# Wax how often?



## AmberLamps (Feb 8, 2015)

Sintered Base is designed to absorb wax and needs wax more often to maintain speed than an Extruded base. I like to wax every 3-4 times I ride on my Sintered boards. Im sure everyone has an opinion on this, but I find that to be plenty enough for what I need. Unless you're trying to break world speed records I don't thing you will really notice much or a difference tbh.


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## Triple8Sol (Nov 24, 2008)

I'm the same way, I wax every 3-4 days on a board.


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## Phedder (Sep 13, 2014)

Yeah, I'm an every 3-5 rides depending on conditions. Though when the temp dropped from -10 celcius to -30, I made sure to put a cold wax on all my boards. Never felt a board stick like that before! 

Edge sharpening is as needed. I'm very meticulous about my edges, I keep them sharp and I hate burrs. I'll use the diamond stone to get rid of any burrs which seems to be most times I ride, but actually running them through the machine or using a file isn't needed as often if I stay on top of it with the diamond stone.


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## sabatoa (Jan 18, 2011)

I have a sintered board and I don't wax nearly enough, maybe once every 12 sessions or something. I feel it on the runouts, she slows down on me. I should wax this week..


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## llamabrew (Nov 26, 2016)

Depends on snow conditions too. If you're riding ice and/or wet sloppy snow then wax more often. Agree that generally once every 3-4 days is adequate though.


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## Oldman (Mar 7, 2012)

If I'm riding lots of man made corduroy, ( which is most of the time ) = 3 days

If I'm lucky enough to be on natural powder ( not nearly enough ) = 5 days

YMMV


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## Simon Birch (Mar 11, 2014)

KrombopulosMike said:


> I'm on the east coast and I ride mostly man made snow. I spend a fair amount of time on rails if that matters. Just got a board with a sintered base. How often do I need to wax? to sharpen my edges? Also, I've read a few how-to's but if anyone knows any great tutorial videos...
> 
> Thanks


Man made snow is more jagged than real snow so its "recommended" to wax more often when riding on it. No matter what you read or hear don't use a base cleaner. A citrus house hold cleaner is all you need. Use gummy stones and diamond files to remove burs on your edges. Just make sure you get the right color gummy for the job. Grey is to de-tune edges, blue for serious burs, and red for all around maintenance and tuning.


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## Kaladryn (Mar 18, 2016)

Daily for me unless you snow is perfect then maybe every other day, no idea how anyone could make it longer and not notice it. Maybe people who aren't scraping all the wax off?


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

Phedder said:


> Yeah, I'm an every 3-5 rides depending on conditions. Though when the temp dropped from -10 celcius to -30, I made sure to put a cold wax on all my boards. Never felt a board stick like that before!
> 
> Edge sharpening is as needed. I'm very meticulous about my edges, I keep them sharp and I hate burrs. I'll use the diamond stone to get rid of any burrs which seems to be most times I ride, but actually running them through the machine or using a file isn't needed as often if I stay on top of it with the diamond stone.


^ This, just make it every 3-5 _weekends_, so every 6-10 times (well... maybe rather 15-20... In seasons like last year w/o real cold days? I've waxed only twice. Board is still faster than I need it to be.)

OP: it all depends on you, your board, your mtn layout, what you ride and expect and snow conditions. There's no right or wrong. Wax whenever _you_ feel its needed.

The must be's are: cold wax if very cold, structured grind for spring slush. Sharp edges all season.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

We wax with the weather. Cold, mediocre or warm. powder, soft groomer or ice....... there is a wax to match.


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## Snow Hound (Jul 21, 2012)

I normally wax before every trip but one thing led to another and it was around 10+ days before I just had another 3. I could tell by looking at the base but pretty sure it made next to no difference when riding. I'll have a bit more time over Xmas and can't wait to give the girls some tender loving.


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## NickinCO (Jan 3, 2013)

every day or every other day at the most.


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## F1EA (Oct 25, 2013)

Fresh wax I notice it. Board is super fast and glides really well. 

After the 2-3 days of riding it, feels a little slower, so it all depends on whether I manage the time to wax/scrape.... 

So... if effort/time was not an issue, I'd wax after every day or 2 at most. But because it is....... every 4 days or so.


