Treatment options for Cross Country Skin-Skis

Tue, Jan  17, 2017 - By Ian Harvey

There are four recommended methods for treating the "skins" for glide on "Skin Skis":

Hot Waxing: The best option overall for racing ski skin treatment is to hot wax them. Toko HF Red is the best option. LF or NF waxes also work well. Rub the Red wax onto the clean and dry skins. Then with a sheet of base tex/fiberlene under the iron which should be set at 130C (265F), take just a few passes with the iron from "tip to tail" through the skin. The goal is to melt the wax into the skin, nothing more. Once that is accomplished, the job is finished. It is important not to touch the bare iron to the skin directly or to use too much heat for fear of melting the fibers of the skins. The fiberlene, the wax, and using the appropriate temperature should completely prevent any damage to the skin at all. This is the most durable and more effective method for keeping the skins clean and dry in any condition because the wax actually penetrates the skin protecting it.

Toko Helx: Spray Toko HelX on the dry and clean skins making the fibers wet. Run your hand down the skin section from tip to tail. Let dry completely before using. This method is quick and easy and works best in fresh wet snow, but still does not protect as well against freezing or dirt as the hot waxing method. Toko Textile Proof can also be used.

Toko TF90 Paste: Apply Toko TF90 Paste to the skin liberally making the entire skin "wet" with the paste. Run your hand down the skin section from tip to tail. This method is quick and easy but does not protect as well against freezing or dirt as the hot waxing method or HelX. 

Toko Grip & Glide: Apply Toko Grip & Glide Wax on the dry and clean skins making the fibers wet in a "tip to tail" motion. Let dry completely before using. This method is quick and easy and works best in fresh wet snow, but still does not protect as well against freezing or dirt as the other methods.