Classic crosscountry skis are long and narrow with no shape. Cross country skiing ski waxing tips cross country skiing. The primary type of downhill ski wax comes in hard blocks that are melted on to the ski with an iron. They sell and service cross country skis, and hold free clinics and howto classes on cross country skiing and ski waxing. Classic cross country skis long and narrow with very little, if any, side cut. Choose 2 or 3 grip waxes that cover the range of temperatures youre likely to ski, and stick with them until youre familiar with each. Fast wax s dan meyer shows best practices for waxing your nordic skis. The idea is that you are taking long gliding strides on skis. Typically do not have metal edges which can make turning in backcountry areas interesting. When you step onto the new ski, first you glide on it. Corks, polishers and scrapers cross country ski shop.
Ski and snowboard at the 2017 nordic world cup in davos, switzerland. Cross country skiing ski waxing tips cross country. Cross country ski shop has the equipment for waxing and tuning your skis. Ive been a recreational cross country skier my entire life x country skiing was even part of the primary school curriculum in bc 25yrs ago when i switched from scales to waxed skis i of course bought all of the different colours of wax, and the super sticky klistar, but honestly, i only ever use blue wax, because i really dont have much fun. Waxing skis is simple, but waxing skis so they glide effortlessly across the snow is an art that takes loads of practice. Waxing your waxless crosscountry skis for beginner and.
Experienced waxers can take this for what its worth. Downhill wax basically has to be hard and slippery. Cross country heads to nordic world ski championships feb 17, 2015. Yes, you have to wax your no wax cross country skis ski haus. Mens 50km mass start classic cross country skiing full event vancouver 2010 winter olympics duration. Although not all of us ski as pros, ski wax is still important if we want to preserve our skis and enjoy a smooth experience on the mountain. Grip waxing for classic skiing can be difficult to master, especially when the temperature hovers around 0 degrees celsius. Including, restoring the structure in the glide zones, steel brush, fibertex, hotscrape cleaning, hot waxing, priming the glide zone with soft glide. Learn from a ski tuning expert how to properly maintain your skis by properly waxing and brushing your base for speed and smoothness while also learning. Between lone mountain ranch and the miles of groomed ski trails around the greater gallatin county region, nordic skiing, and specifically skate skiing, is one of the best activities for getting into the woods and away from the crowds, fast. A guide to simple and affordable cross country ski performance and maintenance mar 27, 2018 8.
Rei has a few twin cities locations in bloomington, maple grove and roseville. A hand grind can be used in wet snow conditions to put in a temporary imprint in the base structure of the ski. This nonfluorinated wax performs best in temps between 22f and 14f. When youre planning to hit the trails and are in need of some extra grip to help you along the way, give a pair of waxless cross country skis from the skirack a try.
Ymca snow mountain ranch offers free waxing clinics on saturday mornings from 9. This is the area under the ski from about 6 to 8 inches 15 to 20 cm in front of your foot to the heel see illustration. Video hot waxing technique cross country video demonstrates how to properly hot wax cross country skis. The waxing of cross country skis can be a tricky business. They sell and service cross country skis, and hold. While the wax is still soft, remove as much as possible with a plastic scraper. For the most part, youre only concerned with the application of grip wax in the kick zone.
You can use hard wax, klister wax or liquid spray wax, depending on the conditions. This saves the regular chore of choosing and applying a temperature specific gripwax to. Dont heat up the ski enough to have the wax absorbed by the ski the ski will simply absorb the dirt as well. Dec 14, 2009 learn how to wax skis for both a glide and high performance cross country skiing in mind. Sochi 2014 canadian olympic cross country ski team announced jan 14, 2014. When the water content is high, additional structure will allow the water to channel off the base of the ski, freeing it to glide as it should. Ive been a recreational crosscountry skier my entire life xcountry skiing was even part of the primary school curriculum in bc 25yrs ago when i switched from scales to waxed skis i of course bought all of the different colours of wax, and the super sticky klistar, but honestly, i only ever use blue wax, because i really dont have much fun. You may wish to try porcupine ski runners watch for waxing clinics at the club so that you can learn to do it yourself or you can leave your skis with us and we will wax them for the following week.
