"How should I race cross-country skis for the best glide""
"Can you get great glide without fluoride powder""
"Is there an easy way to a good glide without too much work""
We get a lot of questions about how to glide cross-country skis, preferably in a relatively simple way, but which still gives the perfect glide.
We wanted to find out a good answer to these questions ourselves and took out most of the products from START's range and with the help of their best breeders we have done extensive tests in varying conditions and arrived at the following, relatively simple, approach. With years of experience and countless hours of testing, we can guarantee you an incredibly good glide if you follow these simple steps. Please enjoy!!
THE BEST GLIDE ON CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING - SURPRISINGLY SIMPLE!
Step 1. Start by sickling off the transport glider / cleaning glider you used. Then add a couple of layers Start Race Glider Base. For today's competition roping add a layer Start Ultra Green which is very durable. (This screed is applied regardless of the temperature of the day. Screed adapted to temperature comes in step 2.) Brush out the foundation with a fine (soft) wire brush 4-6 moves. Finish with nylon.
step 2. Now you put on the current one the glider depending on temperature. Let cool. Sickle off the glider with Starts Plexiglass. Brush out the coating with a fine (soft) steel brush 4-6 strokes, finish with horsehair or nylon brush.
This step 2 can also be performed with Start's liquid products which can be done very quickly and with a good foundation according to Step 1, you get a top-class competition herd. Then you iron on Start's new liquid fluoride-free racevalla for the right temperature, add so it covers the coating. Its alcohol-based solvent evaporates quickly and you get a white film on your skis. Cork into the coating. We have discovered that it is also possible to warm up this wall, which is easier and goes faster. The whey iron must be at a maximum of 125 degrees. Heat calmly in one stroke from the brim to the back, you can clearly see how the bundt melts. Whether you corked or warmed it up, it should now be brushed out with medium hard nylon brush. Brush about 10 strokes with medium pressure. Then polish with fiber cloth.
Step 3. Then you top this with Start RG Ultra Gel Finisher, which basically replaces liquid fluoride. Very important here according to our tests is that both ski and bottle are at room temperature. You must cork this, it cannot be heated with a cast iron. As it is water based it is corked wet as it will not dry on its own, then wipe off the excess. Then brush it out with first a medium nylon brush or horsehair brush in 5-10 strokes and medium pressure and finally with a soft nylon brush in 5-10 strokes and medium pressure. Then polish with fiber cloth.
Step 4. If you really want to go the extra mile, you finally add a super topping like Start RG Ultra Finisher Spray, which actually many times does not provide any improvement compared to the topping in the previous step, but in certain special conditions it can raise the result incredibly much. It never gives any degradation so go all in with this step as well. Spray this on the sliding surfaces of the skis, ppress it out with your thumb and let dry. Brush out lightly with a medium nylon brush or horsehair brush.
Premium rate. As in everything else, there is also one premium price where two additional products are included :-) Snow crystals can change in all its forms and if it is really cold with hard snow, what we call snow snow, it is an advantage to mix in graphite in step 2, then you use this product Start RG Race Liquid Glider Graphite.
The other special product is this, Start RG Race Liquid Glider Molybdenum, it is advantageously mixed in step 2 when it is really coarse-grained, old and dirty snow. Ready for artificial snow that has refrozen on the edge of spring!
Now you have very fast competition skis with the best wear resistance and the best release in the glide.
A ski that is hemmed in these different stages has the best wear in hemming and the best glide. What is often decisive is the preliminary work with the best tools and a durable foundation (hard glide).
We ourselves are surprised at how well these slide ramps work. In many cases, they are on a par with fluorine walls and in some cases better. With the liquid products, you adjust your flocking easily and quickly with very good results.
Here are all the products you need to groom your cross-country skis to near perfection!
Basic equipment:
Steel brush
Bronze brush
Medium/Hard Nylon brush
Soft nylon brush
Whey iron
Plexiglas sickle
Cork
The cleaning:
Cleaning slides / protective slides
Foundation:
Start RG Race Glider Base
Start RG Ultra Glider Green -10 / -25
Gliding wall: (depending on temperature)
Start RG Ultra Glider Red +10 / -2
Start RG Ultra Glider Purple -2 / -8
Start RG Ultra Glider Blue -6 / -15
Start RG Ultra Glider Green -10 / -25
Toppings: (depending on temperature)
Start RG Ultra Gel Finisher Red +10 / -2
Start RG Ultra Gel Finisher Purple +5 / -5
Start RG Ultra Gel Finisher Blue -3 / -12
Super topping:
Start RG Ultra Finisher Spray +5 / -15
For special conditions:
Start RG Race Glider Graphite
Start RG Race Glider Molybdenum