How many wax coats should you put on a new ski

[dovski]

Curious as to how folks prep their new skis before skiing. Always wax them at least 4-6 times to get full saturation. Have also tried hotboxing and infra-red though I am told that some brands like Stockli recommend against these. Currently in the process of prepping four new skis for the season. At present each has 4-6 coats of wax hand ironed in and have been scraped and buffed.

Typically we wax our skis once a week but we also ski at least 1-2 full days each week. Will never go more than 3 days of skiing without a wax and also re-wax if there is a big change in temps. By the end of the season bases are always super saturated, just want to make sure our new skis are in the best possible shape these season, so appreciate any advice or input.

 

[Eleeski]

Wax is a superficial treatment of an inert plastic. One waxing should be more than enough to "saturate" the bases.

If you are prepping race skis, wax for the conditions on race day. If you never wax the skis, the bases will last as long as a waxed base for most users.

I'm not sure I've ever waxed a new ski before using it. I'm not sure I would actually notice wax after a couple laps.

Disclaimer: I don't race. Proper waxing certainly affects times. Serious racers wax before every race. Suggesting the benefit of wax lasts 1 minute?

Waxing involves heat. Heat cycles age skis. Skis are pretty tough but adding excess heat stress will not make your skis last longer.

If waxing your new skis helps you bond with your skis, great. But 4 to 6 times?

Eric

 

[nemesis256]

I agree with Eleeski. If you insist on doing it multiple times, you could just let the wax cool then warm it up again to get more to penetrate. If you're scraping each time that's just wasting wax.

 

[Philpug]

Waxing can be therapeutic for some. Wax until you feel better.

 

[dovski]

I agree with Eleeski. If you insist on doing it multiple times, you could just let the wax cool then warm it up again to get more to penetrate. If you're scraping each time that's just wasting wax.

I was always of the impression that proper ski base has tiny little pores and when you have a new ski or new grind it is typically a good idea to wax a couple times as each time you do the heat opens the pores and more wax is absorbed. Based on the responses so far I think I am going to stop waxing and start skiing

 

[Jacques]

Curious as to how folks prep their new skis before skiing. Always wax them at least 4-6 times to get full saturation. Have also tried hotboxing and infra-red though I am told that some brands like Stockli recommend against these. Currently in the process of prepping four new skis for the season. At present each has 4-6 coats of wax hand ironed in and have been scraped and buffed.

Typically we wax our skis once a week but we also ski at least 1-2 full days each week. Will never go more than 3 days of skiing without a wax and also re-wax if there is a big change in temps. By the end of the season bases are always super saturated, just want to make sure our new skis are in the best possible shape these season, so appreciate any advice or input.

Apply a good amount of the softest base prep. wax you have. Iron, cool. Iron, cool. Iron, cool. Do this at least three times or more. Complete cooling each time is needed. That would be a minimum of three hours at room temp. Do not take skis out in the cold to cool them! Then scrape, brush and apply your day wax of choice.

 

[Doug Briggs]

Wax on your bases helps protect them damage that ice crystals do to the p-tex. 'base burn' is the extreme result of the damage that using your skis can experience. It is damaged base p-tex. The base can only be returned to its normal and slipperiest state by physically removing the base burn by either scraping with a steel scraper, base sanding or a stone grind (preferable).

 

[Noodler]

Apply a good amount of the softest base prep. wax you have. Iron, cool. Iron, cool. Iron, cool. Do this at least three times or more. Complete cooling each time is needed. That would be a minimum of three hours at room temp. Do not take skis out in the cold to cool them! Then scrape, brush and apply your day wax of choice.

It should also be pointed out that the initial wax prep for a new ski (using soft wax) ensures that later wax jobs last longer. Getting a soft wax deep into the base helps "hold onto" your wax of the day. I have been lazy with some skis and the difference in the longevity of the wax job is quite apparent.

 

[Eleeski]

Wax on your bases helps protect them damage that ice crystals do to the p-tex. 'base burn' is the extreme result of the damage that using your skis can experience. It is damaged base p-tex. The base can only be returned to its normal and slipperiest state by physically removing the base burn by either scraping with a steel scraper, base sanding or a stone grind (preferable).

Wax is soft - very soft relative to ptex or ice. How can wax prevent base burn?

They talked about base burn in the last Olympics. One training run would damage the skis. Pretty sure those skis were waxed.

Having never gotten base burn on any skis I've ever skied (despite rarely waxing) it's hard to focus too much effort into preventing base burn.

Eric

 

[dovski]

Wax is soft - very soft relative to ptex or ice. How can wax prevent base burn?

They talked about base burn in the last Olympics. One training run would damage the skis. Pretty sure those skis were waxed.

Having never gotten base burn on any skis I've ever skied (despite rarely waxing) it's hard to focus too much effort into preventing base burn.

Eric

I think we need to differentiate between speed events at the Olympics/World Cup level and everything else - very few of us are skiing at those speeds on hard pact downhill courses for long enough to burn the base of our skis (though in our minds some of us think we are) .

From a high end recreational performance standpoint waxing makes a difference. Waxing helps reduce surface cohesion and friction giving skis better glide. It also prevents bases from drying out (hence storage wax over the summers) and prolongs the life of your skis. Can you ski without waxing your skis that often sure, but if you are like me you notice the difference and a properly waxed ski is good for a couple days depending on the conditions and how hard you ski.

