the magic and power of grip wax

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lilcliffy
Posts: 4112
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Location: Stanley, New Brunswick, Canada
Ski style: backcountry Nordic ski touring
Favorite Skis: Asnes Ingstad, Combat Nato, Amundsen, Rabb 68; Altai Kom
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska BC; Lundhags Expedition; Alfa Skaget XP; Scarpa T4
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the magic and power of grip wax

Post by lilcliffy » Thu Dec 28, 2017 11:50 am

So- I have begun to iron grip wax to the entire base of my Nordic touring skis.

I ironed in Swix Polar to the entire base.

Then cork in kick wax of the day from the heel forwards.

AMAZING performance. Excellent BC glide- superb traction- unbeatable wax retention.

AMAZING. Was climbing steep slopes in deep soft snow without skins yesterday- every other ski on the tour needed grip wax corked into the tip (on top of glide wax), or skins.

MAGIC.

Haven't tried this with refrozen abrasive snow yet. Thinking perhaps ironing in base binder to the entire base, then corking in Polar on top- tip to tail.
Last edited by lilcliffy on Thu Dec 28, 2017 1:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.

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anemic
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Re: the magic and power of grip wax

Post by anemic » Thu Dec 28, 2017 12:04 pm

thats kickass. last night i was putting my wifes crowns (BC epoch 68s) to the test and I thought man it's cold enough for swix polar! that stuff is truly magic. one of thew few from the standard line of kickers that cannot be improved upon when it's good. XB being the other one.

I will leave the too soft epochs in the house next time out (today?!!) and polar up the eons and see how they fly.
Call it Nordic Freeride



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anemic
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Re: the magic and power of grip wax

Post by anemic » Thu Dec 28, 2017 1:04 pm

PS - if you iron in base binder, it does help durability however it can add a double dose of SLOW
Call it Nordic Freeride



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lilcliffy
Posts: 4112
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2015 6:20 pm
Location: Stanley, New Brunswick, Canada
Ski style: backcountry Nordic ski touring
Favorite Skis: Asnes Ingstad, Combat Nato, Amundsen, Rabb 68; Altai Kom
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska BC; Lundhags Expedition; Alfa Skaget XP; Scarpa T4
Occupation: Forestry Professional
Instructor at Maritime College of Forest Technology
Husband, father, farmer and logger

Re: the magic and power of grip wax

Post by lilcliffy » Thu Dec 28, 2017 1:15 pm

I was going to put Polar on top of the binder- just for extra wax retention.

For many years binder has not been necessary here in the hills. Once the cold settles in the snow remains cold and soft as it is constantly refreshed. BUT- this rollercoaster of weather the last two seasons has lead to a lot of abrasive snow.

Grip wax on top of glide wax is no longer cutting it- wax retention is too poor.

Kick wax of the day on top of colder, harder grip wax (i.e. Polar) is currently the bomb.

But- I am expecting a thaw and probably even some rain by late January...

Therefore- considering the base binder...
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.



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Cannatonic
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Re: the magic and power of grip wax

Post by Cannatonic » Thu Dec 28, 2017 1:16 pm

>>>Then cork in kick wax of the day from the heel forwards.

you mean all the way to the tip? or just the wax pocket? I've been meaning to try green or polar as the glide wax, sounds cool.
"All wisdom is to be gained through suffering"
-Will Lange (quoting Inuit chieftan)



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greatgt
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Re: the magic and power of grip wax

Post by greatgt » Thu Dec 28, 2017 1:27 pm

With this cold polar and a light green has been excellent....Polar mostly and those 215 e99's have been a total trail breaking machine with the length and double camber netting great results....The crust however @ three inches under the light powder is tough when on the down...But high tips laugh at the crust and turns heh, gotta get lots of speed up in sub zero conditions ....riiight...tm...



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lilcliffy
Posts: 4112
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2015 6:20 pm
Location: Stanley, New Brunswick, Canada
Ski style: backcountry Nordic ski touring
Favorite Skis: Asnes Ingstad, Combat Nato, Amundsen, Rabb 68; Altai Kom
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska BC; Lundhags Expedition; Alfa Skaget XP; Scarpa T4
Occupation: Forestry Professional
Instructor at Maritime College of Forest Technology
Husband, father, farmer and logger

Re: the magic and power of grip wax

Post by lilcliffy » Thu Dec 28, 2017 2:46 pm

Cannatonic wrote:>>>Then cork in kick wax of the day from the heel forwards.

you mean all the way to the tip? or just the wax pocket? I've been meaning to try green or polar as the glide wax, sounds cool.
No- kick wax of the day just in the kick zone. Though on my Skin-Lock and Easy-Skin ski I tend to cork in kick wax to the skin slots.

Just came in again from another ~10km tour.

The slopes I climbed yesterday- with just grip wax- would normally require endless low-angle tracks, grip wax on the tips, and/or a skin...

The snow temperatures here are so cold at the moment that the Polar is actually gripping and gliding- I got

Up until this week the Polar was just gliding.

The wax retention is way better with the Polar ironed in as a base.

Gotta try this man. I may have bought my last block of glide wax for my BC touring skis.

Just realized that the solution to the E-109 Crowns is Polar ironed into the tips and tails...
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.



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Woodserson
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Ski style: Bumps, trees, steeps and long woodsy XC tours
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Re: the magic and power of grip wax

Post by Woodserson » Thu Dec 28, 2017 4:49 pm

All my wooden skis are waxed with Polar buffed hard. Grip wax underfoot as needed. Always great glide. Today it was 0f/-18c as a high... no grip wax except residual stuff from a week ago (blue). We were flying along, with great grip up the hills and smooth sailing down. Ice is breaking off the branches and littering the trail with small ball-bearings of ice. So sweet. Great great skiing out there today! Polar is where it's at!



User avatar
lilcliffy
Posts: 4112
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2015 6:20 pm
Location: Stanley, New Brunswick, Canada
Ski style: backcountry Nordic ski touring
Favorite Skis: Asnes Ingstad, Combat Nato, Amundsen, Rabb 68; Altai Kom
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska BC; Lundhags Expedition; Alfa Skaget XP; Scarpa T4
Occupation: Forestry Professional
Instructor at Maritime College of Forest Technology
Husband, father, farmer and logger

Re: the magic and power of grip wax

Post by lilcliffy » Thu Dec 28, 2017 5:53 pm

Woodserson wrote: We were flying along, with great grip up the hills and smooth sailing down. Ice is breaking off the branches and littering the trail with small ball-bearings of ice. So sweet. Great great skiing out there today! Polar is where it's at!
Woo! Hoo!
Love the passion Woods!
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.



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Cannatonic
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Re: the magic and power of grip wax

Post by Cannatonic » Fri Dec 29, 2017 2:39 pm

cold weather is the best! You lie to yourself in the spring and say that warm snow is fun too, but cold winter snow is the best.
"All wisdom is to be gained through suffering"
-Will Lange (quoting Inuit chieftan)



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