What is the main disadvantage of racing or competition ski base types?

 What is the main disadvantage of racing or competition ski base types?

 

For race skis the best ski base types are use. Normally three types are offered at least: race ski base for cold, wet and universal conditions. The individual types differ in many parameters (see our previous articles).

 

For rase ski base type a wide range of additives and special substances is used to optimize the gliding features under given conditions. These additives and additional substances also do differ depending on the ski type (different additives are used for cold and wet conditions of course).

 

Almost all race ski base types have one common thing: the UHMWPE matrix is filled with additives and additional substances to maximal possible extent for maximal possible performance!

 

This absolute advantage of race ski base types on the one side is the main disadvantage of race ski base types on the other side.

 

Rase ski base types are filled with additives up to the edge / to maximal possible extent for maximal possible performance. What does it mean?

 

Almost all possible free space inside the molecular structure of the ski base is already “occupied” by all possible additives. What does it mean?

 

All wax-based products (base waxes, powders, liquids, speeders etc.) rely especially on the mechanical retention in the ski base, especially in amorphous regions of the ski base. Chemical bonds of wax-based products are normally too weak.

 

Mechanical retention is so strong as many cavities inside the molecular structure can be filled with waxes. In race ski base types almost all free cavities inside the molecular structure are already filled with additives which were added in the ski base production process! What does it mean?

 

There is almost no space inside the molecular structure of race ski base types to absorb any waxes or gliding agents additionally applied. You can put them only on the surface. What does it mean?

 

You are losing the mechanical retention and your additionally applied products need to rely expecially on chemical bonds which are normally very weak!

 

What is no-wax chemistry?

 What is no-wax chemistry?

 

The most of no-fluor wax systems (base waxes, powders, liquids, speeders etc.) are still based on waxes (different types, blends of waxes enriched with different additives).

 

All wax-based products rely especially on the mechanical retention in the ski base, especially in amorphous regions of the ski base. Chemical bonds of wax-based products are normally too weak.

 

Mechanical retention in the ski base has its limits which cannot be overcome.

 

That’s the reason why several ski wax manufacturers approached the no-wax way.

 

How it works?

 

No-wax chemistry products contain normally 3 different components. First component is an etching agent which is used to etch / change the surface of the ski base slightly in order to prepare it for absorbing gliding agents. Second component is a binder / carrier which is normally a polymer with low-melting temperature which is filled with the respective gliding agents. Binders are needed because the gliding agents normally do not stick to UHMWPE even if etched slightly. Third component are gliding agents themselves which are very often nano-particles of different substances.

 

After application the ski base surface is etched slightly, the binder filled with gliding agents is entering the slightly disordered ski base surface and unneeded substances evaporate as a result of which the no-wax product will change the status from liquid to solid. Finished. Ski base is coated with a polymer-like agent continuously.

 

 

How to use REX NF 41 liquid glider - comments...

Rex recommends to use the NF41 liquid glider as special glider for men-made snow. As we know, men-made snow is very abrasive in wet and extremely abrasive in cold conditions.

In other words: the main parameters which decide about the quality of the product and gliding features on men-made snow are hardness and wear resistance combined with hydrophobic and dirt-repelling features.

I was quite surprising for me that REX NF 41 works a liquid glider and is applied cold.

Below some comments and ideas related to the product and application method.

NF41 seems to be a very interesting product... it obviously does not rely on mechanical retention inside the micro-structure of the ski base only. Why? First it is applied cold only which means, the nano-structure inside the ski base cannot be reached for mechanical retention, mechanical retention inside the micro-structure cannot be sufficent for men-made snow which is extremely abrasive. Second the preparation steps before application do not include brushing with fine steel brushes to open the ski base, remove old wax residues and refresh the micro-structure... Conclusion: NF41 needs to be fixed chemically directly to UHMWPE. To achieve reliable chemical bonds the product needs to develop stronger bonds than the normal van der Walschen bonds which are too weak or modify the UHMWPE surface slightly to get inside the polymer without ironing! Both apporaches are very interessting, especially if combined 

