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Ski Waxing Tips Cross-Country Skis Glide Wax

Warm in solid glide wax

Always start with a cleaned ski, you can find a cleaning guide here.

  1. Be careful to set the correct temperature on your waxing iron. See the wax packaging for more info.
  2. When the waxing iron has the right temperature, hold the waxing iron upside down with about a 60° angle against the base. Then rotate down one edge of the waxing iron to get a good "drip edge". Place the paraffin against the heating plate, when the paraffin starts to melt and drip down towards the base - move the iron at a balanced speed so you get a continuous paraffin line on the base.
  3. Now you have a paraffin line on each side of the guide groove on the ski's base. Place the heating plate of the waxing iron parallel to the base and melt in the paraffin. NOTE! Always keep the waxing iron in motion to avoid burning the base.
  4. Scrape off the ski. See the instructional video below. Always start by scraping the guide groove. If you slip now, the paraffin on the glide surfaces protects the base from scratches. 

Quick glide waxing before training

If you want to add new glide wax before training and don't want to clean your skis from scratch, you can follow these steps. 

  1. Start by brushing a few times in the direction of travel with a fine steel brush to open up the base.
  2. Then choose paraffin according to the current weather, warm in the paraffin in the ski's glide zones. Scrape off the ski, see instructional video above. Then start brushing out the base with a horsehair brush and finish with a nylon brush to polish the base. 

To achieve the best results regarding glide, you should follow these steps;

  1. Before a competition, you should do a thorough cleaning of your skis. See our guide on how to do this.
  2. When it's time to choose paraffin, you should preferably start by applying graphite paraffin at the bottom. Graphite acts like a Velcro between the base and the glide paraffin. It gives you a durable and long-lasting glide. You melt in and scrape off the graphite paraffin as usual.
  3. Then brush out the base according to the guide below.
  4. Now it's time to choose the paraffin that suits the current conditions. Then follow the same process as with the graphite. Warm in, scrape off, and the three-step brushing of the base.
  5. For the best glide, continue with a topping product.

This is how you brush the base before a competition:

  1. After applying a wax, the ski should be brushed out. First brush with horsehair back and forth on the base until nothing comes up from the base. Brush a lot, you can never brush too much here. At least 20-30 strokes.
  2. Make two or three loose strokes in the direction of travel with a fine steel brush to get down into the structure of the base.
  3. Finish by polishing the base with a fine nylon brush. Fluid is hard so we recommend brushing a lot. 

 

Waxing with Topping Products

(Here follows a general instruction, check what method is desired for your specific topping product. The videos mention fluor but the general approach is the same for fluor-free topping products)

Solid Topping

  1. Apply paraffin that suits today's conditions.
  2. Rub on with the topping block so there is a film over the entire glide surface.
  3. Cork in with natural cork, by hand or with a rotor cork so that the base becomes lukewarm.
  4. Let the ski rest for about 20 minutes.
  5. Brush the ski. Recommended brushes are horsehair brush, fine steel brush (by hand), and nylon brush. See the brush guide above.
  6. For better durability, repeat steps 2-5.
     

Powder Form Topping

  1. Apply Graphite which you then scrape and brush.
  2. Apply paraffin for today's conditions. Scrape and brush.
  3. Sprinkle today's topping powder evenly over the glide surface.
  4. Stamp the powder with the waxing iron and then move the iron evenly over the glide surface. Use high heat so you don't have to move the iron back and forth, it can overheat and damage the base. Make sure the powder darkens after the iron.
  5. Let the ski rest for about 20 minutes, longer if possible.
  6. Now only brushing remains. Preferably brush as close to the skiing occasion as possible. Recommended brushes are horsehair brush, fine steel brush (by hand), and fine nylon brush, again according to the brush guide above.
     

Liquid Topping

  1. Apply a layer of Graphite. Scrape and brush.
  2. Apply paraffin for today's conditions. Scrape and brush.
  3. Apply fluid on the glide surface. Let dry for about 10 minutes.
  4. Cork in the fluid with natural cork, by hand or with rotor cork until the base becomes lukewarm.
  5. Let the ski rest, about 20 minutes.
  6. You can now brush the base. Recommended brushes are horsehair brush, fine steel brush (by hand), and nylon brush. Liquid topping becomes hard so we recommend brushing a lot. Also see our brush guide above.

 

Below you can see Gunde Svan's tips, in collaboration with Swix, on how to apply glide wax.

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