Easy Grip Paper Strip Wax at Opet Spar

Kick Waxing

Tue, Mar  14, 2006 - By Howard Feit

I recently completed the Opet Spar version of the Vasaloppet in Sweden. The day before the race thousands of skiers drop off their skis at the Intersport shop in Mora where there are representatives from every ski wax company on the planet waiting to wax your skis (for a price of course).

I have been a fan of Rex Powergrip Tape and this was my choice. They now have a new version of Powergrip (in each of the usual temperature ranges). It is a thin film of Powergrip attached to a backing paper.

The tracks were hard and transformed with a forecast for -8 C at the start and -2 C in the afternoon. The rep applied the -4 to-10 C Power Grip by cutting a strip that went from the rear K mark to the front P mark on my kick zone and passing an iron over the backing tape. After some minor smoothing with his finger, he next cut a strip of the -5 to +3 C product that was about 60% of the first length and applied it to the middle of the kick zone and smoothed it out with his finger. The whole process took about 90 seconds! Afterwards, the skis are cooled outside and then briefly corked with a synthetic cork.

The advantages are (1) a thin, even coat which both grips and glides well and (2) speed and ease of application. My kick was perfect for 90 Km and I had great glide (high fluoro glider on the tips and tails). The rep said to carry some hard wax and apply it over the Powergrip if there was new snow, which didn't happen.

The new product is called Easy Grip Paper Strip Wax and comes in 10 meter rolls which should be enough for ten applications. I hope that we can buy this  product in the USA next year.