Graphite additives in the wax reduce static friction caused by dust particles in the snowpack.  This is especially common on snow where melting and refreezing has occurred numerous times.  The addition of graphite to our waxes provides an ideal combination wax for coarse, old or dirty snow to ensure a frictionless glide on your bases. 

DataWax manufacture FIVE different graphite waxes:

• DataWax Graphite RACE

The ideal race wax for indoor snow surfaces and late season races when the snow tends to be older. This wax has great protective qualities but, more importantly is fast and hard enough to resist the abrasive nature of the snow crystals on race cources and inside a snow dome.

• Perfect in snow at-6°C to -16°C
• DataWax Graphite Race is an excellent iron on wax for cold temperature conditions
• Iron on Temperature 120°C

DataWax Graphite TRAINING

• DataWax Graphite Training is an excellent all condition wax for general skiing and is very durable so lasts a long time. In addition to graphite in contains a low fluoro balance ensuring great speed and smooth turns. It is an ideal training wax for indoors.
• Graphite version of our best-selling Universal HP wax
•  Perfect for all snow types and temperatures.
• Extremely long lasting and ideal for long indoor training sessions.

DataWax Graphite PERFORMANCE

This wax has an excellent balance of high speed and great glide due to the combination of  graphite and Fluoro.  It is ideal for late season snowsports when the snow is old and on glaciers. A great alternative to Magma HP on older recycled snow.

• Best performance at snow temperatures 0°C to -8°C
• DataWax Graphite Performance  is best if ironed on but can also be rubbed on.

DataWax Graphite SPRING

Late season snow is often contaminated with particles of dust and dirt particularly in resorts with lots of snow cannons.

• Perfect wax when the snow temperature is at or above -2°C
• For best results use an iron to hot wax Graphite Spring into the base.
• DataWax Graphite Spring can also be used as a rub on wax.
• Ideal for end of season skiing

DataWax  Polar GX

       Part of the artificial slope range

These waxes do not require an iron so are much faster to apply, however do not last as long. As the wax only sits on the base surface there is little or no nourishment to the base hence why iron on waxing is more common and protective.

There are two forms of rub on waxes:

Liquid based waxes
These are applied to the ski or board base and allowed to dry for a few minutes, before being polished or structured. They are extremely quick and easy to apply, and have some base penetration.

Rub on solid waxes
These are softer than iron on wax but are less durable. They are applied by gently rubbing the block of wax smoothly over the base to provide a thin and even layer of wax across the entire surface. For best results run the wax from tip to tail and finish by gently structuring the wax.

Rub on waxes are the ideal type of wax to take away with you for a mid holiday top up service and to use between hot waxing to ensure your equipment maintains good speed and glide.

DataWax offer:

• SuperSlip Wax Cream

Lightly penetrates the base with a high fluorocarbon content to give a high speed glide. Perfect as a racing start wax or for freestylers.

• Soft ‘n’ Slippy Wax Polish

Specifically designed for dry slope users and very popular as a start wax for racers or to give a speed boost for freestylers. An extremely fast wax.

• Snowboard Tech Wax

The first of DataWax’s snowboard specific range. Strawberry scented and able to be used as either a rub on or an iron on wax with great lasting glide.

• Alpine Rub-on kits

Two sticks of DataWax Classic, one red and one yellow. Perfect for having in your pocket on holiday for a quick rub on speed boost and increased glide.

How To Hot Wax

Hot Waxing is easy and you need only a few basic supplies.

1. Clean The  Base

Clean your base firstly by wiping it with a cloth or piece of paper towel. Then scrape away any old wax with an acrylic wax scraper.

Spray with DataWax Base Cleaner and wipe again to remove any dirt and grease from the base.

Ideally use a Datawax Brown Structure Pad or a a brass brush aggressively from tip to tail to further clean the base and remove oxidized base material.

Finally wipe again with a paper cloth and you are ready to go!

