Cold weather glide

Do you get frustrated with the slow glide on the extremely cold snow? There are some things you can do to make the skiing experience more enjoyable when the snow temperature is below -10°C. This cold snap is coming to an end, but you can be prepared for the next one.

The basics for hot-waxing your skis at home

The glide wax for extreme cold which Peter recommended, Start SG8, is an excellent choice. Another one which I’ve used is Swix CH4. Both are rated for -10 and colder, they’re the least expensive, and they work well on our dry snow. In fact, Swix advises that CH4 can be used on snow as warm as -5 if it’s dry snow, which we usually have here.

Lifesport’s waxing tools and accessories

Grip waxing for cold weather is easy and simple. Hot waxing the tips and tails with glide wax for cold weather is not so simple. The easiest way to get your skis hot-waxed is to take them to a shop which does hot waxing. Most xc ski shops will do it for a reasonable price. If you’re not set up with all the paraphernalia for doing it at home, it can be a messy and frustrating experience.

If you are already set up, or are thinking of turning your kitchen into a waxing room, I have one important tip for waxing with SG8 or CH4. After applying the wax with an iron, make sure you scrape your skis while the wax is still warm(this is contrary to waxing with warmer waxes). After scraping, set them outside to cool before brushing. Others disagree with this method, but it has worked well for me. If you scrape SG8 or CH4 after it’s cooled, it all simply chips off. 

 

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