Universal Ski Wax Recommendations

[cantunamunch]

Unfortunately, it looks like FC739 no longer in stock.

LOL, 3M stopped making that particular fluorocarbon in 2010.

 

[raytseng]

Lol, ya I'm talking about Hertel's "Racing FC739 (tm)" product; which was reformulated and no longer includes any flouro for some years now. Branding is branding, he paid for that trademark, by god he's going to keep using it!

 

[cantunamunch]

Indeed.

<-*is secretly chuffed he has several packs of 90s era FC739, not secretly would trade every last one of them for Toko PowerFluor blocks*

 

[raytseng]

Don't get me started on "Froot Loops" or "Chicken Wyngs"

 

[Spring1898]

Well Hotsauce sounds like it is good enough for kids' skis then. They won't wear it out at the same rate an adult will.

I am curious as to what the microcrystalline nature of Purl means compared to other wax formulation types. That intrigues the 'sciencey' part of me. If anyone has a link to explain all that, it sounds cool.

 

[firebanex]

When I started waxing my own skis, I would use temp specific waxes and base prep and all the things to be correct for the day.. but I got lazy, cheap, and the quiver expanded. Ran out of the temp specific waxes and didn't want to spend the money on restocking so I got the big 10kg bucket of backshop Swix cold universal wax chips. Considering my snow is dry and temps are usually well into the negatives for the entire season, it works as well as anything. Most importantly now when there is 8 pairs of skis to wax at a time, it is cheap!

 

[Spring1898]

Lol, that is about where I am right now.

 

[Jim L]

Most importantly now when there is 8 pairs of skis to wax at a time, it is cheap!

So glad I had a Hertel ski waxer back when had 4 pairs to wax. Can't imagine 8 pairs!

 

[David]

He announced last year he was done making wax. Retirement.

Hertel is still making some wax while he's trying to sell the company and he is also working on some new formulas.

I hope he finds a buyer!! If I was younger I'd try to buy it and move it out of California.

 

[David]

I don't know that he would want to sell his business. He started it, incorporated fluoros and other chemistry, and then the EPA/Industry came down hard. His only choice at this time is to sell a product that is no longer what he wanted it to be, or give his proprietary formulas to someone else (minus the fluoros).

I wish he would allow someone else to take over, but can't blame him if he doesn't want to.

He told me that he has never used Fluoros and his current recipe is the same one that won Olympic gold.

 

[Wilhelmson]

Hershel is such a pleasure to wax on I would do it just for fun. For a low prep glide it is better than Swix. For colder snow my quick method is to cold rub cold wax, drip all purpose, iron, then towel method.