Waxing for Artificial Snow
Artificial snow has a different makeup than natural snow and requires a slightly different approach to waxing. Artificial snow is a solid triangular block of ice and tends to be more abrasive than natural snow. Artificial snow can also vary from a fine new blown snow crystals to more large abrasive transformed “icy” snow crystals.
For these reasons waxing is slightly different for Artificial snow.
Ski Flex and Structure
The ski flex and structure for artificial snow is the most unpredictable part of ski preparing. The ski flex and structure will depend on the tilling, grooming amount of traffic on the trail.
For most conditions Fast Wax recommends a moderate ski flex with little more structure than you would typically use. In general a universal grind or a light 0.3 mm broken pattern will give the best performance.
Glide Wax
Fast Wax recommends using a fluorinated wax one step colder than indicated for the current conditions. It is advisable to wax more frequently as artificial snow is dirty, abrasive, and tends to wear wax and bases faster than normal. Fortunately, Fast Wax products will provide additional protection to the ski base and have tested well in the artificial snow conditions.
A good combination is a harder base layer under a race wax, such as Fast Wax HSLF 10 Teal under the HSF-20 Tan.
Grip Wax
Grip wax will vary a little more depending on the how transitioned the snow is and how often the trail is groomed. With finer newly blown snow most hard waxes will work well with an ironed in binder. When the snow has transitioned, iron in a klister binder and add a multigrade or universal klister as the grip wax.
Here are some recommended options:
Iron in Rode Black Binder or Rex Power Grip Blue and top coat with Rode Multigrade grip wax
For transitioned snow, Iron in a Blue Klister and top coat with Rode Mulitgrade Klister.
(The multigrade Klister should be applied almost as long as a normal wax
pocket, generally about 1 inch shorter than normal front and back)
For icy conditions use a Blue Klister binder and top coat with Rex OV ice klister.
(In this type of condition use the normal klister pocket on the ski, shorten up
on both the front and back by 2 to 3 inches of the kick zone)