How Important is Iron Choice and Temperature? Very Important!

When we talk about waxing skis, we are only talking about the last 5%-10% of how your ski is going to perform. The flex of the skis (which we have talked about earlier) and the structure in the base are 90%-95% of how your ski will run. So, for the sake of this discussion, we will assume you have the right flex and structure for the conditions.

Bases are made up of crushed graphite, carbon, and plastics that are pressed together under heat and pressure to form your ski base. It is an inherently porous material that wants to absorb wax. Through years of proper waxing, skis should get faster and better in a variety of conditions just because of the sheer volume of wax accumulated in the base. What can potentially disrupt this process?

The first item is wax iron temperature. Back in the day, the way I was taught to wax my skis, was to go back and forth as many times as possible until the wax was completely molten and I could see my reflection in the base. How many of us do this? It is amazing that my skis didn't delaminate on me immediately! Luckily, that technique didn't last long for me and I learned how to properly wax skis. By far, the biggest problem we see with skis is overheating. When a base is overheated, the first thing that happens is the base is sealed. The very top layer of the base melts and seals off the pores, preventing the wax from penetrating into the base.

A good way to tell if this is happening is to look at your bases. Are they dull and grey? Do they only hold wax for a few minutes, even on the best of skiing days? If you answered yes, then you may have heat damage. A quick base peel with a steel scraper can open the base up if the damage isn't extensive. If the trouble runs deep, a stone grind may be in your future.

To avoid overheating, there are a couple of things you should do. The iron should never "smoke" when waxing and going by the manufacturer's recommendations for iron temperatures is a good idea too. Most wax irons have some kind of temperature setting. Do yourself a favor and invest in a good wax iron. So many folks spend heaps of money on skis and wax and then they use their mom's old clothing iron to wax. Not so good. Those irons will heat up to the desired temperature and then cool down. As they cool, the iron will crank up again and heat past the temperature setting and then cool again, repeating the process. The temperature on these irons can vary up to 150 degrees. Definitely enough to melt a ski base!

Wax irons are expensive because most have a sensitive thermometer as well as a double or, at least, a thick heating plate. These two factors help to dissipate the heat before it reaches your ski. It also helps to maintain a more even temperature while waxing. Running a very hot iron over your skis can seal the base, and ultimately, with enough time, can delaminate your skis. Remember that your skis are only held together with glue and lots of heat weakens the bond over time.

Click here to check out our selection of waxing irons.