By Michael Jones
Have you ever went to hit the slopes only to find out your skis are moving through the snow like sandpaper against wood? We've all experienced that one time when we were really excited to hit the mountain but our skis were just not cooperating. Well, don't let it happen again. Whether you wax your skis a week before your vacation or use a spray-on right before you sit on the chairlift, make sure your skis and your desires are on the same page.
Hot Wax
Hot wax is the most effective way to wax your skis and is the preferred choice of professionals everywhere. You need to know what conditions you'll be skiing in, as some waxes work better on really cold snow while others work better in warmer weather. You're going to need a few tools when performing a hot wax: the wax bar of your choice, a hot-wax iron, a nylon brush, a wax scraper and a dry cloth.
With your ski bottoms facing up, press your bar of wax against the iron and let wax droplets drip onto your skis. If the wax is smoking then the iron is too hot. Make a zig-zag pattern of wax beads from the tip to the tail of your skis. Once you have your wax on, move your iron up and down your ski to even out and melt the wax into it. Don't keep the iron in one place for too long---keep it moving along smoothly.
Once your wax is melted onto your skis let it dry for about 20 minutes, then run your scraper from tip to toe, collecting all the wax you can. This may seem counterproductive, but it's a key step, as wax is like body lotion that you want absorbed into your skin. Buff the ski with a nylon brush and wipe it down with a clean, dry cloth.
Cold Wax
Cold wax is an easy technique for those looking for a quick wax job. Get your favorite bar of wax, a scraper, a piece of cork (about the size of a hockey puck), a nylon brush and a piece of cloth and start rubbing your wax all over your skis like a crayon until you've covered your entire ski. Then take your cork and rub it over the wax, which essentially melts the wax into the ski, so the faster you move the more friction will be created and the faster it will melt.
Once you have melted the wax let it sit for a few minutes before you scrape off the excess wax left on the surface of your skis. Then buff it with a nylon brush and wipe it down with a clean, dry cloth.
Spray-On Wax
Spray-on wax is the easiest and fastest way to wax your skis. Just simply buy a spray-on wax bottle (around $10) and spray it onto your skis. The product works by putting surfactants onto your skis that lodge into their pores, and when the skis hit snow and water the perfect amount of wax is released. You can use this right before you leave the lodge, and it's great when you're in a hurry. Nonetheless, a hot wax is the best choice when you have the time.
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