2. Apply Wax

Hot waxing is best. (Liquid or paste waxes may increase glide for a short time, however they quickly wear off and don't protect your base.) Simply hold the bar of wax against the base of the iron and allow the melted wax to drip onto your ski base. Run a series of drips in a “zigzag” pattern the length of the base. Set the iron temperature so wax flows easily, but doesn't "smoke" the wax. (If the wax is smoking then it is too hot!)

TIP:- it is better to keep the iron slightly cooler and to use slightly more wax. This takes a little more time but takes away any risk of burning the base and also helps the wax penetrate the ski better.

 Iron the wax into the base for 30 - 45 seconds to spread the wax evenly across the base and to allow it to penetrate into the base. This will probably require 2-3 passes along the length of the base. Make sure the wax is as even as possible and make your last pass from tip to tail.

REMEMBER: It is very important to keep the iron moving to prevent damage to the ski.

3. Cool and Scrape

Let wax cool to room temperature for at least 40 minutes- ideally overnight. Scrape off excess wax with an acrylic scraper leaving a very thin layer on the base.

Remember - You want the wax IN the base and not ON the base.

4. Brush and Polish For Maximum Glide

Finally brush surface wax out of base structure/texture with a nylon  or horsehair brush or a green structure pad. This clears channels for moisture which help break snow surface suction and enhances glide. 

Temperature Specific Wax Ranges

Once you've got the right range, selecting your wax is mainly affected by snow temperature. Remember that it is the temperature of the snow and not the air temperature. The only way to measure snow temperature accurately is to use a thermometer, however this is rarely practical, especially if you are servicing before your holiday!

Universal wax is designed for all snow conditions and covers the wide range of snow temperatures and types. This makes it ideal for anyone unsure of the conditions they will be skiing or boarding in. DataWax’s Universal is also designed to be extremely long lasting by having additives to ensure it stays in the base for as long as possible. Universal is ideal for all conditions, therefore does not offer the same level of performance as a temperature specific wax.

Using the correctly selected temperature wax will massively increase performance, however a difficult balance exists as the wrong wax can actually increase drag due to the structure of the snow and the wax being incompatible. If you are in doubt, we suggest using Universal or a wax slightly colder than you predict the snow to be.
The colder waxes are harder, therefore will not create drag against the snow surface.

DataWax manufacture three high performance and temperature specific waxes for use on snow in alpine environments.

These performance grade waxes are:

Butane
For -6 to -16°C, manmade and glacier snow

Magma
For -8 to 0 °C, mid season

Sunfire
For -2°C and warmer, wet slushy snow

DataWax waxes contain fluorocarbons, which are very hydrophobic (repel water molecules). Our level of fluorocarbons are designed to increase glide and speed, however are not recommended for high level ski racing. Fluorocarbons are especially effective in wet or slushy conditions by repelling the water from the bases.

Do I need a wax bench? 

Whether you are equipping yourself with a home tuning setup or an “on the go” race setup a solid surface will make everything easier and more efficient.  A thick level surface that can easily accept tuning vises will make all the difference. 

We are often asked if saw horses or woodworking benches can serve the same purpose, and the answer is always no (except possibly for children’s skis which are very short).  A stable platform that allows your vises to sit level and be stable during the scraping, brushing, and filing that occurs during regular ski maintenance not only makes the processes easier, but will also keep hands and knuckles scrape and cut free!  Saw horses will shift far too much and have nothing to support the center of the ski.  This allows the ski to flex and wander especially during scraping and brushing. 

There are many table sizes available, and the best choice will depend on what types of equipment you will be tuning and the space you have to do it in.  When tuning longer length skis, especially cross country and giant slalom skis a longer profile table is a must. This gives you more room to space your vises and makes for a more stable ski and easier use.  For snowboards or when space is limited shorter tables are also available.

