Ski wax

Ski wax (English wax ) is a wax that is applied to the surface of skis and snowboards. It prevents the melt water generated by the friction and the pressure of the sliding surface on the snow and wet the lining increases the lubricity of the sports equipment.

Grip wax ( nordic)

For the impression zone in the binding region of the classical cross-country skiing there are kick wax, which in contrast to glide under load, the impression zone is through the motions when pushing off the snow stick. This will allow the athlete 's progress. Kick waxes are divided into hard and Klisters. Hard waxes are used in crystalline snow used, while the packaged in tubes klisters for ice and wet snow are used.

Glide ( nordic and alpine )

Glide is available as hot wax and cold wax. Hot wax is available in bars and liquefied low heat, for example, an iron and incorporated into the base. Cold wax is available as a liquid wax for spraying or coating and as hard wax for rubbing onto the base. The hot wax coating is much more durable than the cold wax job.

The wax layer has the welcome side effect to protect the running surfaces of skis. A disadvantage, however, that accumulate in the wax dirt particles; after a certain running track, a waxed skis be slower than an unwaxed.

Waxes on the nature and composition

A distinction is ski wax on the hardness of its content of fluorinated waxes.

Soft waxes melt at lower temperatures (about 120 ° C) as a hard wax ( 150 ° C). Because the snow crystals are formed differently according to the age and temperature, the hardness of the wax used, the nature of the snow, and the temperature must be chosen accordingly. Soft waxes tend to come with old snow with rounded snow grains and at high temperature to use, hard waxes, however, in new snow with loose snow crystals and at low temperature. The difficulty and especially in competition over the hundredths of a second crucial "art" is to match the wax on the prevailing conditions.

Fluoro waxes

Fluoro waxes are a mixture of simple waxes and fluoro waxes in varying proportion available. You slide a little better and have dirt slightly better than conventional waxes ( also Hydrocarbon waxes called ) because they are somewhat more hydrophobic by the fluorination. The price increases with the proportion of fluorinated waxes. Special finish waxes which are in different consistency than powders, sprays and in blocks on the market that are used in racing as the last fine-tuning. Fluorinated waxes must be accurately applied to the temperature specified by the manufacturer to the ski.

In the sports trade is usually not waxed by hand, but with a machine. They often milled at the same time a structure into the base a, prevents the large-scale water films under the ski and improves the gliding characteristics of the sports equipment.

There are over forty manufacturers of ski wax.

Swell

• Snow Sports
• Of wax