At what speed does waxing matter?

[SpauldingSmails]

How fast do I have to go before the wax really matters? When will I know I chose the wrong temp wax? Will a recreational skier really be held back by wax choice if below a certain speed? I'm not arguing against waxing, I'm just curious, if I ski below 65 mph (or whatever speed) does my wax choice really affect my acceleration and top speed?

 

[Drahtguy Kevin]

I notice wax more going slow and especially gliding on catwalks, flats, etc.

 

[crgildart]

I notice wax more going slow and especially gliding on catwalks, flats, etc.

THIS... Matters on the runpout, traverses. catwalks, etc..

 

[Talisman]

Waxing skis is like lubricating a bicycle chain, not just for speed but to make skiing easier especially on catwalks, traverses and long run outs.

 

[cantunamunch]

1) If your skis are properly tuned, waxing even makes turning easier.

2) Waxing for catwalk/traverse speeds and waxing for maximum speed are not the same thing and require different operations.

3) You can't sense a good maximum speed wax job by the seat of your pants at all - timing tells the story. The consequence of this rule also means no one without race experience or timing data has any first hand knowledge about speed waxes. At all.

4) You can sense a good catwalk/traverse wax just by standing in the liftline and shuffling your feet.

5) Neither 3 nor 4 last very long -but- they fade to decent then sort-of-OK wax job.

 

[Andy Mink]

A good wax will not feel sticky at low speeds or when you're trying to slide/slarve your skis sideways. The wrong wax will feel grippy and make it harder to turn, slide, or traverse low angle areas, as mentioned above. If you're moving the skis along a tip-to-tail line, it's not as noticeable.

 

[focker]

THIS... Matters on the runpout, traverses. catwalks, etc..

Even gliding up to the loading point on a lift I notice it. It helps slide in.

 

[KevinF]

I find that I most notice my wax (or perhaps the lack thereof...) when doing low-speed precise maneuvers around obstacles or whatever.

Wax is notable on long glides as well (i.e., cat-tracks, runouts, etc.).

 

[NE1]

Wax works for (or against?) you at any speed. After putting on skis, a couple of skates toward the lift tells all.

Caveat: even the hardest wax on cold, hard, sharp crystalline snow will feel slower than wax on a warmer, rounder snow, but it still glides better on the snow it was intended for than the other waxes.

 

[Chenzo]

Wax is mostly effective at breakaway speed (0-xx mph), and structure mostly affects mid to top speeds.

 

[Philpug]

Every. /end thread.

 

[slowrider]

A sharp edge should be part of the wax/ glide effectiveness.

 

[cantunamunch]

A sharp edge should be part of the wax/ glide effectiveness.

Absolutely - and clean sidewalls

 

[Uncle-A]

Any wax is better than none at all but to say the average skier can notice a difference at lower speeds is a bit of a stretch. Many of the members here are above average skiers so they probably could feel slight differences just how much and at what speed is difficult to calibrate. I think a better question may be is after how many days before you feel you need to wax again? Four days of skiing and wax again but that may vary depending on snow/ ice conditions.

 

[cantunamunch]

Any wax is better than none at all but to say the average skier can notice a difference at lower speeds is a bit of a stretch.

Nope. Not a stretch. Absolute truth. A never-ever will notice the difference between a ski with low breakaway speed and a ski with high breakaway speed.

The never-ever will think that the ski with low breakaway speed is bad. They will not be able to step forward. They will backslide on little humps. They will overshoot the lift loading area. They will hate the skis. But they WILL notice.

The never-ever will also (eventually) appreciate a good wax job more because they slow down to a crawl as they shop for turns.

Many of the members here are above average skiers so they probably could feel slight differences just how much and at what speed is difficult to calibrate.

Anyone standing still and shuffling their feet forward-back can tell a wax job with low breakaway* speed.

*Not my term - official TOKO wax manual term for the speed at which a ski escapes static friction and goes into dynamic friction.

It's important we use official terms now that we're officially spansered.

You do have a point - once the ski is in dynamic friction, few people can tell a good wax job - and this was my point above wrt. racing and maximum speed.

Once the ski is in dynamic friction, less than half the posters to this forum can tell a fast wax from a slow wax without timing or a pace skier. Maybe. I doubt there's even that many. Terrain, snow quality, line, ski flex and damping, structure (as @Chenzo points out) are all so much bigger factors that anyone who thinks they can is probably fooling themselves.

 

[mdf]

I only notice I have the wrong wax when I am skiing with someone who has the right wax.

 

[GregK]

A sharp edge should be part of the wax/ glide effectiveness.

THIS!!!!
It’s shocking how much difference smooth, sharp, polished edges free of nicks, burrs etc can make on ski glide. Noticed a huge difference in glide when I started polishing edges with diamond stones after filing.

I’ve had 3 skiers in the last 2 weeks that I have quickly run over their edges on the top of the hill with my pocket hard polishing stone and it’s been dramatic. Huge difference not only in edge grip but glide from removing burrs and nicks. Many people who think they have “wrong wax” issues may have/(also have) edge issues causing problems.

As @cantunamunch mentioned, smooth sidewalls and edges will effect gliding speed when on edge too.

 

[Jacques]

How fast do I have to go before the wax really matters? When will I know I chose the wrong temp wax? Will a recreational skier really be held back by wax choice if below a certain speed? I'm not arguing against waxing, I'm just curious, if I ski below 65 mph (or whatever speed) does my wax choice really affect my acceleration and top speed?

Not even going to touch this. Go figure!

 

[SpauldingSmails]

Wax is mostly effective at breakaway speed (0-xx mph), and structure mostly affects mid to top speeds.

That's my other confounding variable - base structure. Why I asked this question is because I sanded my bases with 220 grit sandpaper (needed some flattening and prettying up) and waxed with CH8, as always. Also, the sanding was an experiment to see what happens when I change structure. From what I read on the all knowing internet, 220 grit didn't seem too fine for cold, dry snow. Then I went skiing at Solitude yesterday. It was cold, mid mountain air temp at opening was 19 degrees. The skis felt slower, stickier, sloggier than usual - in all of those spots mentioned... lift line, flats, traverses but also felt like they weren't taking off as fast on pitch. But just about every time I've been skiing this year the air temp has been in the high 20s to low 40s. So I'm trying to understand how all of the variables work together. I ordered some CH6 to see how the skis feel if I get to ski in colder temps again.

 

[cantunamunch]

I took bamboo sidewalls into fresh cold snow ONCE (stupid RAMP). Never got rid of the hairies after that. Stupid RAMP.