Henrik Windstedt

Just Skiing Site

Quick Guide on How Best to Apply a Rub on Wax to a Snowboard

by

Snowboard waxes are used to smooth up the bottom of the board. This helps a snowboard slide and turn better on snow. It also allows snowboarders to launch their snowboards more effectively on a terrain that is not steep enough.

Apart from allowing better traction for snowboards, waxes are also very useful in the overall maintenance of snowboards. Applying them to a snowboard diminishes the wear and tear your board may suffer when used over rougher patches of snow.

Waxing also helps enhance the safety of using a snowboard. A snowboard that is not waxed properly may eventually have a rougher base, requiring you to exert more force when using it. It is also quite tiresome to turn a snowboard with a rough base. This ultimately may pose a safety hazard, especially if you are using such a board on a steep terrain.

A wide range of waxing options is available to snowboarders. They may choose from iron on wax, graphite wax, artificial slope wax or a rub on wax. Rub on wax is one of the most popular waxing methods using by snowboarders to enhance the outlook and performance of their boards.

A thing to remember about rub on waxes is that unlike other waxes such as iron on waxes, a rub on wax penetrates very little or not at all into the snowboard base. So it is more of a surface smoother and may not offer much nourishment to the actual structure of the base.

Here is a quick guide on how best to apply a rub on wax to a snowboard.

1. Choose a rub on wax

Rub on wax is available in liquid as well as solid forms. The liquid rub on wax is much easier to apply and can be evenly spread all over the base without any problems. It also offers some little base penetration which is a plus. Upon applying a liquid rub on wax, you may need to let the snowboard dry for a few minutes before using it.

In contrast, a solid rub on wax usually requires more effort. You will have to be more thorough to apply the wax and then even it out on the board base. However, unlike a liquid rub on wax, a solid rub on wax doesn’t need any drying and once you are done waxing, you can start riding the board right away.

2. Apply the wax

As mentioned above, applying a liquid rub on wax is quite easily. You can even use a spray dispenser to spray the liquid wax all over the board. Let the liquid dry up a bit before polishing it all over the snowboard base.

Applying a solid rub on wax is more rigorous. If the base of your board is smooth, you can rub the wax block from side to side like a crayon, covering the entire base in this manner. If you have a sintered board, you may apply the wax along the length of the board. Rub the wax block across the base to get a thin and even layer.

3. Polishing and structuring

The polishing and structuring part is more or less the same for both liquid and solid rub on waxes. Once you have evenly spread a layer of the wax across the board, it is time to polish and structure it. You may use a brush, a scour pad or any similar accessories to structure the wax. Just applying wax to the board may not result is a smooth and even spread. This is why you need a pad to smooth out the wax evenly all over the board base. To do the actual structuring, use the pad to evenly rub all over the board. Not only will it evenly spread the wax, it will also add a fresh and glossy look to your board’s base.

4. Expect a brief advantage

Applying a rub on wax to a snowboard is a more short-term solution compared to, say, an iron on wax. This is because as stated above, a rub on wax does not penetrate into the board of the base and simply forms a layer at the surface. Still, after you apply a rub on wax, you will experience that your snowboard is more agile and smooth on the snow, at least for a few runs.

And that is exactly what you should expect. Once you apply the rub on wax, you can get a number of smooth rubs out of your board but it will not last long. So consider a rub on wax as a more short-term solution which you may use on holiday snowboarding, between the boarding sessions or when you really want board to give that extra ounce of performance. For more long-term performance and maintenance improvements, go with an iron on wax.

Popular Articles: