Izzy Lidsky Weighs in on Waxing

I wax my skis every two to three weeks or maybe every three to four weeks if I’m not using that particular pair of skis very often. It also fully depends on the ski. 

For instance, I have a pair of reverse cambered skis that use a sintered, clear base polyethylene base (PTEX) and have a graphic, and I wax them probably every five to seven times I ski them in wetter, PNW snow because when they’re even a little dry, skiing on cat tracks or flatter slopes becomes a chore.

In contrast, I have another pair of skis with camber and a black PTEX 5000 base that I wax every 10 to 15 days, and I ski them. These skis also have a sheet of metal in them, so they tend to carry a bit more momentum with a smaller skier like me on them. However, I can also tell when the edges on these skis de-tune super quickly, so I tend to do a full tune on them more frequently than other skis, which I’ll just wax.  

There’s a lot of this and that about certain ski base colors being faster or more absorbent than clear bases, but factors like the temperature and type of snow you’re skiing, weight, and ski shape can all impact a ski’s performance, so take it all with a grain of salt. 

Also—I love waxing skis. I usually get a strong IPA, porter, or stout, put on my ski tune playlist, and make a night out of it. It’s like meditation for me, which certainly contributes to the frequency at which I wax my skis, as does owning my own setup. 

Ian Greenwood Weighs in on Waxing

Last week, in a meeting, I informed my coworkers that I wax my skis once a season, if that (I genuinely can’t recall the last time my daily drivers got waxed). Shock ensued, and I quickly felt like an idiot. As Izzy said, she waxes her skis every few weeks. Apparently, according to another of my coworkers, that’s pretty normal. Yes, the weather's fine under the rock where I've been living, in case you were wondering.

I wish I could mount a passionate defense of my waxing practices. Truly, though, it’s borne chiefly from neglect. While I did hear years ago that some of my friends forewent waxing because it made it easier to control their speed on steep freeride venues, I can’t use that as an excuse now. I’m not exactly skiing competitively these days.

If you think I’m living in the Stone Age, you’re probably right. I’m curious to see the results of this poll, though. Maybe I’m not the only caveman out there? I’m also excited to discover what this whole “waxing” thing is all about. The best thing about doing things the wrong way is that you don’t know what you’re missing yet. For me, regularly waxing my skis might be like those neanderthals discovering the monolith in 2001: A Space Odyssey. I'm hoping that after a few sessions with the iron, I'll morph into a human incarnation of speed. Perhaps that's too ambitious?

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