# Wax question



## tpaairman (Jan 12, 2015)

What does everyone recommend in the way of wax? I'm not quite there yet (just getting started in all this) but thinking down the road. Looking at whats out there, we have the wax you melt with an iron and scrap, and I saw something about graphite wax, but now I'm seining rub on, buff and go. No scraping. And paste that is essentially done the same way.

I know that the temperature when the board is used has a lot to do with it. So, with all the different options, what do you all suggest? Eventually I'm sure the kids will hit up the park, but for now it would be the basics of cruising down the mountain.


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## agaysnowmo (Jul 15, 2014)

tpaairman said:


> What does everyone recommend in the way of wax? I'm not quite there yet (just getting started in all this) but thinking down the road. Looking at whats out there, we have the wax you melt with an iron and scrap, and I saw something about graphite wax, but now I'm seining rub on, buff and go. No scraping. And paste that is essentially done the same way.
> 
> I know that the temperature when the board is used has a lot to do with it. So, with all the different options, what do you all suggest? Eventually I'm sure the kids will hit up the park, but for now it would be the basics of cruising down the mountain.


Troll?
Don't waste your time with all the rub on and paste bullcrap. Only use drip-on. 
Also search "how to wax snowboard" on youtube, and almost every video will teach you to drip wax. Lasts longer, and is the best at making you go faster. 

P.S. There was absolutely no need to ask a forum on what wax to use when such a thing as google exists.


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## snoopy7548 (Jan 30, 2014)

I've been using Hertel Super Hot Sauce all-temp. wax, and I love it. I typically wax every 2 or 3 times I go out, and my board is always fast on east-coast conditions. I've never given consideration to other types (or brands) of waxes not only because I've had no issues with the Hot Sauce, but because I'm sure it would be very difficult to feel any difference unless I was at a really really high level of skill.

I wouldn't waste my time with rub-on wax. Here's a good video on waxing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZyJPteJREU


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## tpaairman (Jan 12, 2015)

Snoopy - Thank you for a constructive answer. 

Agaysnowmo - Thank you for the constructive part of your post, and as for the rest - seriously? I understand you can google things. I also understand that there are plenty of people who put things on line, including youtube videos when they really don't know what they are talking about. At least here I can get some real feedback. And if someone is full of crap on their answer, others can call them out on it.

Based on that there would be no need to ask any questions.


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## elstinky (Jan 24, 2010)

To be honest: years ago I learned how to wax from the internet as well. Guess how I found it? By searching here on this very site through the gazillions of threads about it. And they all contain real feedback and people got called out for being full of crap. And it tought me more than I could imagine there was to know about waxing.

So don't play the 'I need an authorative answer' card on a subject which has been discussed *way* deeper than what you are asking here - just admit you are being lazy


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## tpaairman (Jan 12, 2015)

I did a search and it kept coming back with no results which surprised me, so I asked. I figured the search function must be screwy. It did work today with some terms (waxing) but not others (wax).


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## corneilli (Nov 26, 2012)

The dude is just asking a question, don't be too hard on him. Although there are A LOT of threads on here already, you could have searched those. Anyway, wax the normal way, drip the wax on, spread it out and scrape. Don't do that hippie rub-on shit.


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## elstinky (Jan 24, 2010)

tpaairman said:


> I figured the search function must be screwy


in such case: use your favourite search engine instead with terms like

```
how to wax site:snowboardingforum.com
```


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## SkullAndXbones (Feb 24, 2014)

hot wax is the way to go. don't waste your time with the other stuff. i too use hertel wax. using a hot iron opens up the pores in your base and allows wax to get into your base.


