When to wax? How to wax?
The best way to determine when to have your skis or snowboard hot waxed is to examine the bottom for any dry patches. If you see patches of dull dry base it’s time for a wax. The easiest method is to pay a shop to wax you skis or snowboard. If you are more DIY then you will need a few “tools” to get started.

1) Hot Iron- Preferably one designed for ski/snowboard bases. Waxing irons are built with temperature control, and without the holes on the bottom like you find on home irons.

2) Wax Scraper: I prefer plastic over metal

3) Wax- A variety pack of wax is best. This will offer different types of wax for various snow temperatures and conditions. Be sure one of the waxes is a “universal” temp. “Universal” temp. wax is best for varying temps.

4) Tuning Vice- Designed to hold equipment in place while tuning.

5) Rubber Bands- To hold the breaks up and out of the way

6) Space- An area that can get messy, Make sure it’s an area with concrete floors for easy clean up.

Now your ready. Let’s get started,

*With the breaks banded out of the way set the skis into the vice, base side up.
*Determine the proper wax to use based on the snow temperature. Set the iron temperature to manufacture suggested setting.
*Hold iron over skis/snowboard at a vertical angle. Touch bar of wax to iron and allow to melt and drip onto base. Start at tip of snowboard and run the wax down the length of the board/skis. Two passes should do it. Down and back. (If iron begins to smoke, reduce temp.) *Lay iron down flat at tip of skis and melt the wax into the base by constantly moving the iron back a forth in small movements down to the end of tail of the ski/snowboard.
*Allow wax to cool and dry.
*Scrape excess wax off from tip to tail.
*After a dozen passes with the scraper your bases should have a shinny finish to them.
*Clean up!

– Tim