FasterSkier readers can receive 25% off ARC brushes for the next week by shopping at EnjoyWinter.com and using FasterSkierARC as your promo code. No stacking of discounts allowed.
As we’re getting ready for winter, I want you to go out to your garage, basement, or wherever you keep your ski tools and take an honest look at your ski brushes. How are they doing? Are they clean and the bristles standing straight up? Or do they look like an old toothbrush, with the bristles matted down from usage over time?
Skiing well takes a lot of work. From the many hours of training to your equipment management and travel logistics, cross-country skiing is a sport that rewards those who are skilled and thoughtful in their preparation. In the process of preparing for a race, any number of factors could be off, resulting in a subpar performance despite many other things going well.
Why are we talking about brushes? With the banning of fluorinated waxes and the introduction of new fluor-free waxes, the meta of ski tuning has changed. A good application of fluorinated waxes could make anything faster, smoothing over suboptimal camber, grind, and structure, resulting in competitive skis. Many athletes I’ve talked to have found that certain skis in their fleet are no longer viable now that fluorinated waxes are not an option. With the introduction of fluor-free racing waxes, greater attention must be placed on the camber, grind, and structure of the skis. Further, one of the strengths of fluorinated waxes was their ability to repel, among many things, dirt. The newer fluor-free waxes have yet to demonstrate the same capacity for keeping skis running clean, and therefore in our ski preparation, we must be mindful of any dirt or pollution we are introducing to the skis.
Why ARC? Like many of the brands from EnjoyWinter, ARC is an OEM manufacturer of brushes. They make their own stuff, whereas other companies go to companies such as ARC to make their brushes for them. This means that ARC is at the forefront of development because they are making the brushes for other industry leaders.
ARC also has strong ties to SVECOM stone grinders, an industry leader in stone grinders for cross-country skis. SVECOM grinders are used by World Cup teams and factory race rooms, including the Salomon factory. This connection is necessary to understanding the benefit of using ARC brushes, as they are backed with industry-leading knowledge on ski texturing.
On ski texture (simplified): When gliding on snow, we’re gliding on a thin layer of water from melting the snow. When tuning our skis, every step is changing the relationship between creating a thin film of water and repelling that thin film. Too little water, and it’s like skiing on sandpaper; too much, and the skis will suction cup themselves to the snow.
When we brush our skis, we’re applying texture to the ski. Certain brushes apply more texture to the ski, like our metal brushes. Some brushes apply hardly any structure, like our nylon brushes. Knowing this, you can begin to make decisions about how you’re going to brush your skis based on the conditions you’re going to be skiing in.
On brush application and order: two schools of thought:When brushing your skis, you are removing paraffin from the surface, structure, and then polishing the ski base. There are many ways to go about doing this. Here are two examples of brushing orders that you can do for different conditions.
Examples:
Cold, microcrystalline paraffin:Speedtex superfine before applying wax, Soft Brass, hard horsehair, soft nylon.
Warmer, waxier paraffin:Speedtex superfine before applying wax, 0.7 Stainless steel, tampico, soft nylon.
These are just two recommendations; however, I recommend you test and figure out what works best with your skis and the snow that you are skiing on.
Note: Most Nordic brushes from ARC are available in standard size, large World Cup size, and available as a roto tool.
World Cup Steel Brushes for downhill pursuits:
- 3.0 Tempered Steel: Engineered for World Cup level speed skiing, this brush excels in high-speed skiing disciplines. Its precisely engineered steel wires create micro-scratches on the ski base, maximizing water flow and enhancing glide. This brush can also clean your barbecue—this is not a brush for Nordic skiing.
- 2.5 Tempered Steel Angled Wires: Designed for optimal paraffin absorption and adhesion, this brush features angled wires for smoother application and efficient removal of excess wax. Use it as a foundational brush for all racing paraffin types, creating a consistent, scratch-free base. Again, don’t use this on your Nordic skis.
- 2.0 Hard Stainless Steel: Your essential all-purpose brush, this model tackles both racing paraffin and general waxing needs, removing excess paraffin and preparing the base for enhanced glide. I wouldn’t recommend this brush for your Nordic skis.
Stainless Steel Brushes for Precision and Versatility:
- 1.0 Fine Stainless Steel: I recommend this brush as your ski cleaning brush or as a good standard steel brush. This can be used to open up the structure on the base of your ski before applying colder paraffins.
- 0.7 Extra Fine Stainless Steel: My favorite brush, this brush effectively clears colder, microcrystalline paraffins. This is a must-have, either used first or second in the brushing process as it both clears the structure and removes surface paraffin.
Brass Brushes for budget performance:
- Hard Brass: A less expensive alternative to the 1.0 steel. I use this brush for cleaning skis when paired with a glide cleaning solvent.
- Soft Brass: This is comparable to the soft steel but will remove colder paraffins without excessively scratching the ski base. Use this brush when you want to minimize the amount of structure being applied to the ski on a really cold day.
Natural Brushes:
- Tampico: A natural fiber obtained from the agave plant, this brush is gentle on the base while removing excess wax. Apply after an initial metal brushing. Best suited for waxes with medium-to-low melting points.
- Hard Horsehair: This can be used for scrubbing away hard surface paraffin when you want to minimize the impact on the structure of the ski while removing wax.
- Soft Horsehair: A natural fiber alternative to the soft nylon.
Finishing Brushes:
- Hard Nylon: This is a good workhorse polishing brush that will work quickly and last a long time as long as you keep it clean!
- Soft Nylon: This is going to be your finishing brush most of the time for liquids and other finishing waxes. I like this combination of soft and short bristles for working on skis as they’re able to do work on the running surface without flopping around.
- Cork Nylon Combi Brush. This brush is a killer deal for liquid applications. Cork on the back, soft nylon on the other side at a competitive price. Ideal for all liquid wax applications for all levels of skier.
Enhanced Application with ARC Rollers, available in 10cm, 14cm, and 20cm:
- Polyester Roller: An industry standard, capable of applying waxes hot or cold consistently.
- Merino Wool Roller: Ultra-fine merino wool for the application of thin film waxes, including solids or liquids.
- Speedtex Fine Roller: Designed to deeply clean and polish ski bases before waxing. It can also do a great job removing gunk from your waxing iron (we also sell sheets of this). This will gently abrade the surface of the ski upon application.
- Speedtex Super-Fine Roller: Designed to deeply clean and polish the ski before wax application. The difference with this roller is that it will not apply micro abrasions to the ski base.
Take a critical look at your ski brushes. Are they worn out, dirty, contaminated with fluorinated wax? With the shift away from fluorinated waxes, it is necessary to make sure our ski selection and preparation is dialed even more than before. With the expert knowledge behind ARC, you can trust that you are getting the most out of this step in the process.
See you on the trail (or wax cabin) – Jacob
FasterSkier readers can receive 25% off ARC brushes for the next week by shopping at EnjoyWinter.com and using FasterSkierARC as your promo code. No stacking of discounts allowed.