Finn sisu is the twin cities dedicated cross country ski store. It is a good idea to spray the base, especially the kick zone, with wax remover and wipe it clean with a base cleaning paper or paper towel. Waxless ski maintenance, part 2 cross country ski indiana. I crosscountry ski for enjoyment, exploration, and exercise not racing, so my skis are. Learn how to wax skis for both a glide and high performance cross country skiing in mind. The rest of this article will focus on choosing the best glide wax for downhill skiing. Buy corks for skis, polishers for skis, scrapers for skis from cross country ski shop in. Dec 14, 2006 do a surface hot wax with a cheap, soft wax. Waxless ski maintenance, part 1 cross country ski indiana. Cross country ski wax buy ski tuning equipment here.
The trouble is glide waxing requires an investment of time and money. Due to a shortage of volunteers, waxing services are currently suspended until further notice. Videos on cross country ski waxing nordic ski colorado. Cross country wax has to grip when you push off, so it is usually much softer that downhill waxes. A waxing table that with slots for mounting crosscountry ski profiles. Fitzpatrick estimates he has waxed 5,000 pairs of cross country skis since 1978, when he started ski racing. Hot waxing is the preferred method used by competitive skiers, and typically provides more durable and penetrating results. The town of big sky, and big sky country in general, is a mecca for nordic skiing. Cover the ski with little blotches of wax from tip to tail. The right ski wax will help you glide faster and more smoothly down the slopes, making it easier to turn and control your skis. When you take on a waxable ski, you need to have some knowledge about waxing and wax selection, says mccoy. They carry glide wax, grip wax, klisters, base cleaning products, ski holders, snow thermometers and ski profile wax benches.
Make sure your ski bases are completely clean and dry before waxing. Hwk ski waxing guide waxing lika a pro, ski wax tips, video guides. There are two types of ski waxes, and they fulfill similar, but slightly different functions, for both classic and skating crosscountry skis. Buy corks for skis, polishers for skis, scrapers for skis from cross country ski shop in grayling, mi. Joel jaques is a wax technician with canadas national cross country ski team, supporting all the skiers as well as acting as personal wax tech for perianne jones and ivan babikov. Hertel ski wax has a free downloadable ebook called waxfax, which covers waxing and ski care. As well as selling cross country skis, finn sisu will teach you how to wax your skis, and hold classes and run a cross country ski training program with sisu skiers midwest mountaineering is an independent outdoor store in minneapolis cedarriverside neighborhood. To a professional racer, the speed factor can spell the difference between victory and defeat. However if you have ski that need wax this is the pack to start off with.
Using a cold kick wax special green or polar, apply a thin layer to the base for the whole length of the ski. Complete guide to xc ski glide waxing cross country ski. Firstly, you need to identify what kind of crosscountry skis you have. Many cross country skiers are surprised to find out they need to wax their no wax cross country skis. When you are ready, you push back on that ski with your leg this legpush is often called the kick. Different ways of waxing for classic and skating skis. Watch for waxing clinics at the club so that you can learn to do it yourself or you can leave your skis with us and we will wax them for the following week call jeff at 705258. Glide wax is the wax you will encounter more frequently. Using a cork, rub the base until the friction blends and smoothes the wax in.
For example, a downhill racer will use a different kind of wax than a cross country skier. We thought bob fitzpatrick would be a good person to ask about waxing cross country skis. Sochi 2014 canadian olympic ski cross team announced jan 27. Nov 04, 2003 the procedure for hot waxing tips and tails of waxless skis is the same as waxing skate or classical skis. Both skate and classic skis need glide wax, so youd think most cross country skiers would know how to apply it. Begin the waxing process by holding your wax block at a steep downward angle to the face of the iron, allowing hot wax to drip onto the ski. It s meant to give beginners answers and specific instructions, not just generalizations. Buy ski profile wax benches from cross country ski shop in grayling, mi. The waxing of crosscountry skis can be a tricky business. Why does the industry call skis with fish scales, crown patterns, or positrack patterns on the base of the ski no wax if you have to wax them. Nordic backcountry skis typically have a slight hourglass shape that allows for basic turns on moderate terrain. It covers the most command of conditions and comes with a cork used for smoothing down the wax to reduce friction. Jan 17, 2014 learn how to properly wax your skis with this step by step video.
Repeat the wax application until the base has a shiny, glasslike surface. Waxable vs waxless ski debate for cross country skiing. Not only do you have to determine the proper hardness for the snow conditions, but you also need to make sure that the grippy kick wax. Buy ski profile wax benches from cross country ski shop in. Heat the wax just enough so its melted on top of ski. Learn how to properly wax your skis with this step by step video. It is intended to eliminate as much friction as possible and protect the ski base by filling the pores, thereby hardening it. Unless you are a real cross country ski fanatic, or involved in serious competitive skiing, you dont have to worry about all of this. Start green glide wax cross country ski headquarters. A waxable ski, however, is only as good as the wax job.
