environmentally-friendly

12 June, 2014

A guide to snowboard waxing for summer storage

It’s always a sad day when the snowboarding season comes to an end, knowing during those last few runs, through muddy slush, it will be nearly half a year before you get to board again. With next season in mind, before you break out the mountain bikes, surfboard, wakeboard or whatever it is you do during the summer months, you need to store your gear properly. That means spending a little time snowboard waxing for summer storage.

Now, I don’t want to sound too much like your mum telling you to clean your room but if you don’t take the time to store your gear correctly then you’re going to pay for it down the line. Dry bases, rusted edges, delamination and loss of camber can all happen when you toss your board in the garage or shed over the summer. And it really only takes a few minutes to give it the necessary protection. A thick, sloppy coat of good quality wax is all it takes to keep your kit in top condition. Here’s how to do it.

Snowboard waxing for summer storage

1. Give the base a good clean. At the end of the season the snow can get quite dirty and a lot of that filth will find its way onto your board and into the pores. I personally use a home made citrus cleaner (all you need is some citrus fruit skins, white vinegar and 2 weeks ‘brewing’) as its eco-friendly. You can buy a cheap environmentally friendly citrus cleaners online if you don’t fancy making it yourself. Just use an old rag to work the board and keep going until it is clean.

2. This is an optional step that I tend to skip and really depends how dirty your board is. If like me you don’t live in resort so most seasons you don’t ride until the last day then you can probably skip it. To help further clean the board apply a normal amount of mid-temp wax evenly across the board but scrape it off while it is still hot, you will notice oily residue in the wax scraping.

3. Using a hydrocarbon wax, cover the entire surface of the base. Use a soft, iron-on wax and then let it cool without scraping. This kind of snowboard waxing for summer storage will hold the moisture in the base and prevent it from drying out.

4. Cover the edges with wax. You might already have enough wax on you board from the first application, but if not, slap a bit more on and make sure it is adhering to the steel. The aim is to prevent the steel oxidizing (that’s rusting to you and me) as once this process starts it can work its way further and further into the board, where even filing won’t be able to stop it.

5. Cover your bindings as much as possible, using some old plastic bags (let’s think about the environment here a little) and tape down to the surface of the board. Remember that stopping air getting in is the key.

6. Store all your gear in a dry and clean place, away from the damp and excessive heat if possible, so common storage spots such as a basement or loft should be avoided. And remember to have a check every now and then over the summer. The last thing you want is to get all excited about the new seasons only to find your board rusted and un-ridable on the morning of your first shred next season.

What snowboard wax do I use?

I like to use Green Ice Wax because its been specifically designed to be environmentally friendly and protect the health of the user and the planet – I am not a full on tree hugger but there is certainly a bit of an eco-warrior in me. Seriously though, when you can, it’s always best to use environmentally friendly products with the fewest nasty chemicals possible. After all, if you wouldn’t rub it on your skin, why rub it on your board?

Green Ice Wax is fast, safe and comes in a range of products proven to work in any conditions. And if you need any further proof that Green Ice snowboard waxing for summer storage is a good choice, then the fact pro boarder Nate Holland and pro freeride skier Chris Davenport swear by it should suffice.

You can find out more and order Green Ice wax by visiting their website: www.greenicewax.com

Author: Luke, SnowboardingHolidays.net

Tagged eco friendly wax, eco-friendly, environment, environmentally-friendly, green ice, green ice wax, ski wax, skiing, snowboard, snowboard wax, snowboarding, wax

4 October, 2013

Green Ice Wax Endorses Nate Holland

Green Ice Wax introduces Nate Holland’s N8 wax. This wax is biodegradable and is available as a rub on and iron on wax. The eco-friendly aspect aligns closely with Nate Holland’s attitude towards preserving the envrionment. Nate Holland won 7 X Games gold medals in boarder cross, so he understands the importance of a high quality performance ski and board wax. The environmentally friendly wax is made from renewable resources such as plant waxes and oils. It helps reduce the carbon footprint by no longer using solvent, plastisizers or any petroleum by-products. These attributes eliminate the harmful effects on the user associated with applying iron-on waxing containing flurocarbons. More information on these harmful side effects can be found in our blog .

“I’m excited to be a part of Green Ice Wax. As an environmentally minded snowboarder, it is a pleasure to introduce a fast, biodegradable, earth friendly wax to the world. I can’t wait to raise my board on the podium with Green Ice Wax shimmering on my base, knowing that I didn’t leave any toxic residue on the mountain.” – Nate Holland

More information on Green Ice Wax’s newest product line, N8, is available online at http://greenicewax.com/collections/signature-series.

