waxing strategy question

[fisheater]

I cork in polar, and shine it in with a natural cork. I will sometimes just add kick wax the next time out, if it seems thick, I scrape with a steel Swix scraper, then apply wax.
Eventually I will put something gooey on the skis, then I will scrape, apply solvent, brush, wipe, reapply polar wax.
It works for me. I love how Teleman will talk about the first ski of the year, and the wax of the day was whatever he put on last season!
I usually clean my skis and give them a fresh wax for the start of the season

[The GCW]

I've ironed in Polar when the skis are new, the 1st time. -I learned that here from Telemark Talk contributers.

That reminds Me, Saturday, I noticed dry bases behind the heel and need to take care of that. -Thanks!

[lowangle al]

I cork in my polar and it lasts about 5 to 10 miles before it starts to get thin. I usually reapply it at least every other time out.

I deal with kick wax the same way Fisheater does, and I've also been guilty of skiing on the previous season wax with good results.

I've never ironed it in. If I was going to use an iron I think I would use a temperature specific glide wax, although the polar has the advantage of being able to hold kick wax, unlike glide wax.

[Musk Ox]

Another laissez faire waxer here.

I always clean my bases and get them sexy for the first outing of the year, ironing in glide wax and making them shiny. It is tradition.

After that, it's a complete free-for-all, with whatever depending on the conditions or the relevant degree of laziness. Polar is part of my procedure sometimes. Everything goes on everything else, and when it gets gross down there I just get out the scraper/ the base cleaner if I need to put skins on something gooey or I feel sick looking at it.

[mca80]

@corlay

Ironing will increase durability. How often for polar as base, Al said 5 to 10mi and that's about right, will vary based on snow characteristics, temp, and other factors. Taking a brush to kick wax, even polar, will do nothing except remove the kick wax from the ski and get it stuck to your bristles. Brushes are for removing excess hard glide wax and getting it to shine. If using warmer kick wax than the day prior I don't even bother with removing or cleaning what is already on the base. If there are bits of twigs or leaves I will use a sharp plastic scraper which takes care of foreign objects and dirty wax in a way that is good enough for me. For the most part I almost never use any base cleaning solvent. I also usually have most of my skis waxed with glide wax in the glide zones, ironing in and then using liquid/paste in between irons. For the couple skis I keep polar tip to tail I will iron it in if I have the iron running for other skis, but mostly just cork and go because my whole reason for doing it this way is quickness and convenience.

[greatgt]

Only used the 99's and 109's this year. Two days back Telekid was on old Rebounds and while the snow was edgy it was good. Telekid just headed them down and skied the trees like I used to do. Now if the conditions are not totally good for me, I get "defensive." When the snow is good (decent powder or beautiful corn) I engage and have a blast with turns from the past. I love double camber as it grabs on the way up and disengages on the way down. My 205 99's were good but I did the skiing defensively unlike Telekid who shot down the edgy snow and did beautiful half "C" arcs. Snowpack here and it is lightly raining now, is 10 inches of very heavy snow that easily holds one up and a few inches of powder. That is changing. thinking I will head out, huh, sun? Will hit the Highlands and ski where it won't hurt the pack for later skiing. Been a good December with lots of powder skiing. TM

[greatgt]

Oooops, been using GREEN most of the days out there. One day did about 10 inches of blue underfoot. Today will have some pink and red with me. Will see. TM

[corlay]

thanks for the responses, Guys.

looks like I was about to way over-think this thing.

my current process seems to be about on-par with everyone, here.

[Chisana]

I do think many overthink it and in the case of glide waxes, unless you are an athlete skiing competitive events, wax choices are not that critical. I have(and use) swix, start, and toko glide waxes, along with graphite speed powders and fluorocarbon waxes from the old days. But for most of my offtrail skiing I , like most here buff in some polar . Heck, I used to use paraffin canning wax as a glide wax- seemed to work good enough for my limited skiing ability.
Now kickwax, that is a different story, at least in my opinion.
One thing I am a big believer in is a base binder, especially in icy, abrasive snow.

[pacificnomad]

@corlay

Ironing will increase durability. How often for polar as base, Al said 5 to 10mi and that's about right, will vary based on snow characteristics, temp, and other factors. Taking a brush to kick wax, even polar, will do nothing except remove the kick wax from the ski and get it stuck to your bristles. Brushes are for removing excess hard glide wax and getting it to shine. If using warmer kick wax than the day prior I don't even bother with removing or cleaning what is already on the base. If there are bits of twigs or leaves I will use a sharp plastic scraper which takes care of foreign objects and dirty wax in a way that is good enough for me. For the most part I almost never use any base cleaning solvent. I also usually have most of my skis waxed with glide wax in the glide zones, ironing in and then using liquid/paste in between irons. For the couple skis I keep polar tip to tail I will iron it in if I have the iron running for other skis, but mostly just cork and go because my whole reason for doing it this way is quickness and convenience.

I find that a single layer of corked in Polar seems to last me a really long time. I gave my Ingstad's the tip to tail Polar wax job (single layer crayoned on and corked in) a month ago, and I'm still seeing the wax on the bases and feeling it on the glide (I think). I do use a nylon brush to brush my bases clean before and after skiing with good results, though I wouldn't want to use a brass brush for the reasons that you mention above. Where I live, I find myself waxing in wide ranging temps and conditions, so I really appreciate the ability to move my kick wax around on the base given that Polar is there to facilitate this.