 Poster: A snowHead
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So what do I need to do? I have adjusted the bindings to fit my boots. I will adjust the release for me, but what else do I need to do? Will I need to apply any wax or treat in any way before I ski on them?
Also what will I need to do long term looking after them?
Thanks and sorry for the silly questions.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I have adjusted the bindings to fit my boots. I will adjust the release for me, but what else do I need to do?
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unless you're very confident that you've got it right,not a bad idea to get a proper ski tech to do that for you. The purists will tell you that you should hot wax and scrape the skis before you use them but frankly I've never had any problem taking new skis straight onto the slopes (I'm a punter....or possibly a monchu  )
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Thanks Pam 
What is the theory behind hot wax first? Is it for benefit of how they ski or is it for additional protection? Especially as their first outing will be on the dry ski slope.
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@NickyJ, Hot wax the skis is for first few applications to clean the base. Then to provide a better gliding surface so if using on a dryslope you need a wax that is suitable for dryslope if racing. If you are an intermediot or just free skiing ie not racing then this is not critical so any ski wax will suffice.
You do need to apply wax for a dryslope the slopes run slower than even artificial snow. You will also need to make sure you have good edges if you are carving or learning to carve. SO long term learn how to wax the skis and also how to tune the edges is something that is easy to learn and will save quite a bit of money. Servicing bindings is something for most best left to a ski tech plus is not something you need to normally do more than once a year for normal use.
As pam w has said though unless you really know what you are doing re setting the bindings up I would get a shop to do it for you. It is not hard to learn to do it yourself but a mistake could end your skiing for a good few months or longer due to sustaining an injury because the bindings did not release when they should or they pre released.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Thanks very much speed098, not into racing just a recreational skiing.
| speed098 wrote: |
As pam w has said though unless you really know what you are doing re setting the bindings up I would get a shop to do it for you. It is not hard to learn to do it yourself but a mistake could end your skiing for a good few months or longer due to sustaining an injury because the bindings did not release when they should or they pre released. |
Had this from hired skis - twisting fall in 2004 and one of the bindings didn't release. Ruptured my ACL which I had reconstructed but have since (while playing hockey) damaged the reconstruction (apparently have about half left) but didn't realise, so on return to hockey it collapsed due to being unstable and took out a lot of my cartilage. Jonathon Bell has kindly given advice on appropriate settings but I will get them checked - I am hoping the guys at our local dry ski slope will be prepared to help out.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@NickyJ, The local dryslope may not be allowed to touch your own ski bindings due to their insurance.
If you have spoken to JB I would at least speak to him again to make sure what you have done is right because it is not just the din setting you have toe height adjustment if that is too tight then it is like having the din wound up even higher.
With you saying about the injury though I would strongly recommend you get someone to check the bindings. Your knees and the rest of you is worth a lot more than £20-£30 for a binding check. Even a full binding service if they are secondhand is cheap in comparison.
By all means read up, watch video's, ask questions then wax and edge your own skis if you feel confident to do so, but bindings are a completely different matter.
If he is not too far from you spyderjon runs courses which will teach you to service your skis ie tune the edges and wax the skis.
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@speed098, thanks for the advice, much appreciated. I seem to recall spyderjon is a long way north of me, which is a shame.
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They do do the binding check etc at the shop over at the dry ski slope so I'll be taking them in when my daughter has a lesson on sunday. Thanks again for the advice.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I don't think I'd use my shiny new skis on a dry slope.
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Have you been on the slope at Snowtrax? It is actually quite a nice surface.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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No, the dry slopes I've used were all the "nail brush" style - maybe more modern surfaces are kinder for skis.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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No, the dry slopes I've used were all the "nail brush" style - no doubt more modern surfaces are kinder for skis. I remember a discussion here with some people who did race training on dry slopes and they use special wax which can stand up to the conditions and help protect the skis.
