The ultimate race wax preparation would be as follows:
This is an advanced process and assumes you have some experience waxing skis. If you are new to waxing check out our Nordic Ski Waxing: How To.
Race Homework:
- Review the history of the snow and check the trail report to select the right ski flex
- Check the weather forecast to determine the wax you want to use
Race Prep Outline:
- Bush out ski with Stainless Steel brush
- Run Scotch bright pad down the base
- Scrape base with razor blade
- Polish base with high grit sand paper
- Iron in one layer of Fluorinated Base Prep
- Scrape base
- Bush in the wax using a Horse Hair brush
- Apply one or two layers of base wax and iron in
- Scrape base
- Bush in the wax using a Horsehair brush
- Apply one or two layers of race wax and iron in
- Scrape center groove
- Scrape base
- Light pass with Stainless Steel brush
- Bush the wax out of the structure using a Horsehair brush
- Finish with an ironed in layer Race Pro using our Base Saver product
- Brush using a nylon brush to polish the bottom of the ski
- Apply a structure to the ski using a structure tool
- Write down what you did in your ski wax journal
- PROTECT YOUR SKIS in transit to the event
Details about the process:
The Fast Wax system is to layer up the ski with wax starting with Base Prep and go to an under layer of the Fluoro Base wax followed by a race layer of Low Fluoro or High Fluoro waxes depending on conditions.
1. Open the Skis Base Brush the ski base from tip to tail with the Fast Wax Stainless Steel Brush. This will open the ski base cleans out the old wax and dirt and allows better penetration of the new wax.
2. Remove Base Hairs Brush the ski from tip to tail using a White Scotchbrite Pad wrapped over a Speed Block or a flat cork. This is to keep Scotchbrite pad flat and prevent it from rounding of the ski edges.
3. Next, use a razor tool held at a 90° angle to the ski and lightly scrape the ski several times to remove the fine base hairs. Check the razor blade after each pass and repeat until no gray fillings are left on the razor.
4. Now polish the ski base using a 4000 - 6000 grit sandpaper pad. This will round off any base hair stubs and make your ski base as smooth as possible.
5. Hot Wax Process Using a digital ski waxing iron, drip a generous amount of Base Prep wax onto the ski base and iron in from tip to tail. The wax will act as an insulator, a generous layer helps keep the iron off the ski base, use about one drip every 1/2 inch, more if you are inexperienced. When ironing in the wax, draw the iron down the ski holding a molten bead of wax about 2 to 3 inches behind the iron, and always keep the iron moving. Make a second pass at a little higher speed than the first pass this can pick up any places that are missed.
6. Scrape the wax off using short easy strokes, again working from tip to tail until all wax is removed.
(Tip) Use a sharp scraper and keep it sharp. A scraper sharpener makes it easy to have a sharp scraper, just give the scraper a few passes over the sharpener each time before scraping.
7. Brush out the skis structure with a Horsehair brush.
8. Drip on and iron in your race wax base layer.
9. Let the ski cool to room temp and scrape
10. Brush out the skis structure with a Horsehair brush
11. Drip on and iron in your race wax layer
12. Scrape the groove with a groove tool and clean off the edges while the ski is still warm.
13. Scrape the ski base a final time after the ski comes back to room temperature.
14.Using the Fast Wax Stainless Steel brush make a few light passes down the ski.
15. Followed by 3 to 5 passes with the Fast Wax horsehair brush.
16. Apply Race Pro High Fluoro top coat using a BaseSaver and an iron at low temp 120C. Iron in the Race Pro.
17. Now it is time to us the Nylon polishing brush to bring the ski base up to a high shine.
18. If you have access to a structure tool, now is the time to imprint the pattern.
19. If you have a wax diary put in an entry about the prep you did.
20. Use good quality ski bones to protect your ski bases while you travel to your race.
Race Wax, Wax Recommendation Example:
1 to 2 Layers Fluoro Base Prep
1 Layer of HSLF-10 Teal
2 Layers of HSF-10 Green
Race Pro Cold ironed in using the Fast Wax Base Saver