First Experiences with Skin Skis

 

First observations of an old ski racer/instructor on the new #NNN moveable #binding on new #Nordic #skin #skis. I did not buy the top of the line #Salomon skin ski, but one that still had the same racing base and a slightly heavier core. In a way this is ok, because I have had some racing skis in the past that I have compressed and then blown apart.

Three-day old snow and air temperature was -3C to -4C. Today would have been perfect for hard wax and it would have been fast. I had #Swix red #glider, 0C to -4C which was in the ball park. I used a deicer in the kick area on the skins. Of course it is realized that it will take many glide wax hot waxes to get the skis to glide faster.

It should be mentioned that there are special cleaning solutions for the skins as well as a special glider/deicer roll on to help with glide in  the kick area. Most of the major #wax companies carry something for skin skis.

I tried the binding setup at +2, 0, -2. I found next to no grip at +2 and next to no glide. At -2 I found good glide and fairly good grip. At zero it was ok. I did not try -1, which probably would have been ok too.

Around corners, I found the outside edge of the binding catching on the track. This almost had me tumble a few times. After skiing multiple times I still find the bindings catching a bit on the track.

At all times, the grip would not hook up solid, till my ski had moved back a few inches. I suspect you must have a lazier kick and not be so forceful, i.e. run on your skis more.

When you come out of the tracks the looser snow would catch and snag your skis a bit. Yes, the skin skis do sing in the right snow conditions too. The skin skis also catch leaves, twigs and grass a lot more then either klister or hard wax.

Wifey who has been on skin skis for over 2 years now, says it takes time to adapt your technique to the skin skis. She says that you must glide on your heels a lot more than a waxable ski, in order to have good glide and not have the grip area snag.

Well let me tell you I was sure wishing I was on my 25-year-old waxable skis which would have been rockets today.

However, I was out to test how these skis were, so I had to suck it up. I will certainly put in several more hours before I can make an informed decision as to whether I like them. Perhaps if the snow was a bit warmer it would have been far better against a waxable ski? I did ski in very wet conditions and the skin skis worked well.

In the future this ski will only be used when the snow is very wet, but it does have a place in my ski bag.

                                         Get outside in nature, keep your eyes open and enjoy!!

I talked to the young moose and said good morning in a nice gentle soothing voice which has worked with other moose that I have skied close to. The picture looks like I am close to the moose but I am a still a fair distance away.

                                 The moose can be seen far in the distance along side the trail.

     The moose has moved off the trail less than 30 feet away and already blends into the bush.

Be sure to leave your comments and experiences with skin skis. Thank-you

Cold Weather Waxing (Old School) for #Nordic #Skiing

These instructions are for temperatures below Minus 18C.

Glide Zone  

I clean the base with wax remover. Wait for a half hour.

Sand the glide area with very fine silicon sand paper (at least 320 grit.) 

Fibertex the base (30 passes) in the same direction. (why?, because, lol.)

Hot wax with Swix CH4 and scrape while still warm

Hot wax again with CH4 let it wait for an hour or so and then scrape, brush, several times. Put outside scrape brush, several times.

Hot wax some cold weather powder. Scrape, brush a few times.

Set outside to cool

Brush with a horsehair brush

Then I take some fiberlene and wrap in a cork and cork again (30 passes)  

Kick Area

Scrape what kick wax you can off. Then use wax remover. Sand with 120-180 (or lower) grit silicone sand paper. Cross-ways, angle ways, both ways, and then length ways. Fibertex, Clean with wax remover, wait a half hour.

Iron in some cold base wax

Then use some -10C to -30C kick wax. The first few layers you need to be very careful not to mix the kick wax with the base wax. 5-7 layers of VR30 

Swix is common around these parts but each brand have a complete line

Cold weather wax takes a lot of effort and elbow grease. Keep your mouth closed while scraping, lol. Yes cold weather skiing is strength training as it sometimes feels so SLOOOW!

Below are some blueberry pancakes with Chia seeds, Flax seed, and Hemp hearts, for cold weather Nordic Skiing recovery. o yah!