Tools not jewels. A ski is just a ski. Words to live by to a certain extent. Keeping ski bases, top sheets, and edges in good condition makes skis last longer. As far as ski bases and speed goes, do some maintenance, wax-em-up. Then be on your way. We’re not looking for World Cup wax-tech service and mach-one-speed skis like Jessie Diggins often sports. We’re fans of Diggins, but we don’t expect Diggins-worthy skis. Expect and aspire to tolerably un-slow skis. Look at a ski base after ripping skins on freshly waxed bases; wax peels off with the skin.
But wax matters. It helps keep your ski base from drying out, and a proper wax can speed up sluggish skis. Here are some steps to wax your bases without spending too much time on the process. Let’s be real, not too much time. Using the hot wax method, this process could take upwards of 90 minutes, depending on how many layers of wax you apply. Keen on a quick wax process? Check out the 20-minute wax.
The Tools
- Fluoro free paraffin ski wax
- A sharp plastic wax scraper
- A scraper sharpener if making the commitment to overall base maintenance
- An iron. Ski/board specific if possible, which often means a thicker, flatter, and beveled-edge sole plate (the iron’s metal base) and more precise temperature settings. To save some money, buy a used clothes iron, and keep the temp setting in the “cottons” zone, unless using a green wax, which has a lower melting temp.
- Brushes: a brass or copper brush (oval shapes are larger and more efficient but more expensive), possibly a steel brush, and a medium nylon brush for polishing if you get semi-fancy. We’re keeping this simple but we’ll lay out a brush program for those looking for top-end speed in a separate piece.
- Base file for edge/sidewall dings
- Gummy stone de-burr edges
- Roto-brushes: not mandatory, but-oh-so efficient. Solda, an Italian company, sells cost-effective brushes.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.