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Ski wax question

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ButterItOut
Posts: 1094 - Karma: 420
I'm on the east around CT and Mass. i am looking for a waxing kit that isnt to expensive and what kind of wax should i use. 28^ or 28 below. what the diffrence performance wise. same with all around wax?
Nov 20 2011 11:45AM
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6724 - Karma: 11,551
Different temperatures create different crystalline structures in the snow and each temperature grade of wax is suited to deal with these structures. For example, warm snow conditions are soft and the snow crystals are not very sharp and the wax is very similar- on the softer side with a low melting point. Warm snow slows you down because of how sticky it is and the wax is one way to prevent against suction. Cold snow is quite the opposite; it's structure is very sharp and literally digs into the base of your ski slowing you do. The wax here is very hard which helps create a protective layer on your base preventing the sharp snow crystals from digging into your base.

Ideally you would have a base prep (a special blend of warm waxes that keep your base maintained), a warm wax, and a cold wax. I mostly just used a base prep and was always fine because when it is super super warm or super super cold no wax works that well.
Nov 20 2011 12:29PM
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tbayskier
Posts: 1139 - Karma: 1,643
wowa onenerdykid kills it, exactly what he said.
Nov 20 2011 12:33PM
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ButterItOut
Posts: 1094 - Karma: 420
So your saying that use a mixture of warm waxes? or what ha. kinda got lost. im on the east and it get like 30 an below but varies alot. an thanks for the input.
Nov 20 2011 12:39PM
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tbayskier
Posts: 1139 - Karma: 1,643
get a warm wax, broad temp wax and a cold wax.  or you can just go with a normal all temp wax.  for twintips hitting rails it isn't a huge issue
Nov 20 2011 12:41PM
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6724 - Karma: 11,551
I used to live in northern Vermont, so I can tell you that no wax works well at -30 degrees. It's just too cold. If you go to a reputable shop (especially cross country or alpine race shops) and ask for Swix Base Prep, you will be all set. A universal wax is pretty similar, but that base prep is the jam.

I'm assuming you have sintered bases, otherwise this won't work very well... What skis do you have?
Nov 20 2011 12:48PM
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TTSwitchrider674
Posts: 179 - Karma: 26
iv got some afterbangs
Nov 20 2011 12:54PM
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ButterItOut
Posts: 1094 - Karma: 420
2012 atomic punx and i ski in Mass, near the border of CT. i also sometimes go up to stowe.
Nov 20 2011 12:54PM
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grown-ninja
Posts: 3031 - Karma: 175
those days when its below  -10/15 are such a bitch especially on made snow on the ec, youre not gona move much, when i use to work at a shop we'd expect tons of people coming back to bitch saying we didnt know how to wax on days like that
Nov 20 2011 12:57PM
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6724 - Karma: 11,551
Cool, you're good to go then. The Punx has a sintered base and will absorb wax. The Afterbang uses an extruded base and does not absorb wax. The best bet for that ski is to buy some Maxi-Glide which is a rub on that works pretty well for extruded bases. But you should put it on every day since it will wear off easily.
Nov 20 2011 1:02PM
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snocompton
Posts: 2026 - Karma: 348
buy lf8/lfc, combine to sticks, boom. 
Nov 20 2011 1:11PM
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ButterItOut
Posts: 1094 - Karma: 420
so i shouldnt melt wax on them an scrap ect.?
Nov 20 2011 5:17PM
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stickerman
Posts: 2043 - Karma: 147
it will be a waste of time and wax. extruded bases do not absorb hot wax.
Nov 20 2011 5:26PM
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ButterItOut
Posts: 1094 - Karma: 420
oh, alright mna, thanks. +++k ^   but anyone know any good companies for the punx it new england weather?
Nov 20 2011 5:33PM
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stickerman
Posts: 2043 - Karma: 147
just a big bar of all temp wax will do. Swix and KUu make a good product for cheap.
Nov 21 2011 8:09AM
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6724 - Karma: 11,551
YOU have sintered bases on the Punx. Therefore, ironing on wax (and scraping and brushing etc) will actually be good for them.

Extruded bases don't absorb the wax, so the wax will just sit on the top of the base and not get into the base, which will just waste that other kid's time and money.

Swix and Toko are the 2 main suppliers of wax (even though Swix owns Toko) and if you stick with them you will get the best stuff.
Nov 21 2011 9:51AM
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Ghini
Posts: 2263 - Karma: 3,002
Wow thats new to me..and weird..
Nov 21 2011 10:58AM
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ButterItOut
Posts: 1094 - Karma: 420
Wait, so no rub on. i have to iron, cuz thats what i though in the first place. so swix and toko. thats all i really wanted thanks man.
Nov 21 2011 3:07PM
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stickerman
Posts: 2043 - Karma: 147
yes. hot wax your sintered bases with an iron.
Nov 21 2011 3:37PM
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ButterItOut
Posts: 1094 - Karma: 420
alright, but you think i should buy a ski iron or jsut use my regular one?
Nov 21 2011 3:47PM
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Alkyy
Posts: 2839 - Karma: 149
A normal iron will work technically, the only thing is you never want to burn your wax, if its smoking alot its to hot.  You want it basically as cold as possible and still melt the wax(correct me if I'm wrong) which is where a good ski iron is worth it, they have settings to match up to temps of waxes to give you a good melt.
Nov 21 2011 4:05PM
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ButterItOut
Posts: 1094 - Karma: 420
Yeah, I know that, but I am  just get a ski one because mine has steam holes in it so i don't know how that works out...
Nov 21 2011 4:31PM
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6724 - Karma: 11,551
You want to invest in a good iron because of the consistency of the heat of the surface of the iron. Cheap irons, especially clothing irons, will have irregular temperatures across their surface. The nicer the iron, the more consistent the temperature is of the surface. This is important so you don't melt your sintered base or not heat it up enough where it wont absorb the wax properly.

