Waxing for new, fine grain, cold snow

[Dave Winters]

I have never been able to wax right for new, dry, very cold (0* and below) snow. I always stick.

Any tips???

Thanks!

[C5 Golfer]

Ever try this from the Bomber store?

All temperature Zoom wax-- this is all I use and very few people pass or catch me when on a cat track if that is any measurement.

http://www.bomberonline.com/store/accessories/wax_zoom.cfm

[P06781]

I have never been able to wax right for new, dry, very cold (0* and below) snow. I always stick.

Any tips???

Thanks!

Yes me too . Whenever I go to BC for my yearly snowcat trip I always end up being a little sticky the first day. It makes a huge difference when riding a Tanker 2k . Leaving on Jan 5th. I end up scrapping off everything and using someones cold temp wax but does anyone have a easy "no fault secrete formula" ?

Jim

[Mike T]

Similar experience up at Sun Peaks last year. One of my theories is that anything but a fantastic base grind is going to leave you sticking in cold snow, as any ptex hairs will essentially turn into velcro at colder temps.

[wavechaser]

You have the right manufacturer with Dominator, and the right idea with the Zoom all-temp series...but what you want is the Dominator "Bullet" waxes for 5 degrees and below. There's one for NEW snow and one for OLD snow.

http://www.dominatorwax.com/bullet.html

You can mix and match with the Race Zoom, or Zoom and Butter waxes and cover a wide range of conditions.

http://www.dominatorwax.com/waxcharts2.html

I've used these for racing the last two years (plus the Race Rocket overlays, flouro powder, and Graphite Renew Zoom base prep wax) and rarely had wax problems in any condition, including ultra cold.

Try it, you'll like it.

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

Dave, when it is bitter cold, you are better off with NO wax.

Next option is extreme cold wax, however, use caution is is hard and requires careful temperature control. It has to be quite hot to flow, so it ends up dangerously close to temperatures that might damage your board and burn the wax. Narrower working temp threshold.

In the super cold, just solvent the wax out. Even cold wax is easy traction for sharp cold snow.

[wavechaser]

Dave, when it is bitter cold, you are better off with NO wax.

Next option is extreme cold wax, however, use caution is is hard and requires careful temperature control. It has to be quite hot to flow, so it ends up dangerously close to temperatures that might damage your board and burn the wax. Narrower working temp threshold.

In the super cold, just solvent the wax out. Even cold wax is easy traction for sharp cold snow.

Bryan, I agree with what you are saying, but I found a way around those problems. I crayon the Dominator Bullet New on the base, then use the Wax Whizard to work it in (no heat issue!). I do two rounds of this, then brush out THOROUGHLY...works like a charm, and no brutal hard wax scraping. This is for racing of course, for just bombing around the no wax theory works fine. :)

-RF

[carvedog]

Bryan, I agree with what you are saying, but I found a way around those problems. I crayon the Dominator Bullet New on the base, then use the Wax Whizard to work it in (no heat issue!). I do two rounds of this, then brush out THOROUGHLY...works like a charm, and no brutal hard wax scraping. This is for racing of course, for just bombing around the no wax theory works fine. :)

-RF

Sounds similar to what I do. But what exactly is this wax whizard you speak of?

[wavechaser]

Sounds similar to what I do. But what exactly is this wax whizard you speak of?

Ray's Way tools...call the guy up, he'll explain everything and is very friendly.

http://www.alpineskituning.com/raysway.waxwhiz.htm

[ursle]

love mine, heats the wax with friction, takes seconds to wax for any conditions, no muss no fuss

[P06781]

Dave, when it is bitter cold, you are better off with NO wax.

Next option is extreme cold wax, however, use caution is is hard and requires careful temperature control. It has to be quite hot to flow, so it ends up dangerously close to temperatures that might damage your board and burn the wax. Narrower working temp threshold.

In the super cold, just solvent the wax out. Even cold wax is easy traction for sharp cold snow.

This is usaully what i end up doing and try to remove all the wax by used wax solvents but always wondered if there was a magic bullet that people used. With the large surface areas of a 2k tanker it can make a huge difference if you have the wrong wax in new cold snow .

Jim

[wavechaser]

This is usaully what i end up doing and try to remove all the wax by used wax solvents but always wondered if there was a magic bullet that people used. With the large surface areas of a 2k tanker it can make a huge difference if you have the wrong wax in new cold snow .

Jim

Jim - I'd be careful of the wax solvents - they can really dry out your base, decreasing its ability to absorb and retain wax. Try the method I outlined above if you feel like it - and brush, brush, brush afterwards...then brush some more!

[D-Sub]

while at the Ray's Way site, maybe grab one of his glide enhancers, too. Ptex hairs can really be a problem, maybe worse when it gets cold?

[Mike T]

while at the Ray's Way site, maybe grab one of his glide enhancers, too. Ptex hairs can really be a problem, maybe worse when it gets cold?

I've got one of those glide enhancers. It helps, but it won't overcome a poor grind.