 

[Winks]

(The following writing does not apply to Race stock skis and some independent brands)

As a ski tech I would never wax new skis. I have always been told that the wax put on by most ski companies is a sort of travel or storage wax that allows the bases to stay shiny, not turn white or discolor the wax from different temperatures, travel conditions and sitting around in shops. I have always been told to ski a couple of times to remove as much of that stuff as possible because when you wax that stuff in deeper it can actually harm your bases down to the molecular level. While some of the that may be a bit extreme and over thought I have always kept that rule.

 

[Marker]

My bases are saturated, but waxing cleans out the dirt and contaminates. I'll wax once or twice depending on dirtiness at the end of the season using soft base prep wax, then once or twice again at the beginning of the season and let them set until I can see the temperature for the first trip. I only use two Dominator waxes to cover the different temperatures (Zoom and Bullet) and ReNew as the base prep. My wax jobs last about 3-4 days while maintaining a glossy base. It depends on the quality of the snow, but burn can start to show up after that.

@Winks I thought I had read that soft base prep waxes bring the old hard waxes to the surface so they can be removed by scrapping?

 

[Winks]

My bases are saturated, but waxing cleans out the dirt and contaminates. I'll wax once or twice depending on dirtiness at the end of the season using soft base prep wax, then once or twice again at the beginning of the season and let them set until I can see the temperature for the first trip. I only use two Dominator waxes to cover the different temperatures (Zoom and Bullet) and ReNew as the base prep. My wax jobs last about 3-4 days while maintaining a glossy base. It depends on the quality of the snow, but burn can start to show up after that.

@Winks I thought I had read that soft base prep waxes bring the old hard waxes to the surface so they can be removed by scrapping?

Possibly so, I typically do not use base prep waxes or cleaners. While I am sure that would help, I am personally paranoid about applying heat to any of that wax as it could drive in deeper. Again this is all personal preference and how you feel about your skis. Instead of cleaners I just go and tune my skis, removing any dirt, grime and old wax on a 80 or 100 belt

 

[Doug Briggs]

Wax is soft - very soft relative to ptex or ice. How can wax prevent base burn?

They talked about base burn in the last Olympics. One training run would damage the skis. Pretty sure those skis were waxed.

Having never gotten base burn on any skis I've ever skied (despite rarely waxing) it's hard to focus too much effort into preventing base burn.

Eric

The wax ablates rather than allowing the ice/snow direct contact to the p-tex.

From a high end recreational performance standpoint waxing makes a difference. Waxing helps reduce surface cohesion and friction giving skis better glide. It also prevents bases from drying out (hence storage wax over the summers) and prolongs the life of your skis. Can you ski without waxing your skis that often sure, but if you are like me you notice the difference and a properly waxed ski is good for a couple days depending on the conditions and how hard you ski.

I am not a proponent of summer wax to prevent drying out. Stored in a cool (or at least not hot), dry place, skisbases won't dry out. UV and heat can affect them negatively. Summer wax keeps dirt off the bases and over time and with warm spells may replenish a sintered base by filling the voids in the base material, just as ordinary waxing would do. Kind of like a hot-box does except not so hot and not so fast.

 

[Eleeski]

The wax ablates rather than allowing the ice/snow direct contact to the p-tex.

I'm confused. We are supposed to scrape and brush our wax. How thick a layer is left? And that's a layer of quite soft material. How many turns until the wax ablates? Three or four? Maybe enough to make the .10 second difference between the winners of a race. OK.

There's a lot of superstition and ritual around waxing. Fortunately, modern ptex engineering makes a pretty good base that isn't dependant on wax. So @Noodler can wax 4 times before skiing and I can do my yearly waxing and both of us can enjoy long life and good performance from our skis. @Doug Briggs still is relevant for the racers.

Where does DPS Phantom fit in?

Eric

 

[Daves not here]

Usually when I get a new ski they are in need of a light base grind to flatten. So I then do a few cycles of soft base prep wax followed by cold wax an then wax of the day. After that I wax after every 3 days on the skis.

Now - is it needed, correct, religion, science, etc... I do not know. I do know that my skis stay saturated and they glide better than most. Plus I get to drink a lot of beer and bourbon!

 

[Eleeski]

Oops, I confused @Noodler and @dovski . Apologies.

Either one is welcome to wax my skis and will certainly do a better job than I would. I'll provide the beer and bourbon.

Eric

 

[Jacques]

(The following writing does not apply to Race stock skis and some independent brands)

As a ski tech I would never wax new skis. I have always been told that the wax put on by most ski companies is a sort of travel or storage wax that allows the bases to stay shiny, not turn white or discolor the wax from different temperatures, travel conditions and sitting around in shops. I have always been told to ski a couple of times to remove as much of that stuff as possible because when you wax that stuff in deeper it can actually harm your bases down to the molecular level. While some of the that may be a bit extreme and over thought I have always kept that rule.

That's what base cleaners are for!

 

[NE1]

That's what base cleaners are for!

And/or a couple of hot scrapes.

 

[Sibhusky]

All I know is that new skis are slow skis. I've always thought that this was cured by wax. Maybe it's cured by skiing or scraping, based on some of the anti-wax comments above. I've seen this phenomenon repeatedly through the years and now do at least seven wax cycles when I get new skis to mitigate it. It seems to help noticeably, but I know that year two they are still better than they were the first year. I've always credited the wax, but maybe it's wear. I'll stick to the wax theory.