What Happens If You Don’t Wax Your Skis?

Waxing your skis regularly is an integral part of maintaining their condition, protecting both their base from drying out and safeguarding against certain forms of damage.

Start off by waxing ironing the bases of your skis with long linear motions using a waxing iron, making sure not to move in circular or spiraling movements; otherwise your skis could become damaged.

1. Your Skis Will Be Sticky

Skiing, snowboarding or telemarking all require wax. From glide wax for long days of skiing and snowboarding to kick wax to speed up your speed and maintenance wax to keep your skis in good condition, wax is essential.

Skis that have not been waxed properly may become sticky and less effective on the slopes, leading to an awful day on which friends fly past you while you struggle through patches of snow.

As part of a regular maintenance routine, waxing your skis regularly is one of the best ways to stop this from occurring. Although this may seem tedious at times, regular waxing will ensure your skis perform at their optimal best. First step should be cleaning your base cleaner or solvent from your skis before using any wax products on them.

As soon as your waxing iron has heated up, start by plugging it in and warming it. While regular clothes irons may do the job, for maximum safety and results it is wise to invest in dedicated waxing irons with temperature controls that prevent overheating your bases. Once heated up, start by dripping a small amount of wax onto the bottom of your skis – only need a thin layer now as this will be distributed across their base later.

Continue dripping wax until your skis are covered with an even, thin layer, spreading it evenly and covering their whole base. Allow the skis to sit for 15 minutes, allowing the wax to melt and bond to their base.

Once on the slopes, you will feel the difference between waxed and unwaxed skis – you will move faster and have an incredible time on them!

When waxing your skis, keep weather conditions in mind; colder climates may require more frequent waxing than warmer ones. Also consider whether your skis feature extruded or sintered bases since extruded bases lose wax more rapidly than sintered bases.

2. Your Skis Will Be Slow

If your skis seem heavy and slow when skiing, they might need wax. Applying fresh layers of wax helps your skis glide effortlessly over snow surfaces for increased speed and performance – even beginners should ensure they do this at least once before hitting the slopes!

Apart from dry and chalky bases, another indicator that your skis need wax is how they feel on the snow. Skis recently waxed will have a smooth, slick surface while those due for wax will have rough and sticky bases which not only feel uncomfortable but can also slow your skiing down significantly.

Skis and snowboards should be waxed on an ongoing basis to keep them performing efficiently in the snow. This is particularly important if you ski frequently or if you require your equipment to operate at higher speeds; finding an appropriate wax for your conditions and applying it properly are the keys to smooth operation.

On colder snow days, hot waxes tend to work best while cooler waxes may work better on warmer ones; however, as temperatures vary across different areas of the country, general purpose wax will usually do just fine for most people.

Prior to applying any wax, Black recommends brushing skis or boards with a brass brush in order to remove impurities and open up pores. He then suggests giving it a quick pass with an iron at 130 degrees Fahrenheit for warming purposes.

Last, he suggests flipping your skis over and inspecting their bases, which should show signs of dry and chalky patches with white streaks to indicate they need wax. You could also conduct the “fingernail test”, scraping the base gently with your nail until it picks up easily – this means they may require wax.

3. Your Skis Will Be Damaged

Wax acts as a protective coating between the base of your ski or board and snow, enabling it to slide smoothly over it and creating a more enjoyable ride. Failure to wax regularly could result in dry out and damage; for this reason it’s vital that skis or boards receive regular wax treatments in order to function as intended and ensure optimal performance.

Signs that your skis need waxing include their appearance becoming ashen and grey; this indicates the base is becoming dry and whitened and needs fresh coat of wax to return it back to its original state.

Rewaxing is also recommended if skiing at temperatures that differ significantly from their usual temperature ranges. As different waxes are designed to cater to various temperatures and conditions on snow, using the appropriate wax is critical – ski wax companies such as Swix and Toko provide helpful graphics on their packaging that help users select which wax best matches their weather and conditions.

Rewaxing skis may also be worthwhile if you notice any small scratches or nicks in their base that become worse over time, causing a rougher ride for you and others. Rewaxing will repair these imperfections and restore them back to being smooth.

As your skiing and snowboarding activities increase, so will the frequency of waxing requirements. Most skiers and boarders find this simple process essential to having more fun out on the slopes.

The easiest way to wax your skis or snowboard is with liquid wax and a small iron. There are tons of YouTube videos showing how this should work; in essence, apply wax directly onto the iron before rubbing it over the bases of your skis or snowboard. Your goal should be getting as much wax into those millions of tiny pores in your bases that allow your skis or snowboard to glide more smoothly over snow.

4. Your Skis Will Be Discolored

Skiers know their skis need a wax treatment when their base begins to look chalky white due to grit and dirt that has built up on them and has not been properly removed by brushing, which causes water to stick instead of moving smoothly over the skis – slowing them down while making their turns less smooth.

Before hitting the slopes, always wax your skis before setting out on them. Doing this will allow them to glide more smoothly across the snow while protecting from grit and damage caused by moisture build-up; in addition, wax will protect edges from moisture accumulation which could potentially rust and ruin your ride experience.

Waxing skis can also reduce friction between them and the snow. Friction is caused by two forms: Dry Friction and Environmental Friction. With Dry Friction being caused when your skis move over crystals in the snow; this can happen either when moving through fresh powder when crystals are sharp and round or older snow when crystals have more squared off surfaces.

Environmental friction can come from pollutants, tree sap and debris in the environment. Although it’s impossible to completely avoid environmental friction, waxing your skis regularly may help minimize its effect.

Waxed skis provide another important benefit – maintaining their temperature. Since changing temperatures can affect how your skis feel, it’s essential that their base is at an ideal level for current conditions.

If you want to skip the ski shop lines, learning how to wax your own skis at home is simple. All it requires are some basic hand tools and some time. Once you master the basics, you’ll save money by not needing to visit every time your skis need waxed or their edges sharpened; alternatively a professional ski tuning shop should always be visited for more complex tuning or repair services.