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## tanscrazydaisy (Mar 11, 2013)

tpaairman said:


> What does everyone recommend in the way of wax? I'm not quite there yet (just getting started in all this) but thinking down the road. Looking at whats out there, we have the wax you melt with an iron and scrap, and I saw something about graphite wax, but now I'm seining rub on, buff and go. No scraping. And paste that is essentially done the same way.
> 
> I know that the temperature when the board is used has a lot to do with it. So, with all the different options, what do you all suggest? Eventually I'm sure the kids will hit up the park, but for now it would be the basics of cruising down the mountain.


graphite is good for dirty snow.

your basic wax is a hydrocarbon wax....
racewax.com all purpose wax is a good bang for the buck

This is an excellent video for waxing


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## KansasNoob (Feb 24, 2013)

Purl is the best I've had, recommended to me by a couple people and tried it on my last trip. It's very fast and durable. Also eco friendly if that's what you're into, it's a "microcrystalline" wax vs the flouro wax. I'll probably still use OneBall sometimes, but the Purl definitely lasts longer and slides better.


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## taco tuesday (Jul 26, 2014)

Y'all must be some very busy people if you think that taking 2 minutes to apply some rub on wax between hot waxes is such a waste of time. Or maybe you are not busy at all and have the time to hot wax your board every time you ride in which case rub on wax would be pointless but still wouldn't take more than a couple of minutes. Hmmm.


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## Bones (Feb 24, 2008)

taco tuesday said:


> Y'all must be some very busy people if you think that taking 2 minutes to apply some rub on wax between hot waxes is such a waste of time.


I am too busy and too cheap to waste any time or money applying something that will be gone in 2 runs.


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## ridinbend (Aug 2, 2012)

taco tuesday said:


> Y'all must be some very busy people if you think that taking 2 minutes to apply some rub on wax between hot waxes is such a waste of time. Or maybe you are not busy at all and have the time to hot wax your board every time you ride in which case rub on wax would be pointless but still wouldn't take more than a couple of minutes. Hmmm.


There no bonding to the base occurring with rub on. Thus it is a wash to think that it has any long term benefit. And by long term I mean more than one run. So to sum it up, rub on is a waste of money.


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## KansasNoob (Feb 24, 2013)

I agree, rub on is for ski racers. If you want wax to last, it needs to be hot wax. With good wax you can easily get 3 days out of a job.


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## tanscrazydaisy (Mar 11, 2013)

taco tuesday said:


> Y'all must be some very busy people if you think that taking 2 minutes to apply some rub on wax between hot waxes is such a waste of time. Or maybe you are not busy at all and have the time to hot wax your board every time you ride in which case rub on wax would be pointless but still wouldn't take more than a couple of minutes. Hmmm.


There is no point of rubbing in a general purpose wax rub wax on top of hot wax.

You also need to make sure you're corking it properly..... 2 minutes means your not corking

If I was competing and need max speed for a run.... Ie using a high Fluoro overlay, different story 
http://racewax.com/p-782-swix-cera-f-uni-turbo-solid-100-fluoro-fc8xws.aspx


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## tpaairman (Jan 12, 2015)

Thank you everyone for the info.


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## ZeMax (Feb 21, 2014)

Check out a waxWHIZard. It allows you to use your favorite wax without Ironing it in. Works very well. I still hot wax at the beginning of the season.

For wax I've been using Zoom | Dominator Waxes | Products. Having great result from 0 to -20 celcius.


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## Seppuccu (Dec 4, 2012)

snoopy7548 said:


> I've been using Hertel Super Hot Sauce all-temp. wax, and I love it. I typically wax every 2 or 3 times I go out, and my board is always fast on east-coast conditions. I've never given consideration to other types (or brands) of waxes not only because I've had no issues with the Hot Sauce, but because I'm sure it would be very difficult to feel any difference unless I was at a really really high level of skill.


Out of curiosity, what temp do you use when you wax with Hertel (if you know)? I find myself having to use a somewhat higher temp than what they recommend.
:icon_scratch:


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## Mel M (Feb 2, 2012)

Anticrobotic said:


> Out of curiosity, what temp do you use when you wax with Hertel (if you know)? I find myself having to use a somewhat higher temp than what they recommend.
> :icon_scratch:


I have a swix iron and I put it on the lower temps. Not near it right now so I can't look, but all you have to do is melt it to a clear liquid and that indicates a high enough temp. If it doesn't smoke, then it's not too high. Doesn't need to be super specific. As long as the pores of the base is warmed up, it'll seep right in. I've been using Hot Sauce for 4 years.


