Skiing and waxing go hand in glove, and without a good coat of wax, your equipment isn’t going to perform to its full potential.
However, getting your boards waxed by professionals can become an expensive affair. So, it would be best if you learned to take care of the task yourself. And to do that effectively, you’re going to need the best ski wax kit on the market.
Today, we’re here with a short but comprehensive guide on the subject that can help you out. Just read through our recommendations, and we’re sure you’ll find an option that’s suitable for you.
What Happens If You Don't Wax Your Skis And Snowboards?
Most people don’t take the trouble to wax their skis and snowboards often. While you’re not required to obsessively wax your equipment every day, a good coating once in a while is certainly essential.
Skis are exposed to an immense amount of friction as you shred down the slopes. To ensure that your skiing movement is smooth and controlled, you need to reduce friction between the ski’s base and the snow. That’s where waxing helps.
If you’re not waxing your skis and snowboards, you’re running the risk of the base drying out. In some cases, the base can shrink inwards from the edges; if that happens, you’re at risk of blowing out on hard ice or rock while skiing.
Waxing also helps protect the base from damage due to friction-related abrasion and enables you to glide smoothly down the slopes. Also, with a well-waxed pair of skis, you’ll face less resistance from the snow and won’t be tired out as quickly.
Now that you know why it’s essential to wax skis and snowboards, let’s look at the best ski wax kits you can buy.
Best For Budget: Demon Complete Basic Tune Kit With Wax
For those looking at a budget buy that fulfills all your waxing and tuning needs, consider the Demon Complete Basic Tune Kit With Wax. Efficient, portable, and organized, this kit contains a flat-file, edge tuner, wire brushes, temp iron…in short, everything you need to give your skis a sleek wax job.
We like how the kit incorporates an intelligent design feature, with a smartly crafted carry bag that has dedicated compartments for all the equipment. This ensures that you won’t waste time getting to the tools and can start with the task immediately.
The Demon kit works well for all skis and snowboards, and the tools are primarily universal. Whether you’re looking for emergency fixes or quick repairs, this kit contains everything you need to succeed on the slopes. We also like the lifetime warranty that the iron comes with.
Best For Value: RaceWax Elite Ski Snowboard Tuning Kit
If you’re willing to spend a bit extra and get more value out of your waxing kit, we recommend going for the RaceWax Elite Snowboard Tuning Kit. It contains all the necessary tools for a professional ski waxing session, minus the hassle of taking a trip down to the shop.
Complete with a Racewax wax iron, Swix Warm Midrange and Cold Temperature waxes, this snowboard tuning kit has been developed in partnership with Swix. Its temperature-adjustable iron allows you to distribute the wax evenly on the ski base, while the different wax types ensure you’re all set for any snow.
Apart from the waxing equipment, the kit also contains all the tools you’d need for tuning and sharpening your skis and snowboards. In short, this is a kit that’s meant for the professional snowsports expert.
Best All-in-One: XCMAN Ski Wax Kit
In case you have multiple skis and snowboards that need waxing and tuning, get the XCMAN Complete Ski Wax Kit. It’s the ideal all-in-one kit you can get, complete with a temperature adjustable iron, a multi-angle edge tool, and a sizable (100 g) bar of high-quality training wax.
When speaking about this kit, we must mention the edge tool, which is the only piece of equipment you need to bevel and sharpen your edges. Add to that the metal scraper, buff pads, sandpaper, and multiple brushes, and you’ve got nothing missing.
All this comes packed in a spacious bag with enough room for all the tools in the kit. Overall, using this kit is much more economical and efficient if you have multiple pieces of equipment that need waxing and tuning.
Best Portable- Dakine Super Tune Tuning Kit
The Dakine Super Tune Tuning Kit is ideal for quick repairs and is one of the most portable kits you’ll ever find on the market. It contains a metal scraper, an edge tuning tool, and even a wire file cleaning brush, among other pieces of equipment.
We particularly like the PTEX sticks this kit comes with to help repair cracks, scratches, and other minor defects. At the same time, the universal wax provided with the unit is suitable for several applications, as is the variable-temperature iron.
The entire setup is contained in a multi-pocket carry case that can securely hold all the tools in place. It’s not an expert-level kit but ideal for beginners and intermediate skiing enthusiasts at an affordable price.
Best Swix Kit Combo for Waxing Only
Finally, if you’re not looking to invest in a tuning kit and would like your own custom waxing setup, then going with Swix is the best bet. Here, we’ll mention a Swix kit combo that you can use for waxing your skis and snowboards suitably.
What you need for this setup is the Swix T75 North Waxing Iron, along with a container of Swix F4 Glidewax Liquid. The wax is easy to apply as it comes with a built-in sponge applicator. Once you’ve applied the wax, take the iron to it and even out the layer.
After the wax has dried, use a Swix 5 mm Plexi Blade to scrape off the extra wax and then brush the base to reveal its proper texture. For efficient brushing, we recommend using the Swix T162D Medium Bronze Rectangular Brush, which is durable and affordable.
How To Choose The Best Ski Wax Kit
Since you’ve spent so much time looking at the best ski wax kits, the chances are that you’re a newbie at waxing skis and might find it to be a complex process. Well, it is, but not one that can’t be learned and achieved with the suitable kit.
That said, there are some essential factors to consider when choosing the best waxing kit for your skis. Here, we’ll explore some of these factors so that you can keep them in mind when selecting the best wax kits.
Wax Type
Just getting any waxing kit off the shelves isn’t helpful; you need to ensure that the wax is suitable for the snow you’re skiing on. Different types of snow have different levels of friction and moisture, and your wax needs to match it for the best performance.
If you’re not a professional, go with all-temperature wax, but keep in mind that you’ll not get the best performance. For professional-level waxing, opt for temperature-specific wax kits depending on the snow you’re skiing on.
Waxing Iron
In case you’re planning to use your regular clothes iron for waxing, stop a while. Clothing irons could scald the ski base and render it unusable. That’s why you need a decent waxing iron, preferably one that works at multiple voltages, for efficiently laying the wax.
Scraper
After applying the wax using the iron, you’ll need a scraper to remove the excess wax from your skis and snowboards. Scrapers are usually made of plastic, though some kits do offer metal scrapers.
When selecting a kit, be sure that the scraper has a sharp edge, as this will help speed up your waxing process. Also, a sharp scraper allows you to leave an even layer of wax on the ski base.
Brush Type
The brush is used to remove any extra wax lurking on the skis after scraping, and most waxing kits include at least one. Brushes can be of three types: horsehair, nylon, and brass. Make sure your kit consists of all three types for the best performance.
Carry Case
Finally, any good waxing kit should come with a carry case. A good, sturdy carry case ensures that you don’t misplace any of your tools. If you’re going for a custom kit, be sure to buy a carry case that can hold everything together.
Final Words
For the best skiing experience, you need to guarantee that your equipment is in top-notch condition. Regular waxing can help you get the most out of your snowboards and skis and ensure that they last longer in top functional condition.
We hope you enjoyed going through our list of recommendations for the best ski waxing kits. In case you’re still in two minds about which one to buy, please go through the buyer’s guide once more; we’re sure you’ll be able to make a better decision.
Till next time!
