Cross Country Ski Waxing and Base Prep

Factors that affect glide in fresh snow

3/14/2009 - By Ian Harvey

There are four factors that can affect glide regularly in fresh snow: wrong flex, too aggressive structure, base hair, and not enough wax in the ski bases.

Wax recommendations for this weekend's races

3/13/2009 - By Mike Muha

UPDATED: Wax recommendations from Fast Wax, Solda, Swix and Toko for the weekend's Michigan Cup (and other) races. Check back for updates!

Wax recommendations for this weekend's races...and a tour!

3/5/2009 - By Mike Muha

Wax recommendations from Fast Wax, Solda, Swix and Toko for the weekend's Michigan Cup races, the Great Bear Chase, and the Wabos Loppet (plus others). Check back for updates!

Wax recommendations for the weekend racing scene

2/26/2009 - By Mike Muha

Wax recommendations from Fast Wax, Solda, Swix and Toko for the weekend's Michigan Cup (and other) races. Check back for updates!

How we did it - Swix at the Birkie

2/26/2009 - By Pete Edwards

Swix Sport Racing Service was extremely confident in this glide wax recommendation. Beginning on Tuesday morning, Swix Racing Service staff in conjunction with the Saab Salomon Factory Team’s wax technician, Fabien Blondeau, began testing waxes.

What we did, why, and how it worked out

2/24/2009 - By Ian Harvey, Toko

How Toko's wax recommendation for glide and kick evolved from Tuesday through racing morning at the 2009 American Birkebeiner.

Birkie Base Preparation

2/19/2009 - By Kevin Sweeney

Proper base preparation is perhaps one of the best ways to insure you have great kick and glide for the 55km American Birkebeiner. Follow these simple steps and your skis will be ready for race wax application.

Wax recommendations for the weekend racing scene

2/19/2009 - By Mike Muha

Wax recommendations from Fast Wax, Solda, Swix and Toko for the Birkie, Muffin Race, Race for the Groomer and other races. Check back for updates!

Considering Hairies

2/17/2009 - By Jess Snyder

It would seem that the hairs on the hairies are too fine to function in the same way as fishscales and enable a simple mechanical kick. It's quite possible that I could be wrong here, but I'd like to present another idea on how hairies work.

Wax recommendation for Feb 17 Traverse City sprints

2/16/2009 - By Pete Edwards

Swix wax recommendation for Feb 17 Traverse City classic sprints at Hickory Hills.

Toko HF Blue in dry conditions

2/14/2009 - By Cory Wubbels

From what I have seen, as long as you are in the west with dry air, cool evenings, and clean snow the JetStream Blue will be the wax of the day, even if temperatures are in the mid 20s.

Wax Recommendations: the History of the Snow

2/13/2009 - By Dan Meyer

There are several key aspects that go into making wax recommendations and fast skis. One of the key elements that many times gets missed is the history of the snow and understand the snow type.