What seems to be a bit strange is the use of nylon brush for preparation. It could be explained by the fear of the developers of NF41 that the use of a fine steel brush could contaminate the surface with old wax residues which could impact the chemical reactions on the surface negatively. The presence of hard and very hard nano-components in the product is showing the deep understanding of NF41 developers for what really matters when gliding on hard abrasive snow like men made snow below zero. To fix the hard layer on the surface instead inside the surface of the ski base could be also very befefitial... I personally do not like any movements against the gliding direction during the application process and need to check the function and composition of GOLD LIQUID product, but after long time a very interesting product with a very reasonable application method. If it works, it would be a great development step!

How to use SKI GO CM 26 - comments...

SKI GO recommends to use this product for wet warm conditions. Wet and warm conditions are specified by water film in the interface between ski base and snow surface which can be differently thin or thick depending on the amount of so-called free water in the snow. Free water is water inside snow surface which originates from ice crystals or ice grains melting. The higher the free water content inside snow surface, the thicker the water film between snow surface and ski base surface.

 

ISSUES

 

GRAPHIT WAX as base

 

SKI GO recommends to use GRAPHIT WAX as first layer under the product CM 26, they explain the application of black wax containing either graphite or carbon black as separation or stabilisation layer which should block substances below the competition wax to interfere with it. To be honest this is very strange idea. Why? A Black wax containing either graphite or carbon black reacts the same way with the ski base as any other hydrocarbon wax with additives. It penetrates amorphous regions and cannot penetrate the crystalline regions of the ski base. In amorphous regions hot-applied HC wax with additives is retained mechanically in cavities inside the UHMWPE. Graphite works as dry lubricant, carbon black as spherical nano-particles increases hardness, improves electro- and heat-conductivity, improves abrasion resistance. As you can see no features which are relevant in wet and warm conditions. Black wax containing either graphite or carbon black will fill the cavities inside the molecular structure of UHMWPE. Especially the spherical nano-particles of carbon black will reduce the ability of the following layers to connect to UHMWPE.

 

The idea of a stabilisation of separation layer is pure nonsense!

YELLOW HC WAX as another base 

 

SKI GO recommends to use YELLOW HC WAX below the CM 26 product. Special recommendation is not to brush the ski base after application of this layer. To be honest this is another very strange idea. Why? With brushes excess wax out of structures is removed, at least partly. If ski base is not brushed after wax hot-application, the structure grooves will remain filled with wax, this amount of wax is huge compared to amount wax which would be on the ski base if brushed.

 

If you apply the CM 26 product on such a surface, you will dilute the applied product significantly. You will create a mixture of YELLOW HC WAX (partly mixed with the black wax) and CM 26 product. If the product CM 26 should have very specific features regarding water and dirt repellency, you would reduce them due to mixing it with another product.

To dilute a specific product with promised excellent water and dirt repellency does not make sense!

 

DIRT REPELLENCY

 

Warm and wet conditions contain normally a high amount of free water but quite often also a high amount of dirt which also needs to be repelled. In wax-based products normally short-chained wax types are normally used due to their optimal water repellency features and low friction values. Short-chained wax types have, however, also some disadvantages: they are not abrasion resistance (no big issue under wet conditions) and not optimal dirt repelling.

Dirt repelency should be tested in detail!

 

What is crucial to achieve a reliable kick? Part IV.: correctly choosen kick waxes

Kick ski waxes are not easily to be used, for this reason they are often replaced by different alternatives as e.g. mohair skis, wax tapes, no wax skis with nano-structure etc.

We recommend to use kick waxes if snow conditions are stable and predictable, for example when they do not change for longer time (e.g. several days).

Under stable and predictable snow and weather conditions kick ski waxes can be used safely and reliably without any big issues.

If you are not experienced enough DO NOT USE kick ski waxes in case of snow fall, close to zero degrees, any time when snow or weather conditions change fast.

