Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. In fall 2021, following last-minute revelations that a long-promised fluoro-detecting device did not, actually, work as efficiently as planned, FasterSkier previewed an upcoming domestic race season in which U.S. Ski & Snowboard-sanctioned races would ban the use of fluorocarbon waxes, but anything would be fair game at FIS races. (For an overview of the difference between the sanctioning bodies and the rankings lists they generate, see...
the full-length article here. Abstract: “With physical/chemical surface analytics the layer thickness of wax was measured. The measurements prove that wax as block or powder penetrates the ski base only a few 100 nm and as spray only a few 10 nm. The wax does not use any pores in the ski base but entangles with the molecules of the polymer to form a compact sliding layer. The durability of this layer depends...
Original e-blast) How to have fast skis ALL THE TIME and in EVERY CONDITION I love my job. The contact that I have with people in the ski community is pretty much always positive and enjoyable. We have great waxes and other products so of course generally interaction, feedback, and my motivation are very positive. However sometimes at events or otherwise, I have people approaching me trying to get me to guarantee super fast skis...
Anchorage-area high-school ski coaches agreed to ban the use of fluorinated waxes in non-championship races this season, citing health, cost and time saved as the primary reasons.
Welcome to FasterSkier’s Holiday Gift Guide! The holidays are here and it’s time to go hunting for the perfect gifts for your favorite cross-country skiers. Whether it’s a fresh pair of socks or a new wax bench we have recommendations for the best gear out there. Take a look and see for yourself. You’ll walk away with some great ideas to make this ski season one to remember. We’ve broken up our gift guide into...
Welcome to FasterSkier’s Holiday Gift Guide! The holidays are here and it’s time to go hunting for the perfect gifts for your favorite cross-country skiers. Whether it’s a fresh pair of socks or a new wax bench we have recommendations for the best gear out there. Take a look and see for yourself. You’ll walk away with some great ideas to make this ski season one to remember. We’ve broken up our gift guide into...
Welcome to FasterSkier's Holiday Gift Guide! The holidays are here and it's time to go hunting for the perfect gifts for your favorite cross-country skiers. Whether it's a fresh pair of socks or a new wax bench we have recommendations for the best gear out there. Take a look and see for yourself. You'll walk away with some great ideas to make this ski season one to remember.
Welcome to FasterSkier's Holiday Gift Guide! The holidays are here and it's time to go hunting for the perfect gifts for your favorite cross-country skiers. Whether it's a fresh pair of socks or a new wax bench we have recommendations for the best gear out there. Take a look and see for yourself. You'll walk away with some great ideas to make this ski season one to remember.
Welcome to FasterSkier’s Holiday Gift Guide! The holidays are here and it’s time to go hunting for the perfect gifts for your favorite cross-country skiers. Whether it’s a fresh pair of socks or a new wax bench we have recommendations for the best gear out there. Take a look and see for yourself. You’ll walk away with some great ideas to make this ski season one to remember. We’ve broken up our gift guide into...
With the holidays practically upon us it’s time to get serious about shopping for the ski enthusiasts on your list. If you’ve put off this dreaded task for as long as we have, the good news is that shopping for skiers is pretty easy. There are so many products and pieces that go into the whole production, all you have to do is cast around and pick one (or five). And if all else fails,...
In what may be a first in the North American skiing, FasterSkier brought together four of the best ski technicians around for a roundtable discussion on a variety of issues. Nathan Schultz of Boulder Nordic Sport, Mark Waechter of Nordic Ultratune, Zach Caldwell of Caldwell Sport, and Patrick Moore of the Alberta World Cup Academy digitally joined FasterSkier Editor Topher Sabot and Associate Editor Audrey Mangan from all corners of the continent. The discussion is...
In the lead-up to the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, Zach Caldwell led a much-discussed, multi-year effort to pin down the best stonegrinds and waxes for the challenging, variable conditions at Whistler Olympic Park. Caldwell’s months and months of hard work even drew the attention of National Public Radio, which Kris Freeman’s horrific skis in the opening 15 k freestyle in Vancouver. When the best skiers and wax techs in the world can be baffled by conditions,...
Head wax tech for Sweden’s national team, Larry Poromaa, takes on the rumors surrounding the wax issues during the 2011 World Championships in Oslo.
At 23 years old and without a college degree, Willy Graves does not seem like the kind of guy who could compete with scientists at wax companies like Swix or Toko. But armed with a blender in the confines of his garage, Graves has invented a product that just might eat into those companies’ market shares—at least a little bit. Along with his former teammate Eric Camerota, Graves, a recently-retired U.S. nordic combined B-teamer, has...