How do you wax for the backcountry?

[lilcliffy]

I realize this has been done before- but as we are beginning another ski season:

How do you wax your skis for the backcountry? Where do you ski, and what is the snow/temperature associated with your approach?

I ski primarily in central New Brunswick, Canada. Unlike coastal New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, the winter here is cold and stable. I am also in a snow belt- we typically have over a meter of snow base by the end of January. It snows here at least once a week.

My backcountry skiing is a true mix of xcountry and downhill skiing- maximum verticals of 200-300m- with a lot of distance-oriented tours (20+kms).

Grip/kick wax provides the best grip/glide performance for typically 75% of my skiing. For the other 25%, I have traditionally used waxless skis with scaled bases (I avoid klister in the backcountry because I typically ski through the woods). I currently have a mixed quiver of waxable and waxless backcountry skis. (I will be testing Asnes' Skin-Lock and Fischer's Easy-Skin against waxless scales this winter.)

GLIDE WAX:

I iron in hard glide wax to the entire base of all of my waxable skis.

I iron in hard glide wax to the tips and tails of my waxless skis.

GRIP WAX:

My fundamental strategy is to use as hard a grip wax as I can get away with. (I am currently using Swix V Waxes- only because they are available at my local shop- and Swix V20 Green is the most common wax I use.)

I start by applying a thin layer of grip wax to the kick zone of the ski. I apply grip wax directly on top of the glide wax.

If I am slipping and need extra grip, I do not start by adding a softer wax- I follow these steps:
1) I first cork in another layer of the current wax.
2) If that doesn't work, I extend the grip wax forwards, towards the tip of the ski.
3) If I am still slipping, I finally accept that I need a softer wax, and apply a thin layer of softer wax on top of the harder wax- only in the kick zone. Now the process starts over.

My experience suggests to only add a softer wax on top of a harder wax- not the other way round! Once I have added a softer wax, I must remove it in order to add more of the harder wax.

I have many, many times made the mistake of adding a layer of softer wax- to get more grip- just to discover it is too cold (always remember that the snow is likely colder on northern aspects and underneath a forest canopy), and the snow ends up sticking to the softer wax. Once that happens, I have to stop and remove the softer wax and start over again. Therefore, I have learned to only move to a softer wax if the steps above fail with the harder wax.

[MikeK]

I'm by far and away not an expert, but am trying to really master this whole wax business.

I'm differing by you in that I did not hardwax my entire base. I put down blue and ironed in as a binder. All the kick waxes stick to it just fine. They also seem to stick to my glide wax, so I think you could do it either way... I just chose to stick with what Swix was recommending. Right now I have three waxes I'm trying to work with, Swix Polar, Swix Blue and Swix Violet Special. I might add in Blue Special and some pine tar wax to try a couple different things.

As far as starting, I was choosing blue as my main wax unless it was really cold, in which case I'd start with the green. Same as you, I'd try to start cold and add warmer if needed. I wouldn't go green over blue, only blue over green except for the binder (heating it into the base makes it act different). I'd then put on two/three thin layers, corking each one in until smooth and clear.

Like you, I tried extending if slipping. Most cases I tried last year I didn't have much issue and never had to add or scrape wax. What I chose from the start was the right one.

I had one really bad experience last year where I just couldn't get it right. In the end I found that I could layer green on really large area, like almost half the ski (in the middle of course) without affecting glide and put a little blue right under my foot to give me a bit more grip. The blue was a little sticky, but not enough that it would really slow me down if I put it just in a small pocket. If I went the whole wax pocket I was sticking like crazy. Green by itself was not enough grip.

I don't know how kosher that is, but it seems to really be a good compromise if you are having a tough time. I'd say you could the same with red/violet over blue in the warmer temps.

In retrospect, I was thinking you can almost always just leave a layer of your coldest wax as the base as it acts almost like glide wax when it's warm. Then just layer on warmer waxes as need....

[lilcliffy]

I'm by far and away not an expert,

Join the club !

I'm differing by you in that I did not hardwax my entire base. I put down blue and ironed in as a binder. All the kick waxes stick to it just fine. They also seem to stick to my glide wax, so I think you could do it either way...

Do you iron in the blue to the entire base, or just the kick zone?

The fact that you start with blue demonstrates how much warmer your snow is than mine. I start with Swix Green, and then once it turns really cold in January, I remove the Green and put down a base of Polar in the kick zone.

I had one really bad experience last year where I just couldn't get it right. In the end I found that I could layer green on really large area, like almost half the ski (in the middle of course) without affecting glide and put a little blue right under my foot to give me a bit more grip. The blue was a little sticky, but not enough that it would really slow me down if I put it just in a small pocket. If I went the whole wax pocket I was sticking like crazy. Green by itself was not enough grip.

Interesting- slipping with Swix Green, but sticking with Swix Blue...What was the temperature and snow like?

In retrospect, I was thinking you can almost always just leave a layer of your coldest wax as the base as it acts almost like glide wax when it's warm. Then just layer on warmer waxes as need....

