding across the snow. would you run your car without oil? the base will turn white, and get lots of micro hairs, start to feel rough and essentially wear itself out. I have seen bad skis before, but never seen irreversable damage done, but could imagine it happening.

When people come into the shop and I suggest a tune up, if they know nothing about skis their first comment is, but I don't like to go fast. My suggestion is to ski slow then, but on a tuned ski.

[Jay's Dip Powcher]

Waxing is not purely about speed. It is about performance of the ski. A ski with bad edges and no wax will ski like shit, a ski with good edges and no wax will ski like shit, a ski with good edges and a decent wax job will ski well and perform like it was intended to.

Waxing helps lubricate the base to provide less friction when sliding across the snow. would you run your car without oil? the base will turn white, and get lots of micro hairs, start to feel rough and essentially wear itself out. I have seen bad skis before, but never seen irreversable damage done, but could imagine it happening.

When people come into the shop and I suggest a tune up, if they know nothing about skis their first comment is, but I don't like to go fast. My suggestion is to ski slow then, but on a tuned ski.

Good advice and answer, thanks

[Huckwheat]

Waxing is not purely about speed. It is about performance of the ski. A ski with bad edges and no wax will ski like shit, a ski with good edges and no wax will ski like shit, a ski with good edges and a decent wax job will ski well and perform like it was intended to.

Well, you sounds like you definately know what you are talking about, but......

What kind of percentage difference are we talking? 4% slower with no wax, or 25%.

I have skied the same explosives for 3 years, and they have never seen wax. Every so often I run a file (usually in the parking lot). In general I am a lazy slob when it comes to this......my only saving grace is skiing Squaw, where it is usually powder or slush.

The above said, I pretty much keep with most anybody.....and if not, it isnt the wax.

[strawjack]

Well, you sounds like you definately know what you are talking about, but......

What kind of percentage difference are we talking? 4% slower with no wax, or 25%.

I have skied the same explosives for 3 years, and they have never seen wax. Every so often I run a file (usually in the parking lot). In general I am a lazy slob when it comes to this......my only saving grace is skiing Squaw, where it is usually powder or slush.

The above said, I pretty much keep with most anybody.....and if not, it isnt the wax.

if the snow is really cold you will notice not having a good wax job sooner then if its 25 degrees or so. the colder the snow the sharper it is...if its sharp it will make your skis feel sticky.

having a good wax just makes your skis run smoother and obviously faster on the flats and runouts. i didn't wax my skis much for yrs and it didn't bother me because i didn't no any different. once you spoil urself its all over...no turning back! wax on wax off

[Huckwheat]

Yeah, that makes sense....and is why I dont notice too much.

In tahoe 20 degrees is a cold day.....half the time it is 40 degrees. And in 40 degrees no wax is best!!! (I am just making this up....no idea really).

[strawjack]

ya, spring conditions we'd run an aggresive base pattern w/ the stone grinder and a good warm wax to make the ski base more hydrophobic which brakes the suction between ski and snow.

when its really cold or really warm is when a good wax makes the biggest difference imo.

[INDY GS]

ya, spring conditions we'd run an aggresive base pattern w/ the stone grinder and a good warm wax to make the ski base more hydrophobic which brakes the suction between ski and snow.

when its really cold or really warm is when a good wax makes the biggest difference imo.

The man speaks the truth. I can't offer a percentage per se, but in any condition you will see a performance difference using appropriate waxc or universal wax. Your typical conditions for a freeride ski, in mammoth sound like the ideal conditions for a lazy ski tuner. However if you were racing, you would see a strong difference in a waxwd and unwaxed ski. just skiing with your bros, prolly not.

[booner]

Follow thw advice your mother once gave me and "wax that shit" son...sorry I had to

[upallnight]

can't say the performance difference between wax and no wax (or between the right wax for the temp and the wrong wax)... but a nordic center published these results illustrating the redux in glide as measured as snow temp drops.

(also: huckwheat -- there's a difference between air temp & snow temp.)

snow temp (F) / glide speed (mph) / % redux in speed
28 / 18 / na
20 / 17 / -5%
10 / 15 / -11%
-4 / 12 / -33%
-10 / 8 / -56%

at extremely low temps, nothing really helps -- you definitely notice a huge speed reduction when the ski is waxed or not. at the higher temps (snow temp 28 - 32+), i notice a much bigger difference between a waxed ski and an unwaxed one.

improved glide speed is just one reason to wax; a properly waxed ski will handle better/turn more easily.

then again, HW, wax doesn't matter when you spend so much time in the air! ;-)