General advice how to use kick waxes:

• apply kick waxes in kick zone only
• NEVER combine kick waxes with alternatives
• always start with a colder / harder wax applied in a thin layer
• hard kick waxes need to be rubbed by a cork
• before you “go” to a warmer / softer wax, try to apply more thin layers of a colder / harder wax
• do not apply more than ca. 4 thin layers
• hard waxes are dedicated for crystalline snow conditons or snow conditions where the snow crystalls did not lose their forms and shapes completely
• clisters are dedicated for transformed snow conditions or snow conditions where original snow crystalls have transformed to more or less oval cornes of different size
• you can put clisters on hard waxes but not vice versa

Why different structures need to be developed for ISANTIN?

In fact structures created with stone-grinding machines or manual rillers do not normally touch the snow surface. After the ski base is structured, it is normally cleaned chemically (to remove the cooling and greasing agent residues) and mechanically (to remove the grinding solid residues and unwanted hair) and hot waxed (to create protection film and modify ski base surface for respective snow and weather conditions).

Hot-wax-approach consists of several steps:

 1. wax is applied on the clean ski base surface (melted wax can be applied with wax applicator, solid wax can be rubbed on the ski base, wax can be melted on the iron and dropped as liquid on the ski base etc.), 

2. wax is ironed with recommended ironing temperature for recommended ironing time (normally from tip to tail with the target to make the wax penetrate to cavities inside amorphous ski base regions where wax molecules can be retained mechanically after ski base and wax cooled down to solid state), 

3. ski base with ironed wax layer is allowed to cool down for ca. 20 minutes at mediate temperature, 

4. excess wax is removed with scrapers first, from tip to tail, with sharp plastic scrapers carry-fully in flat ski base areas, 

5. after excess wax was removed from flat ski base areas, excess wax is removed out of water drainage gutter or gutters with oval plastic scrapers,

6. removing wax out of flat ski base areas with help of scrapers pushed more wax into grooves of structures which are now completely filled with excess wax which was compacted by scrapping,

7. grooves of the structure created with stone-grinding machines or manual rillers need to be restored, i.e. excess wax need to be removed out of the grooves, to remove excess wax out of the grooves brushes are used, normally fine steel or bronze brushes are used to remove excess wax out of the grooves,

8. fine steel or bronze ski brushes have normally hair 25 mm long, with bristles 0,1 mm thin which is bundled to bristle bundles with diameter of ca. 6 mm

9. if the grooves are 0,5 mm wide and ca. 0,05 mm deep (which is a middle fine structure pattern) it is quite obvious, that bristles 0,1 mm thin cannot reach the very bottom of the grooves, or in other words: remove all the excess wax out of the grooves,

10. it can be estimated that the lower 1/3 of the grooves remain filled with wax which is again compacted by the brush bristles

11. wax application makes the originally manufactured structures shallower and more rounded.

Unlike the hot-wax-approach ISANTIN covers the ski base surface with a very thin layer which is ca. 1 to 2 microns thin and thus copying the structure relief almost perfectly, in other words: after ISANTIN application the originally manufactured structure with help of stone-grinding machines or manual rillers remain more or less the same, only covered with an ultra-thin ISANTIN layer.

 

In fact the good performance of structures is tested and approved for waxed skis, not for plane = unwaxed skis which means the shallower and more rounded structure shapes after wax application are a part of the structure success.

 

If ISANTIN does not change the structures similarly to waxes, it is needed to change the structures in fabrication process = make them shallower and more rounded in stone-grinding process for ISANTIN.

What is the main difference between cold and wet ski base?

Competition skis or racing skis are normally offered with three different types of ski base: cold ski base for cold, hard and abrasive snow conditions, wet ski base for wet, soft snow conditions with water film in the interface and universal ski base for transmission snow conditions between cold and wet.

Ski base compositions differ in the used additives to comply with different snow conditions.

Soot or carbon black in cold ski base types is used to increase hardness, wear-resistance.

Graphite in lamella form in cold ski base types is used to improve gliding features and electric / heat conductivity.

Metal oxides in cold ski base types are used to increase hardness and wear-resistance.

Molybdenum disulfide in wet ski base types is used to improve water and dirt repellency.

Wax like additives in wet ski base types are used to improve gliding features.

