Ski waxing question ...

We are planning to do skiing at Easter, when the snow might be starting to get a bit slushy etc. I have heard that one of the best ways to combat this is to make sure your skis are well waxed. We are hiring skis out there - but I have heard of some wax that you can apply daily, a bit like applying shoe polish (with a sponge applicator etc.)
Does anyone know about this? If so, we could buy some in the UK and take it with us. I know that the hire shops might bwell wax them for us, but not each day ....

Any thoughts welcome !!

Thanks

My thoughts are, that the cheapest and most effective way for you to get slippery skis is to use Zardoz NotWax. A Pocket Puck will cost around £8.

http://www.skiracing.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=464

I've used the Toko Mini Wax with good results in Spring snow before.

Well worth having something like that with you if you are expecting slushy/sticky conditions; otherwise it can occasionally feel like you're skiing in glue.

Hi TonyJohnson,
I tried that wax out a few weeks ago, if you mean the liquid one that comes in a tin. If my experience is anything to go by, just be a bit careful using it to begin with, until you're used to it. This is what happened to me.

I found my skis too slow (K2 T.Nine 1.67m and I'm 5 foot 10) and I was having to schuss and pole just to keep up with the others in my lesson on the flat. My daughter had the same skis and she found hers too slow as well.

Anyway, after my morning lesson I took my skis back to the hire shop and said they were too slow and could they wax them for me. They said 'yes' but they needed time to wax them and they wanted them overnight, but I said I wanted them after lunch, so they put this oil type wax on with a cloth.

I tried ski-ing on them after lunch in my afternoon lesson, and I had a terrible shock :shock:
It was just like trying to ski on a pair of snakes, and unfortunately for me we went straight down a black run and I must have looked a real sight, trying to ski on them, because my ski instructor said a whole lot of stuff in rapid French which I didn't understand (I rather think he was laughing at me because I told him I'd had them waxed). Luckily for me, as the afternon continued the oil/wax came off (plus I suppose I got used to it) and I could ski okay again.

I have had my skis waxed with real wax in the past, and never had this problem, so I reckon it was something to do with the oil/wax. Anyway, it taught me a lesson. I'd much rather put up with my skis being a bit slow than try to ski on snakes :lol:

So, best of luck with using that oil/wax. I hope you like snakes :D

Seriously, though, I suppose it would be okay as long as you gave yourself time to adjust to the new slipperiness of the skis, and didn't try to go straight down a black run.

Ally

Hi. I got some cute little rub-on wax blocks that you can put in your pocket. They come in different colours for different types of snow conditions. I got them off ebay. I will tell you the name of them another day, because they are out in the garage and I've just spent the day full on skiing at glenshee and can barely walk. (I'm one of the idiots who said getting fit for ski season makes a difference).