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PRELIMINARY SWIX RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GATINEAU LOPPET:
The new FIS regulation on the prohibition of fluorinated waxes and fluoro additives is in effect for this race.
RECREATIONAL SKIERS
1. Clean the grip zone of the ski with a wax remover (Base cleaner) and Fiberlene.
2. If your skis have skins, delicately clean them with the designated N22 cleaner while making sure you do not get them soaked.
3. Clean the tips and tails of your skis (gliding zone) with Conditioner Cleaner I84 to enhance wax absorption. Use the white nylon brush T161 and fine steel brush T191 for effective cleaning. Wipe thoroughly with Fiberlene and let dry. This cleaning also decontaminates skis from fluorinated waxes.
4. Use tape to mark out the kick zone.
5. Brush the glide zones carefully (tips and tails) with fine steel T161 or bronze T158-T179 brush to refresh the sole before waxing.
Glide zone
These recommendations are for both skate skis and glide zones on classical skis.
1. Use the iron to saturate the glide areas with BP77, PS7, or PS6. Let it harden and iron again if necessary. Scrape with Plexi Scraper, lightly brush with steel or bronze. Use Fiberlene to facilitate cleaning.
2. IRONING TIME: Whether you are applying wax on the glide or grip zone, be sure to iron at medium speed, i.e. about 1 second per linear foot. DO NOT OVERHEAT THE BASE, as this can damage it. In addition, overheating wax may cause it to lose its properties.
3. If you are not using the iron, it is still recommended to brush with a steel or bronze brush before saturating the glide areas with liquid waxes such as F4 or the new liquid waxes from the PSL series (Performance Speed Liquid). The HSL series (High Speed Liquid) offers better durability.
4. Vigorously polish with Fiberlene, blue brush T0160 or red brush T0190.
Race Glide Wax
1. Use the iron to saturate the glide areas with a harder glide wax such as blue or turquoise, depending on conditions (ex PS6, HS6, PS5, or HS5). Let it harden and iron again if necessary.
2. Now you can remove the tape, scrape with a Plexi scraper and brush with steel or bronze. Polish thoroughly with the blue brush. The use of the Plexi Sharpener T408 allows for precise scraping.
Grip Zone – Skis with Skins
1. Once your skins are cleaned and dry, delicately soak them in both directions with Skin Impregnation N20 and let them dry well. This step restores the water-resistant and water-repellent properties of the skins for good grip in all conditions.
2. You can then enhance the glide of the skins by applying Skin Boost N21 or any other performance liquid wax.
Grip Zone – Classical Skis – 1st Layer Base Grip Wax
1. Apply tape to delimit the kick zone if needed.
2. Lightly sand the kick zone with sandpaper 80-100.
3. Applying base binder spray VGS35C directly on the ski is a good and easy solution for normal winter conditions. For more abrasive snow conditions, use a thin film of base spray klister KB20. For longer distances and more durability, apply VG30 or VG35 sticks with an iron or heating gun.
4. For icy conditions, you can use base klister spray KB30.
5. Add your grip wax layers for the day’s conditions on top.
Daily Grip Wax
1. You are now ready for the final step, applying the legendary Swix coloured grip waxes. Apply about 5 thin layers of the daily wax, rubbing the cork between each layer.
2. For better grip, increase the thickness under the foot in a “pyramid” shape. Some add a bit of a slightly warmer wax for more safety on rougher terrain (make sure you don’t overdo it because it could cause snow to stick too much under the foot).
Glide Wax for Ambitious Skiers
Marathon Wax
1. After following the above-mentioned basic preparation steps on the glide zones, apply Swix Marathon Extra Durable in a stick or powder as a base binder wax with an iron. Be careful not to overheat the skis. Scrape and brush normally.
2. Marathon wax in stick form can be applied with a rotating merino wool brush or with an iron. The powder can also be applied easily with a Roto Cork, especially mixed over an HS or TSB wax to increase durability. Swix Marathon waxes (white for fresh snow and black for old contaminated snow) are the most durable waxes of the entire Swix wax line of waxes.