Video grip wax application on cross country skis toko us. In this advanced ski waxing and maintenance video from skis. Presented to you in this article and collection of videos are some basic lessons on waxing your waxless crosscountry skis. Hand structure can be applied using a specific tool that uses different rollers based on. Cross country ski wax types when you are out skiing for longer periods of time, you really want your skis to be in topcondition, giving you both optimal glide and kick. Start green is a renowned goto glide wax for cold, dry snow. After skiing, take a few minutes to clean your bases. Top 8 best ski waxes of 2020 the adventure junkies. The compact design is ideal for shorter ski lengths and snowboards.
A waxless cross country ski uses a fishscale pattern in the middle third of the ski, instead of kick wax soft wax that grips the snow, for providing traction friction when pushing your skis forward. After the ski is fairly covered, begin spreading the wax around the skis base by running your iron in circular motions across the skis base. Cross country ski wax and accessories from the house are essential for your cross country skiing setup. Video explains how to apply grip wax to cross country skis. I prefer to use the term functional when describing my style of waxing because i aim for function rather than highperformance. Ski wax brushes to prep ski bases to be as fast as they can be.
Although this example will get you cross country skiing in a short amount of time, i still recommend watching the more detailed videos about waxing your waxless crosscountry skis. First things first, there are different types of waxes for different activities. Nov 26, 2015 the purpose of grip waxing classicstyle cross country skis is to provide grip in the middle of the ski and glide on the tip and tail. Two years later he began a long career as coach, during which he served as mentor for several generations of young central massachusetts racers, in. Unless you are a real crosscountry ski fanatic, or involved in serious competitive skiing, you dont have to worry about all of this. Most of the skis will be covered in glide wax, but the middle third will usually need some kind of grip wax. The following articles describe waxing and care techniques for your skis. Hightech crosscountry skis tell you where to put the wax. Classic skis need glide wax on the tips and tails and grip wax on the middle kick zone. But unlike downhill skis, skate skis require more frequent. Currently with the team for world cup races in europe and preparing to head off to sochi for the 2014 olympic winter games, jaques took a few minutes to pass on. Call the ymca smr nordic center at 8885739622 for the schedule. The procedure for hot waxing tips and tails of waxless skis is the same as waxing skate or classical skis. Slots for mounting 2 sets of swix crosscountry waxing profiles.
Waxable crosscountry you wax when the snow conditions change, or if youre lucky enough to have stable weather the old wax wears off. Feb 28, 2009 cross country wax has to grip when you push off, so it is usually much softer that downhill waxes. Video hot waxing technique cross country video hot waxing technique cross country video demonstrates how to properly hot wax cross country skis. Faq on classic skiing cross country skiing roberts. You may have to apply the cold kick wax two or three times.
Short track speed skating skeleton ski jumping snowboard speed skating speed skiing cross country skiing. Meant to cover distance on generally flat terrain and groomed nordic centers. Cross country ski waxing 101 steve thatcher 112401 updated 111806 in blue ride and glide bike and ski club these instructions are for people looking for a simple approach to ski waxing. The new olympic channel brings you news, highlights, exclusive behind the scenes, live events and original programming, 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. Cross country skiing ski waxing tips some basic tips to get you started from our cross country ski waxing demo on 91108. If youre just coming in from outside, give them a chance to warm before waxing. This method requires the following tools and supplies. Sauls advanced waxing technique for cross country skis. View striking olympic videos of cross country skiing see the best athletes, medalwinning performances and top olympic games moments. The purpose of grip waxing classicstyle cross country skis is to provide grip in the middle of the ski and glide on the tip and tail. Most skiers are comfortable with kick wax, but either they dont know about glide wax or they dont know how to apply it. Learn from a ski tuning expert how to properly maintain your skis by properly waxing and brushing your base for speed and smoothness while also learning how to.
1509 423 1407 95 1063 601 1347 33 816 74 33 489 1173 180 289 97 1513 467 604 335 882 120 1388 907 1335 953 334 1049 1001 234 230 1274 486 69 1301 85 1444 1390 1090 834 520 1070 915 728 198