Are the different additives used in cold and wet skis the main difference between cold and wet ski base types?

I would say NO, they aren’t...

I would say that the main difference between cold and wet ski base types is the different ratio of crystalline and amorphous regions or fractions and the different wax intake capacity of those fractions.

UHMWPE which is the main material used for production of racing ski base types is a semi-crystalline polymer which consists of crystalline - for waxes and most types of additives inaccessible - regions and amorphous regions where the most additives are allocated and where the additionally applied wax is connected with the ski base. Crystalline and amorphous regions are normally separated by transitional regions which are - compared to micron-sized crystalline and amorphous regions - in nano-meter scale.

Cold ski base types have the majority of crystalline regions which are harder, compacter and more wear-resistant, but cannot absorb any additives and waxes (thus they are more or less pure UHMWPE), wet ski base types have a higher fraction of amorphous regions which are softer, modified by additives, contain cavities to absorb waxes...

 

This is the main difference between cold and wet racings skis :-) 

 

How does the wax stick to the ski base? - part I.

It is common knowledge that ski bases are waxed. Many wax manufacturers offer liquid waxes where the wax is dissolved in a rapidly evaporating agent. With a sponge you just apply liquid solution of wax and solvent on the ski base and after the solvent evaporation your ski is ready to be used with improved gliding features!

Is it really true?

To answer this question, we need to understand how the wax sticks to the ski base. Does it stick by chemical bonds or by mechanical retention?

The way how waxes stick to the ski base depends especially on the type and features of the ski base. Cheaper extruded ski base types do not have NANO fibril structure to retain waxes mechanically, thus they need to stick to the ski base by chemical bonds only.

 

Chemical bonds are – however – very weak, thus the abrasion resistance of such a wax layer is very low. In other words: a wax layer – especially liquid wax layer – applied on the cheaper extruded ski base will wear off in several hundred meters or max. kilometers depending on snow conditions.

 

More expensive sintered ski base types have NANO fibril structure on the very top surface to retain waxes mechanically, thus waxes are mixed with the base material to a new layer consisting of both wax and ski base material.

 

Mechanically retained wax molecules are protected against abrasion forces, thus their life time is relatively good. Mechanical retention is – however – supported by heat, thus hot wax application is recommended here. Cold liquid wax application will hardy penetrate deep enough.

Conclusions

Waxes stick to cheap extruded ski base types by weak chemical bonds only with very low life time of wax coating. Waxes stick to more expensive sintered ski base types by mechanical retention with good life time. Liquid wax application seems to be waste of money in both cases.

How deep can waxes penetrate into the ski base?

Waxes penetrate into the ski-base, however, the penetration depth is very small, according to many different research studies the penetration depth is max. 1 microns, 1.000 nano-meters.

Regardless of research study results the value of max. 1 microns, 1.000 nano-meters for wax penetration into the ski base material seems to be very realistic.

• the top surface of the ski base is created by NANO fibre-like structure where wax molecules are accommodated in free cavities, the normal length of the NANO fibres or depth of the NANO fibre-like structure is ca. 250 nano-meters
• in this “open” top surface there is enough free space to accommodate wax molecules
• inside the NANO fibre-like structure which depth is ca. 250 nano-meters are cavities and free spaces in the size of a few tens of nano-meters whereas the size of individual wax molecules is amounting to a few of nano-meters
• in this “open” top surface the most of wax molecules are accommodated
• some wax molecules can also penetrate a bit deeper into the ski base but only in so called amorphous regions inside the bulk polymer, crystalline regions cannot be entered by wax molecules
• below the open top fibre-like structure, i.e. in the bulk polymer the free cavities are - however - much smaller (typical range for UHMWPE is 5 to 20 nano-meters)
• at the same time the very top surface of the ski base consists of crystalline regions and amorphous regions separated by transitional regions, waxes and additives contained in waxes can be absorbed in amorphous regions only, crystalline regions are not accessible for waxes and additives.

Most of wax molecules are accommodated in the open top surface which is not much deeper than 250 nano-meters. Wax molecules can be retained between the NANO hairs. Wax molecules and NANO hairs of the polymer create the so called gliding surface.