TOP SPEED Race Wax
1. The TSB Top Speed Black waxes (iron application), TSP Top Speed Powder (iron or Roto Cork application), TSL Top Speed Liquid (red brush or Roto Fleece application), or TST Top Speed Turbo (roto merino wool application) will undoubtedly make your skis very fast if your base is properly prepped.
2. You can now remove the tape.
Kick Zone for Ambitious Skiers
1. Apply tape to delimit the kick zone if needed.
2. Sand the kick zone well with block T0011 and T0306 #80-100. You can rub the section with a Fibertex T0267 to remove the burrs created by sanding.
3. Apply base waxes VG30 or VG35 in stick and iron for a complete coverage of the grip zone. Iron again, if necessary, without overheating. Let it cool. Polish with a synthetic cork.
4. Cover with a thin layer of ordinary blue (V30) and quickly iron to fuse layers together. Let it cool and polish with a cork.
5. Finally, apply 3 to 8 thin layers of the daily wax in a “pyramid” shape: VP30-40-45, etc., (to be confirmed on race day).
6. Traditional waxes such as polar, green, blue, and extra blue will always be recommended in normal winter conditions.
7. Icy conditions may require a more resistant first layer binder wax such as base klister spray KB20 (or KX20 tube wax for extremely icy conditions) combined with the klister tube series KX30, 35, 40, 50, etc. (used at the World Cup level) to ensure a durable grip.
Tip: Warm up the tubes in warm water prior to use.
8. Apply klisters in very thin coats, using an all purpose scraper or a klister brush Swix KP10.
Slightly heat the klister on the ski base, let cool and polish with a cork. Apply klister, or daily hard wax as needed. Let your skis cool down 10 minutes outside before using them.
If you have any questions or would just like to have a chat, we look forward to welcoming you to our demonstrations at the Swix stand throughout the event. We look forward to hearing from you!
Eric Miquelon, Swix Technical Representative
PRO BY SWIX
What is the difference between Performance Speed, High Speed, and Top Speed?
This is our latest line of ski waxes.
Pro by Swix is our latest performance Glide Wax System that is 100% fluor-free, biodegradable, and non-toxic. The Pro System is divided into 3 levels of performance called Performance Speed, High Speed and Top Speed and each level has its own performance standards so whether you are a professional skier chasing seconds or a recreational skier chasing a dream, the Pro Wax System will help you get there.
PS called Performance Speed
Designed for recreational use and training.
The Performance Speed category is the 1st category in the Pro System, crafted with high-quality base-wax materials made for recreational skiers/riders and for training purposes for the racing community. There are 5 waxes in this category to cover all temperature ranges from -18ºC to +10ºC. These waxes should be ironed-on, scraped and brushed.
HS called High Speed
Designed for the ambitious skiers and racers.
HS exists as both hot wax and liquid products.
The High-Speed category is the 2nd category in the Pro System and is made with a high degree of quality raw materials, giving the High-Speed greater durability and performance than the Performance Speed category. The High-Speed category was created for the avid skier or rider looking for ultra-performance and durability for a hard day on the snow. The category is often used for junior racing, High School racing, and casual competitions. This category also has 5 waxes to cover all temperature ranges from -18ºC to +10ºC. These waxes should be ironed-on, scraped and brushed.
HIGH-SPEED LIQUIDS.
High Speed comes in an easy to apply Liquid category with 4 different waxes to cover all temperatures and should be applied differently than the hot waxes.
TS called Top Speed
Designed for racing.
Top Speed is the 3rd category in the Pro Wax System and possesses the highest quality raw materials for the most durable and fastest performance a skier or rider can expect.
The TS category has three different product types: TS-black solid, TS-liquid, and TS-powder.
TS-BLACK is made for transformed and dirty snow. TSB exists in 5 different hot waxes for all temperatures. It has excellent dirt-repellent properties.
TS-Liquid exists in four different liquids for all conditions. The product can be used alone or on top of any hot wax in the Pro system. To be applied using roto-fleece without having to use a waxing iron.
TS-Powder will exist in three different products: TSP 6, 7, and 8. This product is developed with raw materials that are exclusive only for Swix. These products have really good performance and are extremely durable.
We wish you happy skiing.