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I am not sure whether I will take them on it or not but that will be more down to timing and if hubby can get out of work early and look after the girls. I am using the shop there though to do the bindings check and get them to wax them as the same time.
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You know it makes sense.
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I have an old pair I use on the dryslope. I wouldn't dream of using my nice new "only for snow" skis, not even on the snowflex bunny slope, never mind on the nailbrushes!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I recently bought some new skis from Absolute Snow, and asked about waxing. Here is the reply I got:
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Your skis come factory waxed. The wax does not come off or wear off during storage so you will be fine.
Wax is needed to help the skis go faster and not to protect the skis in any way. If you apply wax, it helps to break down the surface tension between the skis and the snow, helping them to glide better. If you are a beginner or skiing on a dry slope, you do not need wax on your skis.
As you improve, you might notice a need to wax your skis when people start to overtake you, particularly when on shallow gradients! Wax makes a massive difference to your speed on wetter snow - like you get in snow domes, lower down the mountain, in the afternoons or in early/late season.
The best wax is the type which you melt onto your skis and spread around with a hot iron. It is not difficult to do and we sell all the bits you need in our Servicing Department. It works out far cheaper than taking your skis to a shop to be serviced. Alternatively, whilst you get used to the difference wax can make, it is a good idea to use one of the spray or rub on waxes - Zardoz is particularly good.
Best bet is to wax your skis after you have finished for the season. Make sure you get plenty of wax onto your metal rails because this will stoop them rusting over the summer. |
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Szymon, thanks for that.
@Pending, I will bow to the consensus just keen to give them a try
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Szymon,
Their comment re not needing wax on dryslopes is rubbish.
Anyone who has spent time skiing all year on dryslopes will know the importance of using wax.
Also Wax does help protect the base of the skis ( see comment re friction below ) as does waxing the skis and edges prior to storage help stop the edges rusting. Storage wax may well be fine for many skiers to ski on initially but as you improve you want to use a wax that is more specific to the conditions you will be skiing.
I used to use a soft non hotwax on dryslopes because it allowed the skis to glide better, and could be applied as needed at the top of the slope simply by skiing over a mat with the wax spread onto it., This also reduced friction, friction generates heat and heat is bad for the base of a ski.
I would recommend nobody use brand new skis, especially on Dendix dryslopes as these contain metal which can cause damage if the mat is worn or damaged ( you see this mainly on the draglift mat ). A cheap fleebay purchase of skis ( for your level ) that may well have some scratches on the bases but still plenty of edge should be able to be picked up very cheap and are ideal for general dryslope use.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Thank all for advice - they a recurrently with Snowtrax and I will be picking the up when we go for my daughters lesson on Friday.
The slope at snowtrex is tthe metal dendix stuff, which was why I was considering taking them on there.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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OK so whats the big deal with bindings. I get you can hurt yourself if you mess it up and they release or don't release properly, but isn't it relatively simple ? Get the boot sole length, set the front and rear positions accordingly, put boot in check it is central on the markes, and check the forward pressure indicator is central, adjust if not. Setting the release thing doesn't look complicated either - theres your height, weight, age, and one of three skier styles. Read the setting off a chart, turn a screw till it's the correct setting ?
I'm waiting delivery on a new pair Atomic Affinity Sky with XTO bindings for my wife. As far as I can see the skis have a pre-mounted rail and are user adjustable, slide on the toe and heel pieces and set according to boot length, checking markers as above, then set the release accordingly. Am I missing something here as I was planning on setting it up ?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Gazzza, I took the collectives advice... How often have you known so many snowheads to agree on something?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Gazzza, I spotted Edge and Wax are offering free bindings checks Easter weekend (after having paid for that at Snowtrax!!!!!) if you can get there?
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Ah thanks for the tip, but don't think I can make it down there - at work all week and driving down a shuttle first thing Good Friday.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Has any anybody said yet that you need to take them to bed and cuddle them yet?
