by Mr.
Klister
Two-Wax Systems for Grip
Letís say you want to try waxable skis, but don't
want to spend a lot of time learning about grip waxing
until you decide that you prefer them to waxless skis.
How can you give them a fair trial without knowing which
grip wax to use? The answer is simple: try one of the
two-wax grip wax systems.
Nearly all cross-country wax makers have a two-wax system.
Locally, the easiest brand to find is SWIX. SWIX makes
a two wax system consisting of gold and silver tins. The
gold tin is for cold, dry snow below freezing (32 degrees
Fahrenheit) and the silver tin for warm, moist snow above
freezing. In addition, each of these waxes has an ideal
range where it works best. The gold wax is best range
is older snow around 27 to 29 degrees, while the silver
wax is optimal range is wetter snow between 34 and 37
degrees.
Apply these grip waxes the same way you would any other
grip wax. If you are not sure which wax to apply or how
to start out, use the following guidelines: begin by waxing
for colder, drier conditions and apply a thin layer of
gold wax to the wax pocket. The reason for this is that
it is always to add more wax to improve grip then it is
to scrape it off to get better glide. Plus, it is almost
always easier to add soft wax on top of a hard wax then
the other way around.
If a single layer of gold wax is not exactly the right
choice and your skis slip, then at least your skis will
glide well and you can still adjust your grip. Adjusting
your grip can be done in three ways, and should be done
in the order that follows until adequate grip is obtained.
Apply one or more additional layers of gold wax to the
wax pocket. If that does not provide enough grip, then
extend the area covered by grip wax. Lastly, if grip is
still in adequate, make sure the gold wax is corked out
smoothly and then begin the process over by switching
to the silver wax and adding a thin layer of silver on
top of the existing gold wax.
A few other general guidelines to keep in mind include
the following. Wax will stick to a dry ski much better
than a wet one. Carry a small rag to dry skis out on the
trail. If you have to do a lot of climbing, extend the
wax pocket in front of your foot so that the ball of your
foot can exert more pressure on the trail. If possible,
iron in the first coat of wax. The heat will help the
wax adhere to the ski and last longer. Thin layers of
wax work usually work better for new snow and thicker
layers for old or machine groomed snow.
