Solda Race Wax Recommendations
Predicting wax is sort of like predicting the weather. The closer we get to the race, the more accurate we can be, but no one really knows. The best way to figure it out is to wait until the night before, or even better, the morning of the race. But people want to know NOW so they can start waxing. We get it....so we TRY to look at weather forecasts and then peer into our crystal ball a little bit, read a few tea leaves, and come up with our best guess as to what the snow will be like, and then make our best wax recommendation. But this is only a guess. We can't guarantee anything. Even the wax techs on the World Cup get it wrong, and they are testing on the snow, at the event.....
Below are detailed wax recommendations for:
3/14/20 Cascade Crest - Bend, OR
2/8/20 American Birkebeiner - Hayward, WI
2/8/20 Mora Vasa Loppett- Mora, MN
1/26/20 Boulder Mountain Tour - Ketchum, ID
1/26/20 Great Nordeen - Bend OR
50km, 25k Skate
Saturday, Mar 14, 2020
START TIME 9:30AM
Friday Night: Snow. Low around 18. West wind 13 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible. Air Temperature at start time looks to be around 22ºF (-5.5ºC). The snow should be slightly colder or about the same. It is likely to be windy. For any wax prep begin with clean ski bases. Then apply a cold (hard) wax to harden the bases and provide a durable foundation for more layers. Then apply a medium cold LF or HF paraffin layer. You can also use one of the new non-fluorinated waxes that have been running well this winter. If applying a top coat use a powder or rub on for medium cold new snow. I am preparing my skis as follows: Base: Solda S30 cold powder. Iron the powder and scrape while still warm. Remove most of the excess wax. Paraffin: Solda F40 Violet Special. Scrape and brush. Then apply another layer of Solda S30. Scrape and brush while still warm. Powder: Mix Solda HP05 and Fluor 100 on the ski in 50/50 ratio. Iron (while wearing a respirator ) . When cool, brush-up the surface and then roto cork it. Finish with a soft horsehair brush and then fine nylon brush. Top this with Solda Powerjet 2 rotocorked and brushed. To have good skis while saving a bit of money: Base: Solda Performance Green and UF 7 . Paraffin: Solda F31 Violet, or Solda Superglide Green. |
55km Classic, 50km Skate
Saturday, Feb 22, 2020
START TIME 8:15-10A.M.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 17. Light west wind becoming southwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph. Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 5. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph. Friday: Sunny, with a high near 36. Breezy, with a southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 18. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 40. Since I am not in Hayward I am making my best guess from Oregon. There was a little new snow yesterday, but that looks like it for now. So, we have a well refrigerated snow pack that will be tilled again. In these conditions in the past we have liked the following Solda waxes for the Korte Loppet. Base: Solda HC28 ironed and scraped. Then add a layer of Solda S30. Iron the powder and scrape it while still warm. Paraffin: Iron in two layers of Solda F40 Green Special. Powder: I'd go with Solda HP05. A layer of Powerjet 2 could be roto-corked and brushed. Kick wax: Apply your favorite binder ironed in . I like the Vauhti Super Base. It is pretty flexible and binds well with other waxes. I'd be tempted to go with the Rode Green. For the Birkie Saturday: Base: Solda HC28 ironed and scraped. Then add a layer of Solda S30. Iron the powder and scrape it while still warm. Paraffin: If starting in early waves go with one layer of F15 Green. Then apply a layer of F40 Violet Special. If after wave three, go with two layers of F40 Special Violet. Powder: Solda HP05. A layer of Powerjet 2 could be roto-corked and brushed. Kick wax: Apply your favorite binder ironed in . I like the Vauhti Super Base. It is pretty flexible and binds well with other waxes. I'd be tempted to go with the Rode Blue Super covered with Rode green for the first three waves. Rode B17 has been working well also. For waves 4 and beyond, go with Rode T-Line VO and cover with Green. |
42KM Classic, 54 and 36KM Skate Races MASS START in MORA, MN
Saturday, Feb 8, 2020
START TIME 10 A.M.
Tonight (Thursday): A 20 percent chance of snow after 9pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 14. South southeast wind around 5 mph becoming north northeast after midnight. Friday: A chance of snow before 1pm, then a slight chance of snow showers after 1pm. Cloudy, with a high near 24. North northeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of snow showers before 7pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 7. North northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light and variable in the evening. Saturday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 20. Calm wind becoming south southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. My current thinking for Solda glide is : Base: Solda HC28 ironed and brushed; then a layer of Solda S30. Kick: |
34KM MASS START from Galena Lodge to Ketchum, IDAHO
Saturday, Feb 1, 2020
START TIME 10 A.M.