 

What are the main weaknesses of waxes? Part no. II – wax softness

Waxes are normally soft, much softer than the material of the ski base. Even if ski wax manufacturers try to mix hard waxes for abrasive and aggressive snow conditions, waxes are normally softer than the ski base itself.

 

If softer waxes are mixed with the ski base material in the top surface of the ski base creating the mixture called gliding surface, the result is always softer surface of the ski base or softening of the ski base surface by adding the wax.

 

The hardest waxes offered currently on the ski wax market like Toko X-Cold Powder / Blue X-Cold, Holmenkol Ultra Base Cold, Swix CHX4 / HSX4 / PS4 (cold powder blue/green series), Maplus Race Base Cold – reach the hardness 40 to 50 shore D which is still below the hardness of the ski base which is normally 65 shore D.

 

If we consider that the wax absorbing capacity in cavities inside molecular structure of a ski base is ca. 5 to 30 % of the thin top layer of the ski base, we can say that on the surface amounting to max. 255 cm2 and min. 38 cm2 of the total 765 cm2 the hardness is reduced by ca. 23 to 38 per cent.

 

If we consider that especially the hardness is the most important factor influencing the gliding qualities or friction especially in cold, hard and abrasive snow conditions, then it could mean that wax application under these conditions is contra-effective.

 

Fortunately for ski wax manufacturers, the question is not as straightforward as it might seem at first glance. It is true that the application of soft waxes reduces the entire hardness at least in the extent where wax molecules are accommodated inside the ski base material. On the other side ski base is protected and intermolecular bonds between ski base surface and snow surface can be blocked thanks to wax application.

 

We need to apply waxes also under cold, hard and abrasive snow conditions to protect the ski base and block intermolecular bonds. At the same time wax application will always decrease the ski base hardness. Especially the hardness is the most important factor influencing the gliding in cold and hard snow conditions.

What are the main weaknesses of waxes? Part no. I - wax bonding to ski base

Ski waxes are for sure the most popular and most common agents to optimize gliding features for particular snow and weather conditions.

For each snow condition and for any temperature range there will be many different waxing options to be used.

What are - however - the main weaknesses of waxes especially in competition ski service?

The main weakness of ski waxes is the way how they connect with ski base.

Even if this statement sounds very theoretically, the consequences are practical and enormous.

Ski base consists of PE molecular chains enriched with different additives in NANO level. PE molecular chains create on the ski base surface a fiber-like structure with many small cavities and free spaces. If we consider that the normal length of NANO-fibers on the ski base surface is amounting to ca. 150 to 350 nanometers, the size of cavities can be estimated in the range of a few tens of nanometers. This is enough free space to accommodate wax molecules, especially if they are highly-mobile due to liquid state by ironing.

Fiber-like structure on the ski base surface and wax molecules accommodated in the free cavities inside the fiber-like structure create a new gliding surface on the top of the ski base which is a mixture of the fiber-like structure and wax molecules.

Already this new gliding surface is more a mosaic consisting of different PE-stones, wax-stones and additive-stones. Imagine what will happen if a second / third / forth etc. wax layer is ironed on the mosaic-like gliding surface... The diversity and variability of the gliding mosaic will be increased dramatically.

After wax application - especially if more wax layers are applied - a unique and original surface is created on the top of ski base. This gliding mosaic-like surface is so unique that it cannot be repeated twice. Most probably on each ski of one ski pair a different mosaic-like gliding surface is created. This is very probably the reason why competition ski service is more magic and spells than science! Results can be hardly repeated!

What is crucial to achieve a reliable kick? Part III.: correctly defined kick area of the ski

In the article "What is crucial to achieve a reliable kick? Part I.: right stiffness and length of the skis” it was explained that skis base for classic cross-country skiing style consists of three parts / areas, two gliding areas (one in tip and one in tail of the ski) and one kicking area (in the centre of the ski).

If the skier is standing on both skis, in other words skier’s load is transferred to both skis equally, the middle area (kicking area) should not touch the snow surface and the skis should glide on the snow surface in the tip and tail areas (gliding areas).

