Ski Waxing 101
You will need to wax skis for glide and for kick. To determine the kick zone, place the
foot in the binding and measure to the heel. Next stand on the front of the ski with the
heel against the binding. Measure to the toe. This is the kick zone. Mark the sidewall of
the ski with a sharpie marker.
Basic Glide Wax Kit
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Glide wax (suggest Swix CH 6 and/or CH 7)
Waxing iron or an old iron
Acrylic scraper
Groove cleaner
Brush (you can buy a special ski waxing brush or can get a nylon nail brush)
Steps for Glide Waxing
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Place the ski on a waxing form, or between two blocks or telephone books.
Make sure the kick zone is clear of wax (see instructions below).
Turn the iron on low (waxing irons have heat settings based on type of wax).
Touch the wax to the iron to soften it and then crayon the wax into the base of the
ski making sure you only wax in the glide zone.
Melt the wax into the base by moving the iron in one direction (not back and
forth). Make sure the iron doesn’t smoke (this means it is too hot and may damage
the base).
Let the wax cool completely.
Clean the groove with the groove scraper.
Scrape all the wax off using the acrylic scraper.
Brush the skis (until they shine!!).
Enjoy your fast skis.
Note:
 If you have bought brand new skis, you should do 6 to 8 “meltings” of glide wax
into the bases. Melt glide wax into the glide zone of the base, let it cool and then
melt it in again. Scrape the skis when you have finished your “meltings”.
 At the end of ski season, melt wax into the glide zone and do not scrape. This will
protect the bases over the long dry summer.
 If your skis have black bases and you notices white areas on them, you need to
glide wax them.
 Keeping your skis well waxed , protects the bases and gives you a much faster
glide.
Basic Kick Wax Kit
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For normal winter temps;
Start red +2/-2 works very well for COP or canmore man-made
Swix Extra Blue (-10 / -3C) or Rode Multigrade blue good for the mountains
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For warmer temps;
Start Yellow (+1 / +3) good for COP or Canmore
Swix Purple or extra purple / Rode MG purple for mountains
base binder (Toko green or other)
2 corks (one for warmer “sticky” waxes and one for cold waxes—mark corks)
100 grit sandpaper
Putty knife
Wax remover
Lint free rags or fiberlene
Heat gun or hair dryer
Steps for Waxing the Kick Zone
** best to have Kick zone measured, but if not an approximate is about 1.5 boot lengths in
front of binding pin (15 – 30 cm), and to the back of the boot for the back
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Remove all old kick wax with a putty knife, followed by “scrubbing” off the
remaining wax using a rag dipped in wax remover.
Lightly sand the kick zone using the sandpaper. This will make the base binder
and wax adhere to the ski better.
Crayon on Toko green base binder. Heat it with a hair dryer or heat gun until it
starts to melt and then vigorously cork it in using your cork for soft wax. This
base binder will make the kick wax stay on much better. When skiing on old or
COP fake snow, the kick wax wears off quickly. Your skis are now ready for the
kick wax of the day. Make this decision in the parking lot, not at home. (COP is
an exception as Start +2/-2 works well most of the time.)
When applying kick wax, apply thin layers, corking well in between. Two to three
layers should work well for a Jack Rabbit session and 3 to 4 for family ski in the
mountains. Make sure you always carry extra wax and a cork in case you need to
reapply.
Note:
 You do not need to strip all the kick wax off and prepare the base with sandpaper
and base binder each time you ski. You may wish to do this a couple times a
season or before you ski in a race!!
 Frequently scrape off the old kick wax using a putty knife and cork it smooth
before applying the kick wax of the day. You don’t want to have a big build up of
various waxes along with dirt, grass, pine needles etc.!
 The secret to a good kick is to apply thin layers and cork them smooth. Soft wax
has a tendency to clump and go on thick. Before applying, put it in the snow with
the cap on. It is easier to apply when it is cold.
Final Note: Klisters are beyond the scope of “Ski Waxing 101”. If you think you need
klister, and you are a novice at the art of ski waxing, try Swix Klister in a can.
Prepared by: Allison Husband