Xc skis icing up?

Discussion about winter adventure sports in the Sierra Nevada mountains including but not limited to; winter backpacking and camping, mountaineering, downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, etc.
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overheadx2
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Xc skis icing up?

Post by overheadx2 »

I have been out a few times now and have trouble with the bottoms of my skis icing up. I bought some wax paste and it certainly helped. Am I supposed to wax them every time I go out?
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Re: Xc skis icing up?

Post by freestone »

I have to ask... are the skis bottoms the fish-scale "waxless" type or a smooth surface? If they are smooth then I would plan on waxing up according to the snow conditions.
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Re: Xc skis icing up?

Post by overheadx2 »

Yes, I have the scales. I was told to wax them, but wipe the scales so there is no build up.
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paul
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Re: Xc skis icing up?

Post by paul »

What I have always used is Maxiglide - though I have have my bottle of it for so long I don't know if it is still made! It is or was intended for use on waxless bases. I don't use it every day, but if it is fresh snow and fairly warm then I do. But there are conditions in which nothing seems to work, a combination of air temperature, snow temperature, and snow consistency.
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Re: Xc skis icing up?

Post by bobby49 »

I started using Maxiglide decades ago, and it works. In a pinch, just about any sort of light oil will work a certain amount. The object is to get the lubricant into the microscopic pores of the ski surface. That way, water cannot freeze into the pores.
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Re: Xc skis icing up?

Post by overheadx2 »

Thanks for the feedback. I went out today for a short ski up Onyx peak today (the snow is going fast) and messed around with it a little. I think I have a better understanding of what need to do from now on.
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Re: Xc skis icing up?

Post by limpingcrab »

Don't leave them in the sun or upside down when you take breaks. If the skis warm up then they'll melt the first snow they touch and that will freeze once they cool down again.

That seems to help me a lot both on my skins and with the waxed base of my splitboard.
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Re: Xc skis icing up?

Post by bobby49 »

And then there are the Nordic ski racers. They know that they can wax their skis with just about anything, but almost any wax is going to wear off depending on the snow. So, the racers study the snow conditions very carefully, and they put on one layer of wax which is correct for the final leg of the race course. Then the next layer of wax is for the leg prior to that, etc. The last layer on top is the was for the first leg of the race course. So, each layer is worn off just in time to expose the next layer. That way, they maintain grip and glide through the whole race.
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