Dumb wax question

[ddg]

Anyone tried grip was on waxless skis? Just to provide an extra bit of grip for some skis/conditions.

[bgregoire]

Anyone tried grip was on waxless skis? Just to provide an extra bit of grip for some skis/conditions.

Yup. Its a good idea if you are slipping, but on the tip and tail only though. No grip wax of the scales!

[lilcliffy]

Yes- for me- on the tip only- up to 8" or so ahead of the waxless traction pocket. Your weight transfer is forwards, on the "kick" phase (i.e. more like kicking a soccer ball, than kicking backwards). Your weight is full on the heel, in the "glide" phase. If you put grip wax behind the traction pocket- it will gradually smear it onto the glide zone of your tail. I hot wax the glide zones of my tips/tails. If the snow conditions are very slippery- I don't mind extending grip wax ahead of the traction pocket- unlike on the tail- the grip wax will stay where you want it..

Not a dumb question at all- and rarely, rarely discussed. Waxless skis "don't need to be waxed"- right?

[Teleman]

Uh-er.....Sometimes and lightly, wax will be applied to the "Bones"....Old bones need help and wax will fix them....Wanna work as little as possible on the up....TM

[CIMA]

How about using kicker skins instead if you need extra grip?
I have been doing that.

[ddg]

...but on the tip and tail only though. No grip wax of the scales!

Why not on the scales? Because of this?...

If you put grip wax behind the traction pocket- it will gradually smear it onto the glide zone of your tail.

Why not a very light coating on the front half/quater of the scales?

[Teleman]

Knee bone is connected to the....anyway waxing the "bone" pocket...is the double camber pocket...which breaks away on the down ....so no problem.....Wouldn't do that if you get new zillion dollar skis but for old beaters like we ski.....CIMA depends on everything but we like the lightness of ski unobstructed....even shuffling and sliding up works better with less resistance...(oldies need all the help we can get!)....TM

[ddg]

Related question... What is a decent set of glide waxes for waxless skis? Is the "SWIX FLUORINATED GLIDE WAX" in violet, red, blue a good choice. I'm looking for a low hassle procedure. What do you do between waxes - just give a good brush with a fine nylon brush? Or is something cheaper like this just as good.

[connyro]

IF you are looking for a low-hassle glide wax, you might like a paste wax like from FastWax: http://www.skifastwax.com/alpine-ski-wa ... 0-blue-60g

It ain't cheap, but a tin lasts me a couple seasons and it works great and is quite durable IME. Rub it in, cork it smooth, and brush with brass and/or nylon brush.

[lilcliffy]

...but on the tip and tail only though. No grip wax of the scales!

Why not on the scales? Because of this?...

If you put grip wax behind the traction pocket- it will gradually smear it onto the glide zone of your tail.

Why not a very light coating on the front half/quater of the scales?

Grip wax needs to be polished or "corked" into the base in order for it to for the wax to adhere to it. There is no way to polish the wax into the traction scales- the grip wax will quickly rub off on the snow- a waste of time.

The grip wax will also fill in the grooves or "valleys" in the traction scales- reducing their effectiveness.