Fast Wax: Easy Speed for Every Skier
What Wax? Why?
Whether you’re new to Nordic skiing or an old pro, you’ve probably had the experience of slipping your skis into the track, poling hard, expecting that you will glide quickly across the snow—and finding, to your disappointment, that the sticky snow is holding you back. This less-than-ideal situation happens whenever there is too much friction between the snow and the ski: this might be because the snow is so dry that it grinds against the ski base, or because it is so wet that the skis get suction-cupped to the slushy stuff.
To oversimplify, ski wax minimizes this friction. The wax makes the ski slippery, which lets it glide over any type of snow, while also making it water repellent—which keeps the ski from getting bogged down in wetter trail sections.
Now, waxes get a whole lot more technical than that. At the professional level, waxing can mean the difference between a gold medal and missing the podium altogether. The Norwegians even have a word for when waxing is responsible for a bad race: Smørebom. The world of glide wax can quickly become very complicated and very expensive. At bottom, however, the principle is simple: make the ski slippery.
The waxologists at the Montana-based Fast Wax are attentive to both ends of the ski wax spectrum. As the name suggests, this family-owned and operated business knows that waxing comes down to making skis faster; however, they also recognize that good wax requires careful chemistry, extensive testing, and even a bit of artistry (or wizardry).
Lucky for us, we don’t have to delve into the chemical nuances or experimental protocols to understand that Fast Wax has a lineup of waxes that are proven to not only be fast on snow, but quick and easy to properly select and apply. Here are two of Fast Wax’s leading offerings, both of which stand out for their versatility and ease-of-use and are sure to suit beginning skiers and veterans alike.
Eco Friendly Quick Wax
If you have ever found it painfully difficult to get any momentum while Nordic skiing, then lack of wax (what we call ‘dry skis’) may well be the culprit. Quick Wax is, true to its name, a quick and affordable solution to this problem. It’s easy to apply, good for your skis, and the added speed is bound to enhance both your technique and your skiing experience.
In line with Fast Wax’s commitment to the environment, the Quick paste wax gets its exceptional slipperiness from the soy-based wax base and an additive made of micronized rice grain husks, which won’t leave any damaging chemical traces on the trail. Have you ever heard of a ski wax manufacturer who uses plain English to inform you what exactly is in their waxes?
With a higher temperature range (28˚F-40˚F), Quick Wax thrives in spring-like ski conditions. To apply, simply rub the paste across the ski, wait a couple of minutes, and buff it in with a cork or buffing block. If you have ‘wax-less’ skis—those with a section of fish-scales in the center, under the binding—a Quick wax can still come in handy: apply the wax only to the tips and tails of your skis, and you’ll be able to glide smoothly while still getting a grip of the track when needed.
Once the wax is buffed in, you’ll be ready to zip along your favorite trails, or adventure onto new ones.
One coat of Quick Wax should keep its quickness for around 10 km, so you can explore without worrying about the wax failing you. Planning a long ski? Simply tuck a tin of Quick Wax into your pocket or pouch, along with a buffing block, and you can reapply as needed!
Priced a bit lower than the Fast Wax’s other paste waxes, Quick Wax provides excellent value for skiers who just to go faster, without polluting their winter wonderland, and without fussing too much about temperatures, humidity charts, and the endless nuances of waxology.
HSX: High Speed Extreme Waxes
This unique paste wax is designed to push an ordinary ski to perform extraordinarily. And much like the eco-friendly Quick Wax, HSX achieves its high-speed status in an innovative way. Whereas older versions of performance paste waxes relied on environmentally unfriendly fluorocarbons to add an extra-slippery element, this new breed utilizes a green, plant-based additive that follows the Fast Wax FlowerCarbon philosophy.
Not only are the HSX waxes environmentally friendly, they are also user-friendly as well. The wax comes in paste form in a small tin, complete with an applicator pad, which means you won’t need to follow the traditional glide waxing process—with all its hot irons, scraping, and brushing. As with the Quick Wax, you simply rub on the paste, and then use a cork block to buff the wax into the ski.
It is also worth mentioning that Fast Wax makes their products easy to select, with a very clear labeling scheme and color code. This is important for ski waxes because certain waxes correspond to certain temperatures and snow conditions. The trick is to add and subtract 10 from the HSX number on the label to get the temperature that wax was designed for. However, the HSX line of waxes includes an all-temperature wax which removes the whole obstacle of wax selection. Of course, if you really want to dial in your ski’s performance, you can also select a temperature-specific wax from the HSX line.
The bottom line is that no matter how much Nordic skiing you have done, Fast Wax has a product to sweeten your skiing experience. They offer a wide array of waxes for different situations and conditions that goes way beyond the selection we’ve presented here—although Quick Wax and HSX both provide excellent entry points into the world of ski wax. Even if you only cruise around a few times a winter on a pair of old fish-scale-grip classic skis, applying a coat of wax before hitting the snow will help minimize your fatigue and maximize your speed. Or, if you have just invested in a new pair of Nordic skis (whether they are skate or classic skis, waxed or ‘waxless’) regular waxing is an easy and affordable way to protect your investment. Whatever your situation is, find your perfect Fast Wax for this winter here.