In the opposite if the skier concetrates his/her load on one of both skis, the middle area is pressed down and get in touch with snow surface enabling the kick.

For a reliable kick is thus responsible stiffness and length of the skis (they must correspond with the weight and height of the skier) but also the length and position of the kicking area.

If the kicking area - where kick waxes are applied - is A. wrongly positioned along the ski or B. too short or too long no reliable kick can be provided.

If the kicking zone is correctly positioned, but too short the consequence is missing kick but still good gliding properties.

If the kicking zone is correctly positioned, but too long the cosequence is A. a reliable kick but bad gliding properties or B. freezing wax with no kick and horrible gliding properties or C. skis do not enable any movement.

If the kicking zone is incorectly positioned, the result is normaly too long kicking zone with consequences A / B / C depending on other factors as snow conditions, wax type etc.

Conclusions

Define the kicking area where kick waxes are applied carefully before you start to ski. If you do not know the kicking area, apply the kick waxes in a short window which can be increased with insufficient kick. In direction to ski tail the kicking zone ends latest where the ski boots end. If you need to improve kick properties by enlarging the kicking zone, go direction to tail first and stop at ski boot end. After you have reached the ski boots end, enlarge the kicking zone in direction to tip.

How the wax application changes the ski base structure?

Especially competition skis are structured for better gliding performance. After the ski base grinding process has been highly automatised, the structuring is booming. There are various structures for any snow conditions and temperature range. Each parameter of the structure to be grinded can be set up, endless shapes, depths, pitches, angles are possible. Structures become more and more complex and highly specialized. Any detail, any parameter is important and counts...

Is it really true?

It is true that the modern grinding machines can produce almost any structure form and shape which you can even imagine. The grinding machines are extremelly precise and fast. Fine and high-quality stones are formed with diamant pins with accuracy to hundredths, pressure, feeding and revolutions can be controlled and regulated so precisely and stable that structures can be perfectly cut.

On the other side each ski base material is a bit different even if it was produced in the same production batch, but these differences are quite small.

After ski waxes - in multiple layers - have been applied on the structured ski base, a new story beginns to be written. Frist ski waxes and ski base material connect or are mixed on the molecular level to a new material which is a mixture of both wax and ski base material creating a new layer which can be called “gliding surface”. This new gliding surface is created on the molecular level chemically but in daily ski service reality it is created on macro or micro level. Thin wax layers in different forms are applied on the ski base, ironed, excess wax is scrapped off and brushed out of the structure...

Excess wax is brushed out of the structure, structure is restored by brushing, original grinded structrure is revealed again with help of brushing...

Is it really true?

Let us analyze a common case: grinded linear grooves with the pitch distance 0,5 mm which is normally called fine to middle coarse structure.

The pitch distance 0,5 mm which is 500 microns will correspond to ca. 50 microns deep structure, the ratio width / depth is ca. 10 due to technological reasons. Standard linear grooves are V-form grooves, the pitch distance between the tops amounting to 500 microns will correspond to a width amounting to few microns in the bottom (depth ca. 50 microns).

If excess wax is removed, it is first scrapped off by scrappers, later brushed out of the grooves (V-form of grooves is restored by brushing again. Which brush is used to restore the structure / grooves filled with wax?

Standardly steel or bronze brushes are used to clean the wax out of the structure. Both steel and bronze brushes consist of bundles of bristles. Bundles have normaly circle-shape with diameter ca. 5 mm. Each bundle consist of equally long and thin bristles. Standard steel and bronze brushes used to reveal structures have bristle length of ca. 20 to 25 mm and diameter of 100 microns (0,1 mm).

Let us have a look at the situation when the excess wax is brushed out of the grooves a bit more detailed: we have grooves 500 microns wide and 50 microns deep, we have brush with bundled bristles 25.000 microns long and 100 microns wide.