Good stuff!

[MikeK]

Sorry - I do not have polar, that was a typo - just green.

Green and Blue seem to overlap a little bit - it was that icy, transformed snow that I was talking about that working with blue over green... and even so, it was not perfect. I think had come down really wet with above freezing temps and then the temperature dropped below freezing the next day.

The "BLUE EXTRA" was the stuff I'm actually interested in. Seems to be a good temp range for us, and perhaps be a little less fussy than the blue.

It also depends on where I am in NY - it can easily be 10-20°F different between where I live near the lake and up in the mountains. I've actually not done any waxing up in the Adirondacks - it might be a bit easier there - but they still have days where it starts cold and warms up significantly. It used to be we spent 4+ hours actually out and skiing. These days it's going to be much less, and most likely closer to home.

[anrothar]

-Scuff up the kick zone with sandpaper

-Glide wax tip and tail and full length of groove

-base binder ironed into the kick zone

-grip wax in the kick zone to start

-if slipping, extend the kick zone forward

-if still slipping, add a little bit of warmer wax and blend it into the colder wax presently on the ski

-if still slipping add more warmer wax


If it's above freezing and wet snow, I either use Madshus Intelligrip kicker skins or waxless skis

[lilcliffy]

it was that icy, transformed snow that I was talking about that working with blue over green... and even so, it was not perfect. I think had come down really wet with above freezing temps and then the temperature dropped below freezing the next day.

In my experience, this is the domain of either klister or waxless traction.

It also depends on where I am in NY - it can easily be 10-20°F different between where I live near the lake and up in the mountains.

This certainly makes sense. Changes in temperature are even more extreme in the western mountains...But- I expect that the change in temperature- due to elevation- at your latitude may be more dramatic than at mine. What are the elevations in the Adirondacks that you are skiing in?

I've actually not done any waxing up in the Adirondacks - it might be a bit easier there - but they still have days where it starts cold and warms up significantly.

The possibility for constant variation in snow temperature is precisely why I see applying a softer grip wax as a last resort.

The variability in snow temperatures is not only a factor of elevation change, but also a factor of aspect and tree canopy cover.

In the heart of my typical winter, the temperature is typically stable enough to make grip wax very effective.

But, on the shoulders of my season, waxless traction seems the most effective solution. I am curious to see whether an integrated kicker skin can beat scales in my climate and snow.

[STG]

My waxing strategy is to use little or none:

double camber/skinny skis: I use blue wax and if that doesn't work I use approx. 3/4 length, narrow Colltex, mohair skins.

Madshus Eon/Madshus Epoch (sold)/ Asnes Kongsvold: no longer using any glide wax or kick wax because of concern about ground surface and water pollution (might just be trivial?). I am using the skinny mohair skins on the fatter skis and they work. I can climb (switchback) efficiently and glide without too much resistance. I sold the Madshus Epoch skis because I prefer the downhill performance I get with waxable skis. I tried a eco-friendly glide wax, but didn't like it so I am not using any glide wax. I guess I am a lazy minimalist.

[lilcliffy]

-Scuff up the kick zone with sandpaper

-Glide wax tip and tail and full length of groove

-base binder ironed into the kick zone

-grip wax in the kick zone to start

-if slipping, extend the kick zone forward

-if still slipping, add a little bit of warmer wax and blend it into the colder wax presently on the ski

-if still slipping add more warmer wax


If it's above freezing and wet snow, I either use Madshus Intelligrip kicker skins or waxless skis

Great stuff man. Simple, logical and straightforward.

It would at least appear that perhaps your snow is often more abrasive than mine. Did you start with base binder- or did you end up using it because of abrasive snow conditions?

Glad you mentioned the Intelligrips again...I meant to check these out after you reviewed them...

[lilcliffy]

no longer using any glide wax or kick wax because of concern about ground surface and water pollution (might just be trivial?).

Whoa- please explain! Are you speaking of ski wax being a source of environmental pollution? Is it toxic? Is it non-biodegradable? Feel stupid- haven't thought about this before!!!

I am using the skinny mohair skins on the fatter skis and they work. I can climb (switchback) efficiently and glide without too much resistance.

This is good to hear- been looking at a narrow mohair skin for K&G.

I sold the Madshus Epoch skis because I prefer the downhill performance I get with waxable skis.

I hear you man.

I tried a eco-friendly glide wax, but didn't like it so I am not using any glide wax. I guess I am a lazy minimalist.

Doesn't sound lazy to me- sounds like a matter of principle. What was the eco-friendly wax- and how is it different than the conventional?

[anrothar]

It would at least appear that perhaps your snow is often more abrasive than mine. Did you start with base binder- or did you end up using it because of abrasive snow conditions?
...

I end up spending time on snowmachine trails during a lot of my tours. Using them to connect off trail routes. Those trails can get super abrasive. But, even off trail, I find that a thin layer of base binder makes the wax last longer. The less frequently I have to wax, the better. When conditions are crusty and abrasive, I use the kicker skins or just skate if the crust will support me.