I had a deck last year whose factory grind was iffy, the glide enhancer didn't help much, taking it over to Race Place set things right.

I did a home grind on my old freeride deck after hacking it up pretty badly on the early season rocks - and by home grind I mean, using a belt sander. It was one of those "the base is trashed, I'm not going to pay for a shop grind on this deck, might as well try and see" projects. It didn't come out all that great. PTex hairs everywhere and the glide enhancer didn't make a dent.

It's good after you suffer a minor scratch in the base and want to clean up the area without ptexing (I never ptex scratches or dings that run straight down the length of the board and not deep - I just flush them down and call it "extra structure".

The glide enhancer is REALLY good at taking dirt out of your base or removing warm wax before applying cold wax.

Rain today at Bachelor... only reason I am not out riding now.

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

Wax has limits. Structure can be key, especially at the outer temperature limits. Example. In the summer snowboarding we do on Hood. Rilling or herringbone structure can let you ride well beyond the limits of "Good" snow conditions. Inversely a hard smooth surface of plastic on super cold sharp snow and the "Cork" concept. While in the Great White North (Montana, Idaho and CAN) at sub, sub freezing. Plain old shiny smooth p-tex seems to be the key. I have a number of super hard extreme waxes, but it is hard to apply and the trade off is so-so. This is where the guy that hasn't waxed his board since 1989 shows up and can slide and you just waxed and can't move!

[pebu]

Does anybody use any graphite waxes or additives? It seems in conjunction with a fine structure, a high-graphite wax would do the trick. But I've never used those, just hcs and flouros.

[carvedog]

Does anybody use any graphite waxes or additives? It seems in conjunction with a fine structure, a high-graphite wax would do the trick. But I've never used those, just hcs and flouros.

I rub in some graphite with the harder waxes for January riding. Runs great for me.

[wavechaser]

Does anybody use any graphite waxes or additives? It seems in conjunction with a fine structure, a high-graphite wax would do the trick. But I've never used those, just hcs and flouros.

Depends on if the snow is new or old (3 days+). You want micrographite wax for new snow, and flourographite polymer for old snow. Graphite is an anti-static and lubricant, so it works mostly for new snow. You don't want flouros in super cold conditions, since flouro (in varying levels) is basically for moisture in the snow - and when it gets that cold there is very little moisture in the snow.

Again, great tech info from Dominator on all of this is available on their website.

[Dr D]

flouro powder rubbed in to the wax as a last step makes it so slick its hard to stand up in the lift line. the stuff Dr D's on ebay is selling in 100 gram lots is great.

note}} its not me just a coincidence on the name. it comes up under snowboard race search and is listed as a going out of business item.

[ARCrider]

I agree with Brian.

Its all in the structure.

smooth for cold. works here in Canadian eh

deeper structure for wet spring snow.

Wax has limits. Structure can be key, especially at the outer temperature limits. Example. In the summer snowboarding we do on Hood. Rilling or herringbone structure can let you ride well beyond the limits of "Good" snow conditions. Inversely a hard smooth surface of plastic on super cold sharp snow and the "Cork" concept. While in the Great White North (Montana, Idaho and CAN) at sub, sub freezing. Plain old shiny smooth p-tex seems to be the key. I have a number of super hard extreme waxes, but it is hard to apply and the trade off is so-so. This is where the guy that hasn't waxed his board since 1989 shows up and can slide and you just waxed and can't move!

[JoelP]

For me everyone here is right on when you mix all of these together, structure, wax, brushing out.

the 3 correctly applied work wonders together but you can get by with just the right structure but once you add wax in (which I always do) then as Wavechaser mentioned brushing it out back to the structure is so important. Otherwise the cold cold snow crystals grab any wax like crazy especially the wrong wax.

I use Swix because I have a **** load of it still from days of owning my own shop. I've gotten to know the brand and use accordingly. Dominator is as good if your familiar with the brand and waxes within the brand. But no wax is perfect if you don't brush back out to the structure. I have a bench and put a light at the end of my board shining down it's base. I have roto brushes and I brush so that when looking back down the base I can see the structure again. I also roto in both directions to open the structure fully. It's not complicated but yes it's anal. It makes a HUGE difference but sometimes I get lazy and give it a quick hand brushing...either way I never go out without some type of brushing finish otherwise I'm a bit sticky.

[b0ardski]

I've found a mix that works well in all temps. I use a hard green swix mixed w/one balljay flouro graphite. I start with 4:1 , hard:graphite for sub 0 and go to 1:1 for above freezing. Structuring makes a big difference but I'm lazy & seldom work too hard on it. Try mixing in the graphite with a hard wax it does wonders:biggthump

[Thor VonRippington]

I have never been able to wax right for new, dry, very cold (0* and below) snow. I always stick.

Any tips???

Thanks!

All good advise here Dave if you ask me... just pick one and try it. Don't forget your local "Ski Haus". I've bought lots of wax and tools there over the years and they have always steered me in the right direction. Lucky for you the weather in your hood isn't that harsh very often.