If you are prepping your skis for tomorrow’s Skiathlon, here are some tips!
Glide
The snow is semi-transformed, and temperatures will be going from cold to warm during the day. This is the kind of snow conditions where it is usually better to wax on the cold side rather than the warm side, as shaded areas could still be a bit firm and hardpacked. Most all of the course is on natural snow!
Safe bets in the most common paraffin brands are:
-Toko Base Performance Red (iron-in or spray)
-Swix CH6 or CH7 (iron-in or spray)
If you have been experimenting with some of the new liquid Vauhti or Star products:
-Vauhti LDR Liquid (One, Up, Pro, or Race) which should give good coverage on the varying snowpack
-Star NF Cold, which has seemed to test warmer than its advertised range
For all liquids, apply well in advance (night before, or early tomorrow morning) and then brush thoroughly with a nylon brush once fully dry
Kick
Without having gotten to see the trails today it is hard to make a call here. Based on recent events and conditions at Rikert and the Range, you should be able to utilize a hardwax binder such as Toko Base Green or Vauhti Super Base, ironed into the kick zone. Special klister combo waxes (like Oslo) would give great kick, but may need to be covered with hardwax. Bring you kick box and check in with the MNC wax bench to get the lay of the land!
