 Poster: A snowHead
|
Hi all,
4 year old daughter is taking lessons on dry slope and we are using hired skis. They are pretty sticky on the slope and I would like to add something to speed them up a little.
Is there a product that I can use simply to rub on to the bases to improve things, and an online supplier? Because they are hired, I wouldn't want to do any more than that, without taking them back to shop.
Many thanks for any help.
L.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Mr Sheen, as well as shining umpteen things clean, is also pretty good for making skis slippy on a dry slope... at least thats what my generation of dry slope racers all used... (but that was 20 years ago...gulp).
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Mr Sheen, not Martin or Charlie though.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Another vote for Mr Sheen, although I find the effect has worn off after about 50 metres. Better than nothing and can smell nice too if you choose wisely 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Lorenzo, only damage is if you squirt it in the skier's eyes whilst they have a ski stood vertical for you to spray 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lorenzo, other than Mr Sheen we use a product called Zardoz (100% liquid teflon) which is a base lubricant - we got ours from the shop at our dry ski slope but I am sure you can get it online 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As the others say, Lorenzo, the common treatments used by the dry slope crowd are Mr Sheen and Zardoz Notwax. We also use all sorts of cable drawing lubricants (aka "goop"), but this really only lasts a few 10s of metres, to give a fast start in a race - so need to be put on at the start of every run - and is quite expensive (up to £5/litre). I also used to use washing-up liquid (Tescos "Value", 19p/litre), which gave you a nice fast glide, but made the edges really very skiddy so were not too good when you tried to make a turn  . A couple of years ago we had a bit of a trial where we used each of these in turn, and you could really feel them give out after about 40m. The only one that noticeably lasted longer was the Zardoz, which you could feel the effects from for about 2 runs (maybe 200m). Zardoz is available all over the place (e.g. from S&R and EB, almost certainly if there's any kind of shop at your slope, and I think spyderjon does it about as cheap as anywhere, although postage may reduce some of that advantage). Although come to think of it I don't think we tried Mr Sheen in that test. I suspect there's at least a bit of effect for that for a while, as the car always reeks of it when driving home from a race. I guess it may make quite a difference for typical dry-slope rental skis which probably see no wax from one season from the next!
If you get your own at some time get the hardest iron-on wax you can find. Main candidates are PolarX from www.datawax.com, or Swix CH4 from many suppliers (although that's quite expensive), or 4Matt wax from www.skiracing.co.uk. For adults you'd need to rewax every couple of hours use; on lightweight kids' skis it will last much longer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Lorenzo, See what can happen when you spend too much time on plastic ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Ahhhh, racing on snow, the mountain, man against the forces of nature, the infinate variables of conditions to pit your skills against. Can you out smart mother nature, use her to your advantage. mmmmmmm she's been walking around town blowing kisses at us all, can you smell the winter. Hmmmmmm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
GrahamN, I read everything and read it as "If you get your own (wax) some time" whereas you obviously meant "If you get your own (skis) some time". But I suppose I should have known the missing word. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Lorenzo,
| Quote: |
4 year old daughter is taking lessons on dry slope and we are using hired skis
|
Make sure the instructor is happy with what you are doing
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
Mr. Sheen is probably the easiest and cheapest, but apply it at the top of the slope, otherwise all you'll do is rub it off on the tow track.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
| ski wrote: |
Lorenzo,
| Quote: |
4 year old daughter is taking lessons on dry slope and we are using hired skis
|
Make sure the instructor is happy with what you are doing |
I second that, I didn't pick up on that it was for a 4 year old on lessons. The Instructor will be setting the start height up the hill based on normal slope skis, applying go faster stuff can affect safety in the exercise undertaken, plus it can be a bit of a shock, especially for a 4 year old. It's like skiing on a wet slope compared to dry, the Instructor will make allowances for the extra speed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
monster77
monster77
Guest
|
| Spyderman wrote: |
| Mr. Sheen is probably the easiest and cheapest, but apply it at the top of the slope, otherwise all you'll do is rub it off on the tow track. |
Back to Black, from Halfrauds or other motorist shops is good too. There were always plenty of empty cans laying around after a race day at Hemel.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Back to black was banned fairly recently, as were a variety of coloured gloops.
