Let's Talk Wax!

[JohnSKepler]

A little advice needed, headed into the new season. The mountains around my home are supposed to get 10" over the next few days and we'll be skiing.

I have a few sets of wax skis, notably Gamme 54 and Falketind 62. I had decent luck with waxing last year. It was my first time using waxes and I went with the Toko system because it is just simple. Going on advice from the folks I consider the gurus, I added some Swix Polar to the kit and used it tip to tail and it worked great when it was cold. But there were a few conditions where I never could get grip so I'm thinking I should add some waxes to the kit. I want to start out with two sets of conditions that I'll experience early in the winter.

The worst was when it was in the transition between the Toko Blue and Toko Red. Right around 25 degrees, especially if it was humid and fresh snow. There was just no grip at all and I always wound up going to Xskins that kill the glide. Many of my tours go up so, after 500 ft of elevation gain the temperature had dropped and the Toko Blue worked pretty well but, then it was often time to turn around and head back down.

Second, when it is really cold, I recall one day when it was 5 degrees, the Toko Blue can't find any grip but the Swix Polar White sticks to everything and I'm completely backwards. I suppose then I need to strip the entire ski, wax the tips in Toko Blue Glide wax and put Swix Polar White underfoot?

BTW, what's a great ski for 10" of new snow over dirt? You're favorite set of rock skis?

[fisheater]

Hello John,
I use two waxes for warmer than Swix Blue,
The first which is warmer is Start Oslo Violet, which is available from Pioneer Midwest
https://pioneermidwest.com/products/sta ... ck-wax-45g
Violet is good in the warmer range.
I always try Vauhti Pro White first, for two reasons. First because when it works it’s awesome! The other reason is because Oslo Violet can get sticky. I have a tin of Oslo Blue, which is for colder snow than the violet. I plan on attempting blue before violet in the future, unless it is obviously violet conditions.
https://pioneermidwest.com/products/vau ... -white-45g
If this works for you, please send me $100 to help me recoup the costs of all my other wax experiments !

[JohnSKepler]

Hello John,
I use two waxes for warmer than Swix Blue,
The first which is warmer is Start Oslo Violet, which is available from Pioneer Midwest
https://pioneermidwest.com/products/sta ... ck-wax-45g
Violet is good in the warmer range.
I always try Vauhti Pro White first, for two reasons. First because when it works it’s awesome! The other reason is because Oslo Violet can get sticky. I have a tin of Oslo Blue, which is for colder snow than the violet. I plan on attempting blue before violet in the future, unless it is obviously violet conditions.
https://pioneermidwest.com/products/vau ... -white-45g
If this works for you, please send me $100 to help me recoup the costs of all my other wax experiments !

Here you go. Just download the image and print it out. Don't spend it all in one place!

[John_XCD]

I'm in SLC with similar conditions. I use the swix line (special violet and red) for warmer kick wax conditions. But really scales work better in these conditions. Once you are into violet/red waxes, icing can become a real issue if temperatures drop (gain in elevation, move to the shade). Carry a putty knife and try to apply smoothly.

For single digits and below I have liked polar tip to tail for truly untracked snow (where any benefit to glide wax would be minimal). But it is really slow if you are on packed/groomed terrain. In which case a blue or green glide wax on tips/tails and kick wax underfoot is the way to go (on a stiff double cambered ski ideally).

[Manney]

From the Knowledge Base

https://www.telemarktalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=6058

[mca80]

@JohnSKepler get a more narrow temp wax for the transition between the two tokos. @fisheater mentioned Start Oslo Violet, very good wax. Could also try Swix Special Violet. As mentioned, carry a scraper in case it gets too grippy toward the top of your ascent, but if you only use a thin layer much should wear off by then or during initial downhill.

For point 2 you are correct, use glide wax. As @Manney has pointed out, grip and glide waxes are chemically quite different. And a grip wax will grip when the temperature is in its range (or lower obv). Personally I use the polar grip in glide zones only when I am on specific terrain and temps for grip zone are at least high swix green (if its 10F out I certainly would not have polar anywhere but the grip zone).

[Manney]

10” new snow over dirt? Stay off it. First it has to consolidate. Second, when it does, it will be 5” and turn icy early in the season. Third, it will be so dirty. Mess things up.

Patience.

[Musk Ox]

Ah, there's a lot to be said for patience.

There's also a lot to be said for skiing, and skiing is infinitely more fun than patience, especially because we're all going to die.

Speaking of skiing, Swix Violet is great.

Narrow mohair skins on fresh warm snow could also be a very good option, especially on those Gammes. Depending on your terrain and vibe you might get away with keeping them on, for the shorter descenty bits at least (sorry if I'm stating the obvious).

MANNEY I'M ONLY TEASING XXXX

Albeit it is a fact if I had ten inches/ 24 cm of snow on hand there is absolutely nothing whatsoever on earth that would prevent me from skiing on it.

[Lhartley]

In Alberta we have what's called a "chinook", hilariously made famous by Leonardo Dicaprio who mistook a Chinook for climate change. Its a warm front sent over the continental divide by witches in British Columbia. You Ski that 10 inches or a Chinook could take it out overnight

[Manney]

Actors? Is there anything they don’t know? LOL. Surprised he didn’t get confused and go on tour with a pop up book claiming an edible fish was the cause of global warming.

Saving my skis for a base and snow instead of finding every rock and tree root that the rims on my mountain bike didn’t find this year. It will happen… unless Leo DiCaprio was right aboot them Canadian chinooks.

[Edit]. Checked the forecast. 2-4” might hit this part of the UP around Halloween. Typical for the kids to be shivering while going door to door. Need to stay strong and give it time for a base to form…

MANNEY I'M ONLY TEASING XXXX

Ha ha. All good, Musk!