Besides health and safety and wrapping up warm, the one thing every snowboarder ought to know what to do is how to wax their snowboard.
Waxing your board does a couple of things. One helps preserve it to last you longer, and two is that it enables you to ride faster and smoother.
The wax will pave the way for a great time on the slopes as you obtain a much better slide on the snow. No more sticking in flat areas and having to unstrap your bindings to get moving again.
Waxing also keeps the bottom of your board hydrated, and as a result, it will last much longer.
While it may appear harder than you think to wax your board properly, with some simple tools and the right wax, you can go through this guide and learn how to wax a snowboard any time you need to do it. (Read Goofy vs Regular Snowboard – What’s the Difference?)
Are You Supposed to Wax Your Snowboard?
Snowboard wax coats your boards bottom to deliver protection and repelling water from the snow. You can glide easier across the snow as a result. If you don’t wax your snowboard, then there will be more friction, and you can’t ride as fast, and your boards not as protected.
Before you try waxing a snowboard, it is good to know the types of waxes.
Temperature-Specific Wax
Most glide waxes will come as temperature-specific and applied using a waxing iron. You will find these temperature-specific waxes explicitly designed to work in an outdoor temperature range, and depending on the brand; you’ll find this on the pack.
You can mix different waxes, such as one suitable for below freezing and one ideal for above freezing.
Fluorocarbons
Waxes contain higher levels of fluorocarbons glide faster—however, the more fluorocarbons, the more expensive the wax.
Rub-On Wax
You can find rub on waxes, and although y can use these without any fancy tools, they aren’t to be thought of as an equal or alternative to using a waxing iron and the proper types of wax.
Universal Wax
If you are a beginner or recreational snowboarder and aiming for decent results in your boarding, you can opt for a universal wax. You apply these in the same manner, yet these are designed to cover a range of temperatures.
How Much Does It Cost to Wax Your Snowboard?
Waxing your snowboard by anyone else can work out expensive. The base cost can be around $15 for waxing your board only, and if you have a full board tune and base work, you can spend $50 upward.
You can see why it is beneficial to learn how to wax your board yourself.
Can I Wax My Snowboard Myself?
Many individuals recommend to wax your board after three or four days of riding; however, you’ll find the frequency of waxing varies based on several factors. (Read What is a Stomp Pad)
One of the first being the construction of your base. The second will be the types of conditions you’ll be boarding in, and third, the frequency you’ll be riding.
In the construction, you’ll find you have sintered or extruded bases.
A sintered base will be far more porous and thus will absorb higher levels of wax. Once you have a sintered board waxed correctly, it can run faster and smoother than an extruded model.
Although you will find unwaxed sintered bases run slower when compared to unwaxed extruded bases, sintered bases require more frequent waxing.
It is possible to judge when you need to wax your board by the feel and the appearance. If your board feels slower on flat sections or the base looking white and dry, it could be time to get out the wax.
How Do You Wax a Snowboard at Home?
Here is the step-by-step way how to wax a snowboard. You can use a vice, or if you don’t have access, you can use stacks of old books to hold your board off the floor during hot waxing. Also, make sure your board is at least room temperature to let the wax flow properly.
Tools you will need are your chosen wax, a wax iron, snowboard waxing scraper, cloths and a nylon brush.
Step 1: Loosen or remove bindings
While you can get away with loosening your bindings, it can be far easier to handle your board if you remove them. Either way, make sure you have no binding screws close to the board surface you’ll be waxing. Should these get hot, you could damage or weaken your board.
Step 2: Clean the snowboard base
Make sure you clean any old wax and dirt from the base before you commence. Not doing this means the new wax won’t be absorbed as it should be. Use a base cleaner and cloth, or you can use a hot scrape method to accomplish this.
When conducting a hot scrape, you need to use your iron to apply a thin layer of hot wax, and then you have to scrape it off while the wax is still warm quickly. Doing this can drag dirt and grime from the pores in the base. Once cleaned, you can wipe the base with a cloth to remove any residue.
Step 3: Pick your wax
You have seen the various waxes, so that this example won’t use anything specific, and it would be just an all-temperature wax that would be ideal for beginners.
Step 4: Melt the wax
You may think you have to purchase a special waxing iron; however, you can use a regular clothes iron (flat iron) as these are suitable. You can find models without holes for steam, and these are even better.
One thing is, don’t think you can swap between using it to wax snowboarding gear and then use it on your clothes. Warm the iron to medium heat and apply wax on the iron over your board until it begins to melt the wax.
As the wax drips onto the board, move it around the edges of the board. You can then zigzag up the middle of your board. You will be aiming to drip wax evenly across your board. Make sure you don’t forget any edges, as these will be the driest.
Step 5: Iron the base
Once you have covered your snowboard, step over it so you can apply even pressure and place your iron on the base of the board.
Move the iron in a circular motion, ensure you spread the wax and cover the waxed snowboard’s entire surface. Make sure to keep the iron moving, or you could overheat the base of the board. If it gets too hot or you leave the iron in one place on your board, you permanently damage the base.
Step 6: Let the wax cool
Leave the wax on the board for around 20 to 30 minutes, where it will cool and set.
Step 7: Get scraping
Once your wax cooled, hold your plastic scraper at a 45-degree angle. Carefully work from nose to tail, and scrape off any excess wax. You will need to do this in long, continuous strokes down the length of the entire base.
Step 8: Check the board edges
Should you spot wax in your metal edges and rails, it can render the edges ineffective. Using the notch on the end of your snowboard scraper, remove any excess wax.
Step 9: Structure your base
Waxing your snowboard step 9 is the last one. You need to take your structuring brush and firmly brush the base from the nose to the tail. This removes excess wax and then exposes the structure of the base. It is this that lets your board run smoother and quicker.
It can be advisable to leave your board for 30 minutes or ideally overnight) so the wax can dry and seep into every P-Tex pore. (Find the Best Hiking Watches)
A fresh thin layer of wax will make your board last longer and glider faster. Too much wax can have a negative effect.