The cable drawing lube is available from electrical wholesalers at cheaper rates than you can get it from Ski outlets in 10 to 50 litre (or more) quantities.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| SMALLZOOKEEPER wrote: |
| Ahhhh, racing on snow, the mountain, man against the forces of nature, the infinate variables of conditions to pit your skills against. Can you out smart mother nature, use her to your advantage. mmmmmmm she's been walking around town blowing kisses at us all, can you smell the winter. Hmmmmmm |
You know how to quicken a pulse, these are the most heart beating lines l've read on SH. Hurry up Winter l need SNOW
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| beequin wrote: |
| Back to black was banned fairly recently, as were a variety of coloured gloops. |
Banned by who?
I know Yellow is banned for races at quite a few slopes, and Blue at Norwich, but other slopes seem quite happy to accept anything.
But if I was teaching a 4yo beginner, I'd not hesitate to tell off a parent putting anything on the kid's skis.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| Quote: |
beequin wrote:
Back to black was banned fairly recently, as were a variety of coloured gloops.
Banned by who?
|
RobW,
That's what I was told at the ESSKIA heats. Perhaps just Welwyn, but seemed to be the general view. Fire risk or health hazard.
Agree by the way on the need to take care over sending a four-year-old faster, especially on Dendix.
Otherwise, the datawax polish above is quite good IMV.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Spyderman wrote: |
| ski wrote: |
Lorenzo,
Make sure the instructor is happy with what you are doing |
I second that, I didn't pick up on that it was for a 4 year old on lessons. |
Don't worry it was the instructor's suggestion when he saw her standing on the slope but unable to get going. Didn't ask what "wax" he had in mind though. I have ordered the Zardoz stuff and will apply very sparingly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
RobW, now you are scaring me off. I only want to have her ski-ing on properly maintained/appropriately waxed skis, not add some mystical performance enhancing substance. That is how my OP was phrased. Why exactly would you tell me off? Is this Zardoz stuff ok for using or not? It arrive today, along with a couple of free wipes - might just keep it for pulling out of the bag during our next "boys" ski trip.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
FWIW I see no problem. It will not send her off into the beyond, is easy to apply and enough to get her moving.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Lorenzo wrote: |
| RobW, now you are scaring me off. I only want to have her ski-ing on properly maintained/appropriately waxed skis, not add some mystical performance enhancing substance. That is how my OP was phrased. Why exactly would you tell me off? Is this Zardoz stuff ok for using or not? It arrive today, along with a couple of free wipes - might just keep it for pulling out of the bag during our next "boys" ski trip. |
In any beginners lesson, the instructor takes the starting point for each run according to the abilities of the group of skiers and their equipment. If one skier is on "superior" equipment (e.g. freshly waxed) then they will be going faster than the other skiers, and so for safety the instructor is likely to tell them (or even the whole group) to start lower than if they were on the same standard of equipment.
If the instructor sees a parent (which of course they have no idea/awareness of the competence of that parent) applying some substance to the base of child's skis, then they should clearly be concerned that it is being done without their knowledge, and therefore has got to impact on the instructor's decision as to what is safe.
That said, if the slope is providing inadaquate equipment (e.g. unwaxed, un-edged) to those skiers, then by all means take is up with the slope's management. They should know the slopes and what is appropriate for what level of skier.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Oh, and Zardoz is good stuff. I use it on my skis and junior's - he's skiing competitively these days and every fraction of a second counts. But on a beginner's skls? They won't understand any difference.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Ok RobW, thanks for the response. This is a beginners slope which they all ski top to bottom - in their own time with parental supervision, and oversight by an instructor. The skis are hired from a hire shop elsewhere for the whole block of lessons. All of us therefore bring our own skis (owned or hired) each week. All I want is to make sure the skis she is using are properly maintained.
You are giving me the impression that by waxing her skis I would in some way be making her different from everyone else. Is it not expected that a set of skis brought to a lesson should be properly maintained in a waxed condition? If so, then is applying Zardoz in a different category from simple maintaining them in proper order?
Pretty much given up on the idea now - will speak to instructor when I next see him, but don't want to badger him during busy class and waste class time in waxing the skis. As I said he suggested she add some wax because skis were hardly moving on the shallow part of slope. I just wanted to find out what to apply.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Applying the zardoz takes 20 seconds. The other polish you referred to is a liquid wax like modern shoe polishes. Takes 1 minute to apply and 3-4 to polish up (like waxing a table). They should be effective and really unlikely to cause any problems.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