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## Alpine Duke (Jun 21, 2015)

there are a few threads on waxing....and most of them have arguments in them  Do a search and you will have plenty of reading to do.


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## tanscrazydaisy (Mar 11, 2013)

KrombopulosMike said:


> I'm on the east coast and I ride mostly man made snow. I spend a fair amount of time on rails if that matters. Just got a board with a sintered base. How often do I need to wax? to sharpen my edges? Also, I've read a few how-to's but if anyone knows any great tutorial videos...
> 
> Thanks


Ideally daily, since our snow is quite abrasive especially on the edges 

Videos
http://www.racewax.com/tuning-tips/

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk


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## speedjason (May 2, 2013)

When you see the edges turning white.


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## Fielding (Feb 15, 2015)

Simon Birch said:


> Man made snow is more jagged than real snow so its "recommended" to wax more often when riding on it. No matter what you read or hear don't use a base cleaner. A citrus house hold cleaner is all you need. Use gummy stones and diamond files to remove burs on your edges. Just make sure you get the right color gummy for the job. Grey is to de-tune edges, blue for serious burs, and red for all around maintenance and tuning.


It's better to use no cleaner at all. Instead, use the hot wax cleaning technique. Apply a generous cover of cheap all purpose wax and then scrape it before it cools down. The scrapings will be dirty. That's the dirt stuck in you old wax job coming off. It works great. In the long run this technique keeps more wax on the board.


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## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

OP,… I think you'll find if you do a little research and searching the forum on this topic that "_Waxing_" is somewhat akin to a _Religion_ for many here! Lots and *lots* of opinion, methods, reasoning behind each individuals preferences and methods!!!

For many of the Devout followers of this religion,... it is often viewed very much a transcendent, spiritual, and meditational,.. almost zen-like practice!!! 0 "Nearer My God to Thee!!!" sso to speak! > 

Myself Being rather the uncouth, uncivilized and un-learned savage and "Agnostic" among the pious & faithful here,….? Viewing it as more of a "Chore" than a worshipful practice… 

I usually just wax when I can, _*or* when the board refuses to slide!!!_  :laugh:

…..Just like in the following example! 



neni said:


> ^ This, just make it every 3-5 _weekends_, so every 6-10 times (well... maybe rather 15-20... *In seasons like last year w/o real cold days? I've waxed only twice. Board is still faster than I need it to be.*)
> 
> OP: it all depends on you, your board, your mtn layout, what you ride and expect and snow conditions. *There's no right or wrong. Wax whenever you feel its needed.
> *
> The must be's are: cold wax if very cold, structured grind for spring slush. Sharp edges all season.


I've found this to be true in _"most"_ cases. (…the exceptions being as @neni suggested,.. extreme cold or extreme wet conditions!) 




:question:


AmberLamps said:


> *Sintered Base is designed to absorb wax and needs wax more often to maintain speed than an Extruded base. *
> 
> Unless you're trying to break world speed records I don't thing you will really notice much or a difference tbh.


I'm going to ask for some clarification and/or confirmation on *^this^* as I was led to believe that a "Sintered" base actually held wax better/longer *because* it was porous?? Conversely,.. Extruded bases having none of these pores,.. supposedly wax was more quickly/easily scraped off! :question: 

Am I wrong in my understanding of this??


And last, but not least,….


NickinCO said:


> *every day* or every other day *at the most.*


…with _*"more"* than "at most"_ being what exactly…? Stopping to wax *Mid* run??? :blink:

> (…juss bustin' your balls a bit as I found that statement somewhat humorous!!) LoL!


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## Kaladryn (Mar 18, 2016)

On fresh snow, especially where the groomers aren't too hard either, you could probably go many days on a single wax, maybe only two if you are going hard all day. The problem is the base right next to the edge, you could have 90% of the board well waxed, but still be needing wax on the few millimeters of base that experiencing by far the most friction. On very abrasive snow, this will be an issue after a few hours. If the snow is abrasive enough, you don't need to scrap your board after waxing, it will all be gone in a few runs, the wax in the base might last half the day before you start to notice a lack of wax, especially noticeable in abrasive spring conditions that then get wet.

Wax isn't about going fast to me, it's about reducing muscle fatigue throughout the day of riding by reducing friction between me and the snow, and going fast.


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