Stone Grinding
There are those who believe that it is better to apply certain topper waxes directly onto the bases of skis that have no base wax. With regards to this and with help from other people, I have been testing and will continue to do so. At this point in time, for those who want performance from their skis, I am going to continue to recommend that after skis have been stone ground, the bases be saturated with a soft wax, hardened with a cold green wax, a CH wax of the day ironed in and a liquid wax applied as the top layer wax of the day. If I find an on-snow faster gliding waxing formula, I will change this procedure.
As of now, I am going to charge $65 to grind and saturate the bases of skis with a soft wax, regardless of the number of pairs of skis. I will charge $20 to harden the bases of skis.
Retailing of Skis
This winter, Gatineau Nordic Sport (GNS) will be selling Peltonen and Alpina skis. We will have access to racing skis, touring skis, kids’ skis and back country skis. We can install skins on classic skis that we sell.
Upcoming Changes in the Waxing Industry
In January, 2020, new REACH regulations will be put into place. REACH is the set of regulations that govern the use of chemicals in the European Union. Since all the wax manufacturers operate out of or sell in Europe, they will need to comply with the new REACH regulations. Presently, the fluoro waxes are being produced using C8 chemistry (C8 for 8-carbon). Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a residue that is produced when using C8 chemistry. PFOA does not break down easily and therefore, in layman’s terms, is bad. It appears that the new REACH regulations will state that there can be no detectable amount of PFOA in any waxes produced using C8 chemistry. If this is the case, there will be a complete ban on the use of C8 chemistry.
There are those, rightly so, who believe that the day will come when there will be a complete ban on the production of products using fluoro compounds. However, the new REACH regulations allow for the use of C6 Chemistry, which does not have any PFOA residue and breaks down more readily. Waxes that are already being produced using the C6 chemistry, when mixed with paraffin wax are performing very well. However, the pure fluoro products (powders, blocks, liquids) using C6 chemistry do not appear to be as good as flouro products using C8 chemistry.
The wax companies can continue to produce waxes using C8 chemistry up until the end of this year. However, they are not going to want to be left with waxes that they cannot legally sell, which will be the case as of January 2020. Sometime this fall, if not already, the wax companies will stop producing the C8 waxes and start producing the C6 waxes. I believe that the stores will be able to sell waxes with the C8 chemistry until all these products are sold. It will be interesting to see just how this plays out here in Canada this winter, in particular if, for some reason, we do not have access to the new waxes being produced using C6 chemistry.
Even though there will be a ban on the production of waxes using C8 chemistry, as far as I know, there has not been a ban on the use of these waxes, which could well become a messy and confusing situation. At this point in time, there is nothing preventing individuals / clubs / organizations from stockpiling waxes using the C8 chemistry, in particular, the 100% flouro waxes. Skiers who are competitive in thinking could be well advised to make plans as to what approach they are going to take with regards to purchasing and ordering waxes for this winter and for next winter. It would be helpful if the people / clubs / organizations / Nordiq Canada would make statements regarding the waxing protocol for races in Canada.
I completed writing this article on Saturday, September 28, the day after the Global Climate Strike marches in Ottawa and Montreal. One would like to think that instead of people being reluctant and resistant to appropriate changes made to ski waxes, that everyone would be highly supportive and pushing for a complete ban on the production and use of all products with toxic fluorine additives.
Liquid Waxes
It may well be that liquid waxes are the way of the future for waxing cross country skis. Liquid waxes are convenient, easy to use and cost effective. Liquid waxes come as NF (no fluoro), LF (low flouro) and HF (high flouro). These waxes can be applied using an iron, a cork or simply by wiping on, allowing to dry and then go skiing. They can be used on the glides zones of skis and also on the hairs of skin skis. Liquid waxes are being used with very good success by skiers of all levels of ability.
Liquid waxes using the C6 chemistry are testing out as good as, if not better than, the waxes made using C8 chemistry. If the liquids being produced using the new REACH regulations continue to improve, the day may come when liquid waxes will be used on all types of cross country skis, including skis being used in high-level racing where a liquid can be the final top coat of wax.
From this point on, I am going to sell and promote waxes that clearly indicate that they are compliant with the new REACH regulations for 2019 / 2020. This winter I am going to sell Star liquid waxes and Montana Win the Race liquid silicone compound. These liquids are compliant with the new REACH regulations. As I become aware of other waxes that I learn are performing well and that clearly state they are compliant with the new regulations, I am going to buy and then test these products. The winds of change are coming!
Regardless of your skiing ability or your ambitions for ski performance, I highly recommend that you try using liquid waxes. I do not think you can go wrong in doing so.
https://www.starskiwax.com/paraffins/new-fluor-liquid-glide-wax/
https://www.montana-international.com/en/products/machines/waxing-and-polishing/wintherace/
From this point on, I am going to sell and promote waxes that clearly indicate that they are compliant with the new REACH regulations for 2019 / 2020. This winter I am going to sell Star liquid waxes and Montana Win the Race liquid silicone compound. These liquids are compliant with the new REACH regulations. As I become aware of other waxes that I learn are performing well and that clearly state they are compliant with the new regulations, I am going to buy and then test these products. The winds of change are coming!
Regardless of your skiing ability or your ambitions for ski performance, I highly recommend that you try using liquid waxes. I do not think you can go wrong in doing so.
https://www.starskiwax.com/paraffins/new-fluor-liquid-glide-wax/
https://www.montana-international.com/en/products/machines/waxing-and-polishing/wintherace/
Montana Win the Race Liquid Silicon Compound
Last fall, on Nov.11, Remembrance Day, I went skiing on the grassy edge of the parkway from P-19 in the Gatineau Park. There was 5 cm of new, wet, sticky snow on the ground. I was skiing on skin skis, skis into which I had installed skins. On one ski I applied Montana Win the Race liquid silicon compound over the entire length of the ski. On the other ski I used a HF liquid wax over the entire length of the ski. In the next few days, in similar snow conditions, I used the same skis waxed the same way. For each of the 3 days of skiing, Win the Race outperformed the HF wax. The glide of the ski with Win the Race was a little better and the skin did not ice up. When used on the hairs of skins, in variable and wet conditions, Win the Race liquid silicon compound may be as good as is available.
Montana Win the Race liquid silicon compound is a non-toxic, odourless, clear liquid. It has no fluorine additives and being silicone-based, it is superhydrophobic. Win the Race is extremely convenient and easy to use. When applying Win the Race, it is not necessary to heat, scrape or brush the skis. Simply apply, let dry for at least 15 minutes and then go skiing. I have tried applying this liquid outside in the winter. This did not work for me. I find that the base and hairs need to be dry and warm.
Taking into account that I am selling Montana Win the Race liquid silicone compound, I am obviously going to promote this product. Having said this, I suggest that you try this compound and judge for yourself. You can purchase Win the Race from Gatineau Nordic Sport (GNS) or order it directly from Montana Inc. in the United States. If people and retail stores in Canada prefer to order and purchase this product in Canada in order to avoid dealing with Customs, I have been given the option of being able to distribute Win the Race in Canada.
Future Newsletters
If you know of someone you think would like to receive this GNS newsletter, send it to them and inform them that if they would like to receive future newsletters, they should send me an email and I will put them on the mailing list.
If, however, you would prefer not to receive these GNS newsletters, inform me and I will take you off the mailing list.
Wayne