Tagged backcountry skiing, biodegradable wax, board wax, boardercross, eco-friendly, eco-friendly ski wax, environmentally-friendly, environmentally-friendly wax, envrionment, nate holland, nature, race, ski, skiing, snowboard, snowboarding, speed, wax, winter, x games

19 December, 2012

Wax Technology

It is always good to start with the basics. Skis or snow boards do not ride on snow! They ride on water. As a ski slides over snow, friction melts a thin layer of the snow, turning it into water over which your ski/board glides. The water then re-freezes after the ski/board has passed, leaving a fresh track on the trail.

Ski/board’s bases are made of plastic (usually polyethylene) with a specially-designed structure. This structure helps channel the water from the tip to the tail of the ski as you ski/ride down the hill. The idea here is to reduce the friction causing the ski to glide more easily and with less friction. Less friction means more speed.

Wax is used to reduce this friction even further, and preserve the integrity and structure of the ski. Over the years, typical waxes have been made from paraffin wax (a product derived from petroleum). As skiers became more conscious of the benefits of wax, wax formulators introduced additives into their products, such as fluorocarbons. These chemicals are excellent in reducing friction having a very low coefficient of friction. Overall, fluorocarbon waxes are great; however, they are dangerous to your health if you happen to breathe in the fumes during application. They hurt the environment, introducing fluorine into the snow. As for high fluorinated waxes, most skiers will not even experience the full benefit of the wax because they are designed specifically for high-humidity snow conditions. Additionally, these waxes are very costly.

To combat these shortcomings of highly-fluorinated and potentially dangerous waxes, we borrowed a technology from the cosmetic industry.

This additive is not hazardous to your health and is more eco-friendly. Its coefficient of friction is very close to fluorocarbon, making it an excellent replacement additive. Both GI1K and 2K utilize this technology. The GI2K contains a highly advanced polymer which makes it more durable and longer lasting.

If you were wondering why waxes are made to perform at different temperature snow conditions, the reason is simple: The colder the snow, the harder the crystals. It is most beneficial to use a wax with a hardness matching that of the snow. Therefore, all Green Ice ski waxes have been formulated with differing levels of hardness. If however, the snow conditions will be unknown, choose the middle temperature wax (18-28 degrees F) as this wax will suffice for most conditions a rider/skier experiences.

Green Ice 1K and 2K waxes have been proven to be very durable. They last longer than average fluorocarbon waxes and tend not to whiten the base of the board or ski. They perform well in all humidity conditions. Green ice 2K has excellent static and dynamic properties. There is minimal stick upon take off and your skis will glide over any terrain the mountain throws at you.

Finally our Green Ice Ultimate ski wax is 100% safe for the environment. We borrowed the plant waxes used in the automobile industry to create an environmentally friendly wax with plant bi-products as the only raw materials. Green Ice Ultimate uses absolutely no chemicals, solvents or plasticizers, only pure natural materials made from plants. Green ice Ultimate also incorporates a natural friction reducing additive, making it an excellent race wax or everyday recreational formula.

In summary: Green Ice ski waxes are more durable and longer lasting. They work over a wide range of snow temperatures and in all humidity conditions. They are also eco-friendly and do not require a respirator to make the application process safe. Finally you will find them a cost effective wax solution for all skiing and riding levels.

Tagged board wax, eco-friendly ski wax, environmentally-friendly, environmentally-friendly wax, envrionmentally-friendly ski wax, fluorocarbon wax, Green Ice Ski Wax, new snowboard, race wax, safe ski wax, ski, ski wax, skiing, snowboard, snowboard wax, snowboarding, wax, waxing

14 November, 2012

1 Comment

Preparation for the Season, Reasons to Wax

Preparing for the Snowboard Season

With the first snowfall in many places around the country, a lot of people are getting really excited to break out their snowboards and head to the mountains. A lot of people who snowboard will bring their board into the shop for a pre-season tune-up, in anticipation of the lifts starting to turn. It’s similar in the spring when people bring their bike to the shop for their annual tune-up, or every 2000 miles when they change the oil in their car. However, unlike when the gears are skipping on your bike or the odometer has added 2,000 miles, there isn’t exactly a super clear indicator of when a snowboard needs to be waxed. A quick look at the bottom of your board after a few days of riding it will reveal that is has changed color a little bit. A lot of snowboards have almost a straight black base, and the best indicator of when it’s time to wax is when it is getting a fuzzy white to them. Usually, this will start on the edges and work inwards. This is due to simply spending more time with weight on the edges, and can be thought of as how your tires might wear out on your car. Once this fuzziness starts to appear, it’s time to put some more wax on your snowboard to keep it happy. George, who is a very accomplished backcountry snowboarder, let us ask him a few questions. Here are his responses.

Do you wax your snowboard? How often?

“Yeah, I wax my board once every three or four times I go out or whenever the snow temperature or type changes dramatically. Fresh fallen snow is far different than snow that has been sitting on the ground for a few days. It makes a big difference.”

