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Selecting the right wax given the snow conditions and weather doesn’t need to be a daunting task and could mean the difference between the perfect day on the trails and a great deal of unnecessarily expended time and energy. The main thing is understanding the different types of waxes and their purposes. Waxes can be broken down into three main categories:
Glide waxes are meant to reduce the friction between your skis and the snow allowing you to glide across the snow quickly and smoothly. Glide waxes can further be broken down based on how they are applied to the ski. A rub on wax is quicker to apply however is less durable while an iron on wax is more durable but takes longer to apply. Glide waxes are applied to the tips and tails (outside the kick zone) of classic skis or to the full length of skate skis.
Kick waxes are meant to provide grip between your skis and the snow when you kick off with each stride and as such are applied only to the centre (kick zone) of classic skis. Kick waxes generate grip by digging into the snow underneath your skis when you transfer your weight on the ski. The right wax is the one that is soft enough to generate grip but hard enough not to accumulate snow and create a sole.
Klister is just another type of kick wax used for older snow that has melted causing slushy conditions and/or refrozen causing icy conditions. As the snow ages the snow flakes lose their sharpness and regular kick wax cannot provide the required grip. So we use klister, which is essentially a glue-like paste which is sticky enough to provide grip in such conditions. |
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