Solda Glide Wax Here is what I am thinking about the 2020 Boulder Mountain Tour. The snow is a few days old and it has been groomed every day for a while. There is a slight forecast for new snow, but only maybe 1/2” on Friday morning. That will be tilled in and mixed with the transformed, fairly dry snow. On Thursday NOAA is saying: Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 18. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph. Friday: A 30 percent chance of snow, mainly before 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 37. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 21. Light southwest wind. Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 40. South southwest wind 3 to 8 mph. With the predicted partly cloudy sky, my guess is that the snow temp will not warm a lot until after noon. I also checked with a long time Solda wax user about these conditions and he was confident in the F40 Red Special. Good Solda Wax: Base of Solda HC28, scraped and brushed. Then a layer of Solda Performance Green scraped and brushed. Paraffin: Solda UF7 Better Solda Wax: Base: Solda HC28 scraped and brushed. Then a layer of Solda S30. Scrape this while it is still warm. Brush with medium bronze or copper brush. Paraffin: Solda F15 Red Best Solda Wax: Base of Solda HC28 scraped and brushed. Then a layer of Solda S30. Scrape this while it is still warm. Then brush with medium bronze or copper brush. Cold rub on a layer of Solda Fluoro Boost. Paraffin: Apply a layer of Solda F40 Red Special. Top Coat. Apply Solda HP04. Top dress this with Solda Powerjet 2. Cork this in well and brush with nylon polishing brush. |
42KM MASS START AT MT BACHELOR, OREGON
Sunday, January 26, 2020
START TIME 7:30 A.M.
Friday: Snow likely, mainly before 10am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 37. Southwest wind 11 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. Friday Night: A chance of snow before 4am, then rain likely, possibly mixed with snow. Cloudy, with a low around 30. South wind 7 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. Saturday: Rain. High near 40. South wind 11 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Saturday Night: Rain before 4am, then rain and snow likely. Low around 32. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. Sunday: Rain and snow likely, becoming all snow after 7am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 38. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible. |
This Thursday p.m. forecast is for the elevation near the mid race to finish. There is a 1000 ft drop in elevation. The start of the race will see colder temps and maybe a little new snow, but the first part is a significant downhill and the harder skiing is at a lower elevation. Right now it is raining and I do not expect a lot of new snow.
My Solda glide wax recommendation is as follows;
Good Solda wax:
Base of Solda UF7. Iron, scrape and brush. Then a layer of Solda Performance Red and Performance Yellow mixed on the ski 50/50. Iron these two together, scrape and brush.
Better Solda wax:
Base: Solda UF7, scraped and brushed.
Paraffin: Solda F15 Yellow paraffin or F15 liquid. If using the liquid, allow the liquid wax to dry. Best in a warm room for at least 20 minutes; overnight is better. Cork the wax when dry and brush with a soft nylon brush.
Best Solda wax:
Base of Solda UF7, scraped and brushed. If you have the Solda Fluor Dice, rub a layer on now.
Paraffin: Solda F40 Yellow Special or Solda F70 Yellow; scrape and brush.
Powder: Apply Solda Fluor 100 powder. This can be burned in or put on as a slurry. The slurry method: Apply a coating of Solda F40 yellow liquid to the ski. Then while the base is wet, sprinkle the Fluor 100 powder. Use a roto-cork to spread the slurry. Let it dry a few minutes and polish with a felt pad. Brush 3-4 strokes with a horse hair brush and finish with blue nylon polishing brush.
NORDIC SPIRIT CLASSIC RACE
SATURDAY, JANUARY 25
DULUTH, MN
This is a hilly 12km or 24km mass start classic race on rolling wooded trails. The current (Thursday p.m.) NOAA forecast is :
This Afternoon: Snow. High near 33. Breezy, with a northeast wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Total daytime snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible. Tonight: Snow. Patchy fog after midnight. Steady temperature around 30. Blustery, with a northeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible. Friday: A 50 percent chance of snow. Patchy fog before 1pm. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 34. Northeast wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph. Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of snow, mainly before 7pm. Cloudy, with a low around 29. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Saturday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 35. North wind around 5 mph. |
Start time is 10:00 a.m. The next couple of days should bring a little bit of new snow that will be groomed in with older snow. Much of the course is in the woods. The weather for Saturday is forecast to be cloudy which should keep the snow temp just below 0ºC and partially transformed. Here is my best guess from afar on Solda glide wax:
Budget Solda glide:
Mix Solda UF7 and Solda Performance Green 50/50 on the ski, iron and scrape and brush. Top with Solda Performance Yellow and Red mixed; iron, scrape and brush.
Better Solda glide:
Base of Solda UF7 and Performance Green 50/50 on the ski, iron and scrape and brush.
Paraffin of Solda F15 Orange; iron, scrape and brush.
Best Solda glide:
Base of Solda UF7 and Performance Green 50/50 on the ski, iron and scrape and brush
Paraffin of Solda F40 Orange Special; iron, scrape and brush.
Powder: Use Solda Fluor 100. This can be ironed (130-140ºC), corked and brushed. Use a soft horse hair brush for 3-4 strokes and finish with soft blue nylon brush. This can also be applied as a slurry. Wet the ski with Solda F40 Yellow liquid. Then sprinkle Fluor 100 powder onto the wet base. Use a Roto cork to spread the slurry and let it dry. Polish with a felt pad and brush with soft nylon.
Structure: a medium structure rolled once tip to tail and brushed out after the paraffin application.
Kick wax:
Start with a binder. I like the Rode Black Base or the Toko green. Keep the binder cold and rub a thin layer onto a warm ski. Iron the binder and let it cool. Cork smooth. Then apply a few thin layers of Rode T-Line VXPS. The number depends somewhat on your skis and the strength of your technique. If the VXPS feels a little draggy, cover it with two thin layers of Rode T-Line VO.