Extreme Sports

Most new snowboards that you purchase will come from the factory already waxed. The odds are, however, that the wax the manufacturer used is probably the cheapest they could get away with and still claim that it is pre-waxed. And, from the standpoint of the company, this makes sense. The less money out of their pocket for wax, the greater their profit margin. For you, however, it probably means that you will need to have your board waxed sooner rather than later if you want to get the most pleasant experience possible from your snowboard.

A lot of snowboarders never wax their boards. They simply don’t believe that it is necessary. And, for the casual snowboarder, this is most likely ok. But, in reality, waxing your snowboard will not only give you a faster run down the slopes, it will glide better and give you more control as well.

As a snowboarder, you will enjoy your time on the slopes a lot more if you aren’t putting all of your efforts into trying to control your snowboard. In addition, waxing your snowboard also improves its durability by helping to preserve the base. In short, keep your board waxed and it will last longer.

When it comes to waxing your snowboard, you essentially have a couple of choices. One, you can take it to a nearby ski shop or snowboard shop and pay for them to wax it for you. Also, those who live in apartments and simply don’t have room, will probably need to have a shop wax their boards. The second choice is for you to learn to wax your board yourself. It is not that hard once you do it a few times.

Waxing your board will not take long at all after you learn the simple basics and get a bit of experience. However, the first 2 or 3 times that you wax your board, be prepared to spend maybe thirty minutes to an hour – because you won’t have a real feel to what you are doing. By the third or fourth time, however, you will most likely find yourself completing the entire job in twenty five minutes or less.

Casual snowboarders who only ski a few times a season can get by with waxing their boards once or twice a season. If, however, you are snowboarding every weekend, waxing it once a month is a good idea.

Prior to starting your waxing, clean the base of your snowboard by taking a brass wire brush and brushing the board from top to bottom. The purpose is to get much of the old wax out. Then use a rag to wipe off the debris from the board.

Because snowboard edges are extremely sharp, when waxing, it is a good idea to put on gloves. Gloves will stop you from cutting your hands on the snowboard edges. After this, simply follow the instructions on your waxing kit and you are all set.