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@musher, no as that's obvious isn't it.... Hubby said he's glad we have a king sized bed.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
Your skis come factory waxed. The wax does not come off or wear off during storage so you will be fine.
Wax is needed to help the skis go faster and not to protect the skis in any way. If you apply wax, it helps to break down the surface tension between the skis and the snow, helping them to glide better. If you are a beginner or skiing on a dry slope, you do not need wax on your skis.
As you improve, you might notice a need to wax your skis when people start to overtake you, particularly when on shallow gradients! Wax makes a massive difference to your speed on wetter snow - like you get in snow domes, lower down the mountain, in the afternoons or in early/late season.
The best wax is the type which you melt onto your skis and spread around with a hot iron. It is not difficult to do and we sell all the bits you need in our Servicing Department. It works out far cheaper than taking your skis to a shop to be serviced. Alternatively, whilst you get used to the difference wax can make, it is a good idea to use one of the spray or rub on waxes - Zardoz is particularly good.
Best bet is to wax your skis after you have finished for the season. Make sure you get plenty of wax onto your metal rails because this will stoop them rusting over the summer. |
That is genuinely quite scary reading for those of us that sell skis correctly and know the correct terminology. Rails?!
ScottyDog
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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ScottyDog -- umm, so that was from the people I bought from, and is the advice I'm currently following. Perhaps you'd like to enlighten me by explaining the "scary" bits and stating unequivocally what I *should* do? (I don't mean that sarcastically, I really would like to know!).
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Hello Szymon
No problem. I am sure SpyderJon will drop in and do his thing, which is why I no longer comment much on here, except when I see other shops here or abroad giving UK Ski Shops a bad name, as in the main we are regarded as some of the most knowledgeable out there, as we have to make up for our lack of mountain access Smile
A few comments on those instructions
"Your skis come factory waxed. The wax does not come off or wear off during storage so you will be fine."
That's not right. The factory wax is a transit wax in 99% of cases. Its applied by a machine running through rollers, we have stood in enough ski factories the last few years watching this happen. It gives the bases a bit of protection in transit, gives them a bit of rack appeal, and also hides any imperfections from the factories - skis are hand made after all. First thing we do as a shop when selling skis, is clear this off, and apply a proper coat of wax with a waxing iron, so they are truly ready to go. Factory wax will not last long at all, even just a run or two, as it is rolled on and not ironed on, in most cases.
"Wax does not protect the skis in any way"
Sorry, thats not correct! Skis bases are made from a type of plastic, which can get 'fluffed up' or 'burnt' when the wax is not there to reduce friction. heat is very bad for skis! They like cold conditions after all, but friction, especially on dry slopes, indoor slopes or man made snow on the mountain, causes the wax to break down quickly, leaving the base exclusively to do the work. This is NOT good. On dry slopes it pretty much results in melted base material near the edges, a classic dry slope usage indicator. The structure of the bases is really important too, you want that structured look, so that the surface is not super smooth and flat, otherwise it will just stick to the snow (imagine trying to lift a pane of glass from the surface of a bucket of water - feel the stiction!) We want the structure to be there as long as possible, as adding it back takes a little life out of the bases, and wax helps to protect the structure a little, by reducing friction (ie heat) so you dont end up with a super smooth slick ski base with no structure to it.
"As you improve, you might notice a need to wax your skis when people start to overtake you"
I had to check this wasn't an April Fool at this point! That makes no sense whatsoever, but sounds nice I guess.
"The best wax is the type which you melt onto your skis and spread around with a hot iron."
The best wax is a wax that has been properly applied on a prepared base! Bad preparation means rubbish results. Not hard to do, but bit more to it than just slapping some lotion on. There are people like SpyderJon and us that offer courses on doing this, and it IS good fun and rewarding.
"Zardoz Is Particularly Good"
Yes it is, but NOT as a wax! Best thing ever for slushy spring snow, I swear by it, and also for stopping edges rusting, but it is not a wax replacement, its a dressing or enhancer.
