What do dry/improperly waxed bases ski like?

[PNWbrit]

I only wax so I can pass all the slow fucks to the powpow. Doug taught me that.
Honestly though, I wax frequently because I am on snow daily and the temp/condition changes can be fairly dramatic here in JH. One can go from blue/green to yellow within 24-48 hours.
And ski of the day choices change up quickly. Occasionally I'll take 2 pair to the hill and after getting some conditions beta from trollers, will bail on the first choice for the second. Typically when I suspect an upside down overnight dump.
don't start

The drag I get from ill chosen wax is always noticeable and increases the input required for the turn. Skiing is hard enough so it helps to try and minimize the variables. And slow is not my normal approach to much of anything.

I suspect many skiers don't really know or appreciate how proper wax benefits them. And that's cool; sometimes skiing is too complicated to be fun anymore. I use a wax session as a time to wind down, relax with music, herbs and friends. Tuning my skis about daily, is something I can look forward to.

Doug?

He of the Q&P tune....

Hmm.

[Muggydude]

Good replies thanks all. I had some difficulties the other day in some wet heavy snow in about 26F temps. Bases had a lot of structure but very dry(and not sure what wax was applied last). skis were quite sluggish to turn so I was wondering if that was the problem. Seems like it could be. I’ll have to apply a proper wax before I go out next on them and see how they compare


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[ak_powder_monkey]

Best way to really dial in fast waxing is to skate ski. You reaaaaaaalllly notice bad wax then!

There's a point where structure is more important than wax in terms of water content of snow. Think of why warm wax is soft, its so that you have a more porous structure breaking suction with the water layer in the snow/ski interface, inversely cold wax is hard to fill up those pores and make a smoother base. In warm snow though I suspect the hydrophobic properties of wax are also important to keep those pores clean.

[old goat]

Good replies thanks all. I had some difficulties the other day in some wet heavy snow in about 26F temps. Bases had a lot of structure but very dry(and not sure what wax was applied last). skis were quite sluggish to turn so I was wondering if that was the problem. Seems like it could be. I’ll have to apply a proper wax before I go out next on them and see how they compare


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

If by a lot of structure you mean spring structure, that will slow you down in anything other than spring conditions more than lack of wax.

[Djongo Unchained]

Doug?

He of the Q&P tune....

Hmm.

Bingo...That crew was so fucking fast that it was a treat to be first on anything at all, much less a pow day.

Doug, Howard, Benny, Haas and the entourage that always peeled off quickly. Myself included.

DC once told me that 2 skiers always makes a race. If you passed him on the cattrack, it was on. To the bottom too. Once I followed him onto a lower face/Sublette ridge and he just put it into a super G turn and disappeared before my eyes. Longboard days when GS'ing big turns was better in crud/mank.

When I first moved to JH, boy lemme tell ya, I had zero fuckin' idea of the ski bum life. Thought I did, but no.
Worked on the box for a coupla years, saw how those guys did it and bought in. Big time.

~~~~~~~~~
back on topic: yeah dry skis in wet snow will be tougher to turn and manage overall.
I have been on skis that hadn't been tuned in forever but turned out to be real fast. I think the ptex had turned to Teflon.

[Mudfoot]

As my old ski buddy Rago used to say, "Skiing on skis that aren't tuned is like driving a care without air in the tires." It'll get you there but it's a shitty ride.

[1000-oaks]

Actually skis slide on a microscopic sheet of water, ideally. The wax hardness determines the amount of friction, and thus whether or not the ideal water layer will form, or if there's too much water. Hard wax creates lots of friction to melt cold snow (or sharp crystals), while soft wax only creates a little friction to get warm snow the rest of the way to 32 degrees. Above freezing, it's all about minimizing the excess water and breaking suction.

[Muggydude]

If by a lot of structure you mean spring structure, that will slow you down in anything other than spring conditions more than lack of wax.

What exactly is Spring structure?

Skis I was on had deep linear structure the length of the ski

[stuckathuntermtn]

There's something very therapeutic about waxing. Maybe it's the focus/forgetting about everything else.

[Muggydude]

As a follow up to this thread, I had the skis I was on smoothed out with a finishing stone (still a somewhat course structure left) and waxed properly. Made a huge difference in how they skied - much quicker to pivot and a lot more nimble.

So yes I'd now say, dry/slow bases and incorrect base structure can make it a lot harder to turn and pivot a ski properly.

[bodywhomper]

The skivisions guy emphasized light structure touch ups often (using his product, of course) along with edge work, and waxing. Unless you’re making base/edge repairs.

Being Tahoe based, I only warmer temp waxes. I hate having cold wax on my skis on warm snow.

[old goat]

What exactly is Spring structure?

Skis I was on had deep linear structure the length of the ski

Spring structure is deeper--to break the suction. You shouldn't be able to feel a winter structure with your finger nail. Spring structure you can. I've never had the misfortune of trying to ski spring structure in cold snow but a friend of mine who did said the skis were unskiable (professional guide and patroller). In the spring when you start getting that catch and release catch and release thing going no wax will help--only spring structure. I prefer to just call it a day and have a beer in the sun.

[detrusor]

Shit, I wax for conditions, wax and polish the kids skis before every training. Spend a ton of time at the bench. I think it makes a huge difference. And as stated above....it pretty satisfying to coast past your buddies while they’re skating and poling down the cat.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[hutash]

There's something very therapeutic about waxing. Maybe it's the focus/forgetting about everything else.

More likely its the fumes.

[hutash]

I used to do different waxes, but it seemed I always had the wrong wax, so now I just run on universal wax all the time. Classic "good at everything, great at nothing" approach.

[EWG]

Bingo...That crew was so fucking fast that it was a treat to be first on anything at all, much less a pow day.

Totally off topic: I just watched Swift Silent Deep. What a great movie. That original crew, good lord.

Also, your comment about unwinding over the tuning bench - agree x100.