Waxed is better if you are expert, you like playing and fine tuning your equipment, or you intend to ski in colder snow. Waxless or fishscale is better if life is too short to clean the refrigerator, or if you are skiing in snow around freezing point. Waxes work by forming a bond between the wax and the snow as the snow crystals penetrate the surface layer of the wax. The optimum bond is a function of the structure of the snow which varies with temperature and the nature of the wax. .A well waxed ski will outperform a fishscale ski, but a fishscale ski will climb steeper hills than all but the most carefully waxed skis. The waxing pocket and its kick waxes or the fishscale pattern is situated on the base of the ski under the skier's foot and provides grip to prevent the ski sliding backwards. The weighted ski thus grips the snow and allows the un-weighted ski to slide forward. Fishscale or bears claw describes the pattern of raised tread that replaces wax in this area of the ski on waxless skis. Remember, however, that all skis need good maintenance and waxless skis still need glide waxing and edge sharpening.
Last updated 19/01/2001 by Brent. © Copyright Edinburgh Ski Touring Club 2011. e-mail: webmaster@estc.org.uk