"Best bet is to wax your skis after you have finished for the season."
Now whoever is writing this REALLY wants to sell you more skis, as if you wax them only once a season, they are not going to last long! A correctly waxed ski or board can get you through a day, or a week, depending on conditions and the slope. As a rule of thumb, you look at your bases, if they are whiting up then they are dry and need waxing. So for a dry slope, 1 run (Joking, but not much more!), an indoor slope, after each visit if you value your kit, and on the mountain, as much as you can. YES, you can go a week, but if you get skis waxed at least midweek, then its like a performance boost! You will adapt to the slowing up bases, a new wax will restore the glide. In Austria last week we were waxing every day because a) We dont like the stop start feeling you get in slush as wax wears off and b) We have no lives!!!
"Make sure you get plenty of wax onto your metal rails"
They are actually the EDGES of the ski or snowboard. For summer storage, yes, you can coat the bases and edges in wax, and store them (Not in the loft where it can get hot, as remember, wood changes shape and side in heat and cold, and most skis have wood cores!) but they will need scraping and structuring later (Again not hard once you learn how) so an easier way is the aforementioned Zardoz, on the bases and the edges, to give a protective coating. But only AFTER you have had the skis properly waxed. Dont wait until just before you go next year to get them done, get them done as soon as you are back, as if there is any deep gouges in the base, you want to make sure water has not got in, and get them filled, so that your skis last a very long time!
Written way to many words now, and others can come along and add their own, or debunk mine as I haven't covered even 1% to be honest, but please trust me on one thing - that advise you were given is plain wrong, and there are plenty of people out there, or right here on the forum who can help you along.
Summary:
Wax skis as much as you can afford, or take time to try it yourself. You cant over wax a ski but you 100% can underwax it.
Don't pay attention to what you were told
Don't pay attention to what you read on ski forums Smile
DO take them to bed and cuddle them, I have never had a ski walk out on me yet...
Have great fun with your skis!
ScottyDog - Owner - Edge & Wax
PS - IF you are near me in Sussex, drop me an email via the shop website if you want me to go through this in person with you. No charge.
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You know it makes sense.
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Hi, my name is Darwin.
Just a question in regards to storage waxing your downhill snow skis. I have just finished giving my skis a great coating of summer wax. The edges of my skis did get a nice coating of wax on them as well. Should I scrape the wax off the edges or just leave the wax on the edges to prevent rusting or corrosion during summer storage. I am storing my skis under my bed on their sides in a controlled temperature environment. I am using a nice all temp RED wax. Do ski waxes contain any water content in the wax itself. I have been told from a fellow to always remove the wax off the edges after applying summer wax, is this correct?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@headispeedpros, thanks for the blast from the past with bumping this thread.
I had just bought some warm wax with the intent of doing our skis with it for the Easter ski holiday I should of now been enjoying my last day skiing off - but it was becoming clear that we wouldn’t make it so didn’t end up applying. However today’s job will be to start servicing our skis as I finally have a day off work
Sorry can’t advice. I must admit I just service them ready for next use... however we (in normal circumstances) do regular summer skis with them either on local dry ski slope or a treat trip to Hemel.
Reading back through and having learnt more I think I now understand the discrepancy on dry ski slope advice. There are 3 main surfaces I have skied on now. The third of which (I hadn’t experienced when this thread was posted) is more of a carpet and when we took our skis over to the surface we were asked - have you waxed your skis. My answer was “of course” they then said we couldn’t use our skis in it, the wax would make them stick!
That ski slope is the one at Knockhatch.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@headispeedpros, there's nothing in wax that will damage your edges, but it does help protect the edges from any moisture. As you're keeping your skis in a nice dry environment under your bed it won't really make any difference either way, but I always leave the full layer of wax on my bases over the summer and only give them a good scrape just before my first ski trip of the next season.
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FAQ