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## snoopy7548 (Jan 30, 2014)

Anticrobotic said:


> Out of curiosity, what temp do you use when you wax with Hertel (if you know)? I find myself having to use a somewhat higher temp than what they recommend.
> :icon_scratch:


Not sure; for some reason I can't remember but I think it's between cotton and wool. I use a clothes iron:

http://www.amazon.com/Continental-Electric-CP43001-Classic-Iron/dp/B000VU9T74

I do want to buy a real waxing iron, but I haven't really had any issues with this one.


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## vajohn (Jan 12, 2014)

Formerly used Hot Sauce. Still have some of that and a bunch of random waxes sitting around. Purl is the only wax I buy anymore...works well for me and price is right. Just under 140 degrees on the iron for all temp.


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## snoopy7548 (Jan 30, 2014)

vajohn said:


> Formerly used Hot Sauce. Still have some of that and a bunch of random waxes sitting around. Purl is the only wax I buy anymore...works well for me and price is right. Just under 140 degrees on the iron for all temp.


Hearing about Purl in this thread has made me want to try it. I still have about half a block of the Hot Sauce, though.


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## vajohn (Jan 12, 2014)

snoopy7548 said:


> Hearing about Purl in this thread has made me want to try it. I still have about half a block of the Hot Sauce, though.


I let everybody try it when we were out in Colorado recently and we all agreed that the stuff works very well. I use the purple all temp.

-Not sure about the comment about getting 3 days out of a wax job. Sometimes I do go that long without waxing. Depends where you ride. Lasts longer on natural and pow...but on the manmade around here, 1 day and it is toast. I try to wax every time or every other when riding manmade. I like to haul ass and waxing every time definitely does help.


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## honeycomb (Feb 6, 2011)

Anticrobotic said:


> Out of curiosity, what temp do you use when you wax with Hertel (if you know)? I find myself having to use a somewhat higher temp than what they recommend.
> :icon_scratch:


I have a Swix iron and use WAY higher temp than recommended. With the Swix wax, CH8 and CH6 I set it to about 120deg C, any higher and it starts to smoke a bit. But with the Hertel Super Hot Sauce, I set the iron to max, which is around 150deg C, and have never seen it smoke. Higher temp makes melting it in faster, and as long as it's not smoking or melting my base...

I used a clothes iron for a long time, it just got annoying to clean out the holes, otherwise I'd get dirty old brown/smoked wax on the base. I got this iron last year- Swix FX No need for a super expensive iron, this one works great.

Also if you have time and REALLY want to conserve wax and do minimal/no scraping, you can rub the block of wax onto the board instead of melting and dripping it. Then just take the iron and melt it in. The way I like to do it is to touch the block to the iron real quick, then rub the iron on the board and spread it out.


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## KansasNoob (Feb 24, 2013)

vajohn said:


> I let everybody try it when we were out in Colorado recently and we all agreed that the stuff works very well. I use the purple all temp.
> 
> -Not sure about the comment about getting 3 days out of a wax job. Sometimes I do go that long without waxing. Depends where you ride. Lasts longer on natural and pow...but on the manmade around here, 1 day and it is toast. I try to wax every time or every other when riding manmade. I like to haul ass and waxing every time definitely does help.


I was riding a demo board (Yes Jackpot) one day and absolutely trashed the wax in that one day. Lots of ice riding that day.

The Proto still looked good after 3 days, waxed it anyway. Was using the blue wax. Planning on getting a brick of that and a brick of all temp. I just had the guy at the shop hack me off a piece. :hairy:


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## vajohn (Jan 12, 2014)

I also apply hot sauce a little hot, closer to 150. But the purple purl, around 140 or below. Hot sauce drips thicker, the purple Purl is a little runny.


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## Seppuccu (Dec 4, 2012)

Well I guess it's all fine then.  150°C is quite a bit higher than the recommended 189°F, which is somewhere around 87°C. I've used approx 100°C but felt I ought to go even higher for the best effect.


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