Good irons are between $50-70, awesome irons are digital and upwards of $200
Nov 21 2011 4:32PM
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snocompton
Posts: 2026 - Karma: 348
DO NOT USE A NORMAL IRON. 



they simply are not designed the same way that wax irons are.  they do not function even close to the same.  for $60 you can get a solid iron that will last you forever.   and remember to always work TIP TO TAIL. 
Nov 22 2011 1:24PM
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cct_222
Posts: 1526 - Karma: 141
QUESTION:
Line Anthems, sintered or extruded bases??

im guessing they are extruded since the afterbangs are and the bases get dry after 2 days of skiing
Nov 22 2011 2:00PM
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cct_222
Posts: 1526 - Karma: 141
^^^ anyone???
Nov 28 2011 10:09PM
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timtim9
Posts: 7 - Karma: 6
are 2012 ar7 sintred or extruded

Nov 28 2011 10:22PM
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Darth.Maul
Posts: 2472 - Karma: 652
Is there a way to tell which type of bases you have by to look, feel, scent, etc...?
Nov 28 2011 11:37PM
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monkatizer
Posts: 4704 - Karma: 1,518
wait! so if i have extruded bases, waxing will do nothing??? or should i still wax?
Nov 29 2011 12:03AM
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NEEDMOSNOW
Posts: 344 - Karma: 39
2010 salomon supect extruded or sinthered
Nov 29 2011 12:24AM
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cobra_commander
Posts: 16909 - Karma: 4,684
Most skis have a sintered base. Only the cheap price point skis don't. Extruded bases are more often found in snowboards.

Extruded bases still absorb wax, just not as well as a sintered base. Extruded bases also require less maintenance. The same properties that reduce how well they absorb wax, also keeps them from drying out so fast.

Nov 29 2011 12:49AM
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cobra_commander
Posts: 16909 - Karma: 4,684
O reary?
Nov 29 2011 12:50AM
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.jon
Posts: 2121 - Karma: 345
it's really not a big deal. as long as the wax isn't smoking you'll be fine. obviously a racer wouldn't ever choose to use a household iron over a ski iron, but it still gets the job done for 90 percent of skiers as long as it's not running too hot.
Nov 29 2011 1:06AM
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Boooshank
Posts: 1650 - Karma: 160
Threads.

Will be looking into buying my own iron and such as soon as I run out of free wax jobs that came with a discount card I bought. Swix looks like brand.

@oneangrykid Thanks for enlightening me on the waxing stuff info. Really didn't have a clue it was like that.
I have a thread in GearTalk about problems with a wax job I got recently, with questions on what I should do. You seem very knowledgeable and would greatly appreciate your advice on the matter.


Nov 29 2011 2:28AM
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tbayskier
Posts: 1139 - Karma: 1,643
haha scent.  you can tell a sintered base by the pattern ground into it.  extruded will just be shiny and patternless
Nov 29 2011 4:17AM
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special-J
Posts: 1572 - Karma: 4,477
truly one of the most knowledgeable, beneficial members of NS. The guy knows everything.
Nov 29 2011 9:02AM
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Barentine
Posts: 124 - Karma: 15
I have a pair of Rossignol Scratches, BC Sprayers, 06/07 I think. Does anyone know if these are extruded or sintered? Thanks
Nov 29 2011 1:53PM
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stickerman
Posts: 2043 - Karma: 147
most likely sintered.
Nov 29 2011 3:23PM
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6724 - Karma: 11,551
link to the thread? I gave a look and couldn't find it...

I'm traveling in Switzerland at the moment, so give me a couple of days to respond.
Nov 29 2011 5:59PM
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.RYAN66
Posts: 5381 - Karma: 231
wow didnt know that, why do they still make to separate named waxes? must have been int he agreement i guess.

i really wish this thread exsisted a few years ago when i got into waxing, it seems like a lot at first, but it is SUPER easy and once you get the hang of it you start getting fancy(different brushes, high end waxes etc).

now here is the only issue i have with waxing, (this was on the east coast in semi cold temps).

i usually used swix cf wax, it worked well, but i ran out one day and when i bought my iron and scraper and all the good stuf the guy threw in some of that cheap one dollar green wax to learn with, so i decided i would use it since i was going skiing the next morning, that worked better and glided better over all conditions then the CF did.

however the swix LF and HF lines are fucking amazing, i would use those on my skierX skis and damn no one could touch me with that wax (except they did, that bastard pushed me over the one jump and i slid down the landing and over the berm into the b-netting), but the lf cost me around 30 and the hf well i dont think we need to go there.

if anyone is wondering the f stand for flouryntine or something like that.

i have a GREAT .pdf about all of the swix waxes from my old ski coach, if anyone wants it pm me your email address and i can get it to you.


and as always onenerdykid is killing it!!
Nov 29 2011 8:20PM
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stickerman
Posts: 2043 - Karma: 147
i just got into waxing as well over the summer. a pretty fun hobby to me if you want to call it that. Plus you can wax other peoples equiptment for a small cost ;)
Nov 29 2011 9:05PM
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.RYAN66
Posts: 5381 - Karma: 231
also thought i would add that the temperature on the wax represents the snow temp.

so when we had a late comp in april it was in the 40's but the snow temp was still in the low thirties this could be a major change if it is borderline between waxes.

however for the average user that doesnt really matter, and for the average nser where you hit park all day erryday im just happy that you know what wax is.
Nov 29 2011 9:34PM
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