Regardless of whether you're using downhill or cross country skis, applying wax to the undersides of these skis is considered a critical maintenance job. Ski wax is a hybrid of several different types of wax, enabling it to perform several functions to both extend the life of your skis and improve performance on snow. Ski wax can differ between being grip wax or glide wax, but both are necessary and have a different effect on how your skis respond while skiing.
Ski Protection
When skiing at high speeds, small sediments and even the snow itself can create small nicks in the underside of your ski that can slow you down. Applying ski wax to your skis helps to protect the wax from damage--the sediments get caught in the ski wax, which can easily be smoothed out and repaired. Ski wax is a hard compound that is resilient to minor nicks and dings, although your ski can still be susceptible to damage from rolling over branches or hitting other hard objects. Ski wax also protects the base ski materials from oxidizing and repels water.
Friction Reduction
Glide wax is critical to any type of ski. This type of wax is designed to reduce friction between the skis and the snow, enabling your skis to travel faster over the terrain. Glide wax also makes turning easier, allowing skiers to take sharper turns while traveling at high speeds. Glide wax is more durable than grip wax because it minimizes friction and contact with other surfaces, meaning you don't have to re-apply glide wax as often as other types of grip wax.
Grip Enhancement
Grip wax works by creating friction with the ground, helping a skier get a strong hold on the snow. This is most helpful in cross country skiing, when some friction is necessary for skiers to propel themselves up hills. Grip wax has a sticky quality to it and is only applied to certain parts of the ski, including the middle section underneath the boot--this lets skiers control when grip wax contacts the snow because they can push down part on their foot to take hold.
Member Comments