Wax or No Wax

To wax or not to wax… that is a question that has plagued skiers since skiing began. I’ve always had waxable cross-country skis. When I first started skiing there were no such things as waxless boards. In those days the skis were made of wood and in addition to waxing we had to pine tar the base. That meant burning this black tar into the wood with a torch, a messy job but I still love the smell of it. It brings back happy skiing memories.

But back to the wax. In the spring or when the temperature is above freezing or if the snow is crusty or icy, waxing becomes difficult. The skis glide just fine but it’s tough getting a proper grip under your foot to propel yourself forward. It’s in these kinds of conditions where waxless skis excel. The raised pattern on the bottom of the ski gives you the grip especially in these hard to wax conditions. Many of the people I ski regularly with have no-wax skis and although they sacrifice a little glide in good snow conditions the things work great in the crusty crud kind of snow we get a lot of here.

I struggled up the hills today on my waxable skis while my skiing buddy Jim walked effortlessly up the hills. Another skiing friend who considers himself a purist who would never settle for waxless skis actually picked up a pair this winter. He would say he did it because they were such a good price he couldn’t afford not to buy them. But even he admits they work well in certain conditions. Most people who buy Nordic skis these days choose waxless. I think I’ll have to pick up a pair for myself.