Choosing Ski Wax
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Welcome to the big hoopla - our guide to choosing ski wax... so many options, so many discussions - it's the holy grail of ski technology. Or is it?
There are a million possibilities out there, but it all boils down to 3 categories of waxes:
- every day, for training - the cheap and good used daily
- fluorinated race - faster option, lasts through a day of racing
- super fluorinated race - super fast and... super expensive
They say it's usually a good idea to stick to one system (from one manufacturer) and there is some truth to that, as their different variants are compatible formulations and may mix better... here are some of the ones worth looking at:
- Kuu, Swix, Toko - large manufacturers
- RaceWax.com, Hertel - family businesses, great prices, decent
- Nanox - interesting formulation
If you're a recreational skier, just choose an all-temperature wax and stay with it. Either of the big manufacturers, Hertel or Nanox, they all make a good all-temperature wax. If not, read on...
If you don't feel like using an iron to apply the wax, I recommend the RaceWax.com FluoroMax two temperature system. If you enjoy applying it hot, read on...
Simplest system
The simplest and most effective system is to use an all temperature wax - cheap for training and more expensive for racing.
I have used Hertel's system for a few seasons: their Super Hot Sauce for daily and the Racing FC for racing. Works well, easy on, good glide in most conditions and lasts reasonably well. You're looking at 25$ and 60$ for 330g of each kind.
RaceWax.com has an all-temperature hydrocarbon and all-temperature race Fluoro (in their cheap race category). Same idea - great simple system, although I don't quite like using their all temperature - I find it too hard for how long it lasts.
Effective
Expert
Skiing
Technique
The Nanox++ system is similar to Hertel's - 3 levels of all-temperature only, except you're looking at 60$ for 600g of everyday stuff and 90$ for 250g of racing... it is very hard, though - the hardest all temperature I have tried so far and does not impress with the glide more than Hertel.
Every other manufacturer makes all-temperature versions: choose whichever you want, same idea: the cheap one for training and the more expensive fluorinated for racing.
A regular system
If you progress past the simple system and want to get into it, part 2 will describe a regular 3-tiered system.
Read more:
- Understanding Graphite and Moly Waxes.
- Snow grain
- Snow temps
- Applying overlays
- Language of wax
- Tognar's wax tips
- racewax.com/t-choosing-wax.aspx
- racewax.com/t-wax-charts.aspx
- Info on fluorinated waxes
Read on for even more Ski Tuning Ideas.
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