Conclusions: standard steel brush will remove the excess wax out of the upper half of V-shape grooves with pitch distance 500 microns. The bottom area of V-shape grooves with pitch distance 500 microns and depth 50 microns will remain “filled” with wax. In addition the bristles with the diameter of 100 microns will work as a rammer and will compact the wax inside the bottom area of the V-shape grooves resulting in shallower and more rounded groove forms.

Application of ski waxes does change the ski base structure, waxes make the structure shallower and more rounded compared to the status after fabrication.

What is crucial to achieve a reliable kick? Part II.: the right ski base

In the previous article we explained that the right stiffness of the ski for classic cross-country skiing style is the first crucial parameter to achieve a reliable kick.

Today’s part is dealing with the ski base.

We know that the ski base consists of three areas in case of skis for classic cross-country skiing style. In the front and back there is the gliding area, in the middle there is the kick area. In the front and back gliding waxes and agents are applied, in the middle kick waxes or means are used. Alternatives for kick waxes are mohair, kick strip, zero ski base patterns etc.

Ski base is responsible for both gliding and kicking properties.

Kicking features

It can be very surprising but kick waxes or kick means decide not only about how reliable the kick is but also how well or badly the skis glide.

Why?

If a liquid kick wax is freezing or a hard kick wax layer is too thick, this bad kick quality is impacting the gliding qualities so significantly that any gliding wax can compensate this.

If you are a beginner skier or ski tourist you need to concetrate on the quality of the kick agents because they influence both gliding and kicking properties.

Gliding properties of kick waxes depend especially on

• correct position and length of kick area
• thickness of kick layer
• right kick wax needs to be chosen for specific snow conditions
• roughness of ski base in area where kick waxes are applied needs to be increased

Gliding features

If kick wax does not glide well, the ski does not glide well :-) You can improve the gliding features with the application of gliding waxes and agents, but they protect more the ski base than improve the gliding features in case of classic cross-country skiing style.

In addition there are ski base types which are able to absorb and “hold” gliding waxes and there are ski base types on the market which cannot absorb or hold any wax.

For whom is mohair the right choice?

Background of Mohair - alternative for kick waxes

Kick waxes are used for classic cross-country skiing style enabling forward movement on skis in the ski track. Unlike the skate style, the classic cross-country skiing style requires the use of an agent enabling the “kick”. To enable the “kick” and thus the forward movement in the classic cross-country skiing style kick waxes - as hard waxes or liquid waxes - were used for many years.

Problems with kick waxes

Kick waxes - especially the liquid ones - are hard to be applied on the ski base. There are plenty of kick waxes for different snow types and temperatures ranges. Use of kick waxes was connected with many troubles = they did not enable the “kick”, they froze and rubbed off while sliding...

Skate style

All these problems of kick waxes accelerated the development of the skate style where no kick waxes need to be used. We could also say that popularity of the skate style originates in the problems of kick waxes.

Problems of skate style

Skate style can afford advanced skiers only and skiers in a good physical condition. If you are skiing uphill in skate style, you have no support of the kicks, you need to skate and glide up to the top of the hill which can be very challenging especially for untrained skiers.

Other alternatives for kick waxes

Especially the high requirements for physical condition and skills in the skate style re-started the search for other alternatives for kick waxes as it was clear and obvious that skate style is not the right option for ski tourists. Beginner skiers and especially ski tourists need for their cross-country skiing trips the kick to move slowly and comfortably in the country. They are ready to give up some of the gliding qualities - if skiing downhill - for a reliable and easy kick - if skiing uphill.

Mohair as a modern alternative for kick waxes

Mohair seems to be the right solution for these tasks. It worsens the gliding qualities of the skies acceptably and in the most of snow conditions it provides a more or less reliable and easy kick enabling an easy and comfortable forward movement on skis uphill.

Mohair limits and problems

Especially in cold and icy conditions and in very wet spring snow conditions mohair cannot provide a reliable kick because there is nothing to catch the hair on. In cold and abrasive snow conditions mohair can be worn quite fast. In moist snow conditions close to zero mohair can have the tendency to freze and needs to be protected by anti-freze agents.

Despite the limits and possible problems mohair seems to be a very good alternative for kick waxes especially for ski tourists and beginner skiers.