DataWax stock the Swix T75W waxing bench as we consider this is the best value bench that is stable without being too heavy. (11kg)

How to Use Structure Pads

Your DataWax Structure Pad Kit contains two pads:- a rough brown pay and asmoother green pad.To use a structure pad, wrap it around your acrylic scraper and lightly push or pull it along the ski from tip to tail using long smooth strokes.

Brown Pad

Use the brown structure pad to “open the pores” in your ski before you wax, so that the wax can enter the base.  Use 2-3 passes of the ski base pressing moderately firmly. Wipe off any dust and debris and clean the base before waxing.

Green Pad

Use the green structure pad to lightly roughen the wax after you have scraped (this prevents surface tension allowing the ski to glide more easily). Use 1-2 passes over the length of the base in long smooth strokes – only gently pressue is required. Wipe off any excess wax before clamping your skis with DataWax Ski Ties.

Using a Plastic Scraper

Before scraping allow the ski wax to cool to room temperature. Half an hour to an hour is probably enough but the longer the better. 

Remember the important wax is already within the base, you are only scraping off the excess.

Hold the scraper firmly in both hands, apply even pressure and push from tip to tail taking the excess wax off. Use long smooth strokes. Keep doing this until you have little or no wax left visible.

Finish by wrapping the green structure pad around the scraper and pushing it along the ski, tip to tail in long smooth strokes to add structure to the fresh wax.

(if the wax is too smooth then surface tension will slow down the ski – hence the slight “structure” from the green pad.)

How much wax do I need?

It usually takes about 15 – 20 grams to hot wax one pair of skis or one snowboard, therefore a 110 gram block should last approximately 5-6 services.

 Rub on wax provides many more applications on a per gram basis (approximately double), however it will wear off significantly faster.

How long does it take for wax to cool?

 Generally we would recommend that you leave your bases for at least 20 minutes, but the ideal would be 45 minutes for the wax to sink in as much as possible and for it to absorb the wax as much as possible.

How often should I wax?

Really it depends what you are doing.  Normal holiday skiing on decent snow - about once every 3 or 4 days,  on a BASI course - every day,  racing - every run.

Certainly as minimum we would recommend that you check your bases and edges after each trip. This also means that you are ready to go for your next trip!

However the more often you wax the better performance you will get, so the more enjoyment you will have from your sport.  If you can wax at least every couple of days during your trip that’s even better!
 
If you are going on holiday and space (or weight) is limited in your luggage then consider packing some Superslip, an Alpine Rub On or some Fast Wipe Sachets!

Choosing a Wax for Your Holiday

Making sure that your skis are waxed and edged before you go on holiday will definitely help ensure you have more fun on your trip. Easy turning, good grip and no more pushing across the flats, - what is not to love?

For the very best experience you need to choose the most suitable wax- but what?

Selecting your wax is mainly affected by snow temperature. Remember that it is the temperature of the snow and not the air temperature. The only way to measure snow temperature accurately is to use a thermometer, however this is rarely practical, especially if you are servicing before your holiday!

You should choose a wax from our best selling  DataWax HP range.

DataWax Universal HP wax is designed for all snow conditions and covers the wide range of snow temperatures and types. This makes it ideal for anyone unsure of the conditions they will be skiing or boarding in. DataWax Universal HP is also designed to be extremely long lasting by having additives to ensure it stays in the base for as long as possible. Although Universal is ideal for all conditions, it cannot offer the same level of performance as a temperature specific wax.

Using the correctly selected temperature wax will significantly increase performance. If in doubt use a slightly colder wax than for the snow conditions you expect.


DataWax manufacture three high performance and temperature specific waxes for use on snow in alpine environments.

These performance grade waxes are:

Butane HP
For -6 to -16°C, man-made and glacier snow

Magma HP
For -8 to 0 °C, mid season

Sunfire HP
For -2°C and warmer, wet slushy snow

All DataWax HP waxes contain a low concentration of  fluorocarbons, which are very hydrophobic (repel water molecules). These make the wax easier to apply nad improves the glide and ease of turning