It’s all about the wax
Cross-country skiing transcends the ages, with everyone from young children to seniors able to enjoy the sport.
Yet one aspect of crosscountry skiing continues to mystify even some longtime skiers — the ability to properly wax your skis.
Alec Bialski, owner of the Norseman Ski Shop in Calgary, says many beginners start out with waxless skis because they are intimidated by the prospect of having to wax regular skis.
However, as they gain confidence and master the basic ski technique, they start to notice others on the trails zipping past them.
The textured base of waxless skis uses a mechanical means to grip the snow, Bialski says, which wastes up to about 20 per cent of the energy a skier is exerting.
Under the same circumstances, a skier on smooth waxable skis can glide farther down a gentle hill, go faster on a level stretch and use less energy going up a hill than someone on waxless skis.
A great way to learn how to wax cross-country skis is by attending waxing clinics put on by local ski shops.
Norm Person, owner of Lifesport Calgary, says although there are dozens of waxing products, a kit with three basic waxes will work “for nine days out of 10.”
Waxes are rated by temperature, but that’s just a guideline because other factors such as humidity and how fresh the snow is can affect the grip of the wax, Person says.
Generally, he says, if the wax you choose is not providing a good grip, slap on a softer or stickier wax.
As for the basic waxing technique, “the actual application is easy,” says Person. “You’re crayoning, something you’ve been doing since you were three.”
Wax is applied to an area of the ski base, known as the wax pocket, which extends from the heel of your ski boot to the toe, plus another boot length is front of the toe, he says. Apply several thin coats of wax, rather than one very thick layer, rubbing each layer smooth with a natural or synthetic cork before applying the next layer.
A thick layer can actually peel off the base in one big chunk, while several layers tend to wear off slowly, Person says.
If the next time you go skiing the temperature is the same or warmer, you can apply new wax on top of the old wax, since warmer waxes are softer.
A good way to remember, according to Person, is to think about making a sandwich — you can spread jelly on top of peanut butter, but the other way around doesn’t work that well.
Skiers can check out the websites of companies such as Swix that have videos of waxing techniques for their products.