What’s the biggest and most important difference that you find after you wax your board?

“Consistency of speed and knowing what to expect while riding. The value here depends on what you are riding. If you’re riding park with a dry base on either really cold or really warm snow, you’re going to case jumps and knee yourself in the face. Sadness will ensue. Likewise, if you’re making a big traverse or trying to ride out flats at a resort in the wrong type of snow, you’re going to get stuck and have to unstrap and push. Once again, sadness will ensue. Basically, keep your board well-maintained and you’ll enjoy yourself a lot more.”

Do most of your friends who snowboard regularly wax their snowboards? Do you think they should?

“It’s about a 50/50 split, and I’m always telling the ones who don’t maintain their stuff that they should. It really isn’t that hard.”

You’ve snowboarded on a freestyle team and down some really impressive mountains like Mt. Rainier. Do you think that beginners should wax their snowboards?

“Once I started tuning my own equipment, I definitely saw in improvement an my ability. It just made things way easier, and instead of fighting the board, I was more with the board and could focus more on getting better. Happiness ensued after that, and every time one of my friends starts getting into snowboarding or skiing, I offer to help teach them to maintain their own equipment.”

George really sums it up well. By maintaining your equipment, you can access more terrain, go bigger in the park, and overall have more fun and be a better rider. Whether you bring your stuff to a shop or do it at home, it’s really important to keep your equipment well-maintained.

Tagged environmentally-friendly, environmentally-friendly wax, Green Ice Ski Wax, hot wax, new snowboard, skiing, snow, snowboard, snowboard tuning, snowboard wax, snowboarding, tuning, waxing, winter

2 July, 2012

Reasons to Wax Skis and Snowboards

Most ski and snowboard racers understand the importance of prepping their equipment; however, some recreational skiers feel that this process is not critical. All skis and snowboards require some sort of waxing after a few days of skiing or riding. In the current market, there are a variety of options available when it comes to tuning and waxing products. You can spend the time and money required to take your equipment to the local ski shop, or you can prep the equipment yourself. Waxing yourself is less time-consuming, self-gratifying and simple. Basically, there are two types of waxing techniques: iron-on and rub-on. Most racers and serious skiers prefer ironing the wax onto the base as it tends to penetrate into the ski base, providing longer lasting performance and protection. This process requires the purchase more equipment such as irons, scrapers and a series of brushes. Another technique is rub-on. This process is less expensive and simple to do. The wax is applied directly to the base of the ski or board without adding heat, then rubbed in with a cork, and finally buffed smooth with a rag. The downside is that the base does not get penetrated with wax and it does not usually last as long, but the simplicity of the process allows for the wax to be applied as many times as desired throughout the course of the day.

Now, why should you wax your ski or board? First, as most racers know, wax reduces friction between the base of the ski or board and the snow. Reducing friction allows for your skis or board to glide faster, which in a competitive event could mean the difference between a win and a loss. As mentioned before, most racers prefer ironing the wax on the ski base over the rub-on procedure. Green Ice Ski Wax manufactures two non-fluorocarbon race waxes in addition to the traditional hydrocarbon wax. These waxes have proven to be fast and long-lasting, reducing friction between the skis and the snow without the negative health and environmental effects of waxing with fluorocarbon waxes.

Second, ski and board bases are constructed of plastics. All plastics can dry out as plasticizers (chemicals that keep plastics soft and flexible) can leach out over time. As the plasticizers dry out, the base can turn white and chalk. If this happens, the base becomes more brittle and can eventually crack under the constant pressure of carving turns while skiing and riding. Waxing periodically can prevent the drying out of the ski base, helping to give the equipment a longer life.

Additionally, wax penetrates and protects the base, keeping it coated and lubricated so the friction of riding does not wear the base, but instead wears the wax. Wax can be replaced easily while the ski or board base can only be replaced with the purchase of new equipment.

Snow can acquire dirt as particles from trees or chemicals in man-made snow accumulate on the trails. After riding or skiing a day in dirty snow, the bases become dirty themselves. Waxing helps clean the base and prevent sticking. The dirt particles in the snow also rub harshly on the base, speeding up the wear process.

Finally, before putting skis or boards away for the off-season, the equipment should be properly prepared. Applying a good coat of wax helps prevent the bases from drying out during the period of storage. Wax coating the edges can also help prevent rust from forming on the metal, and thus providing overall protection for your equipment.

Green Ice Ski Wax manufactures and sells both rub-on and iron-on waxes at a variety of performance levels. All Green Ice Ski Wax products are environmentally-friendly. The iron-on waxes are safe to apply and long-lasting. The rub-on wax is made from organic, renewable raw materials, making it 100% biodegradable.

Tagged board, environmentally-friendly, ski, ski race, ski wax, snowboard, wax

Green Ice Wax