If you are unsure what wax to use go with all temperature wax.
Choosing the right wax for the conditions can be a tough task when you are prepping the night before. You can't know for sure what the air temps will be let alone what the snow temps are going to be the next day. So how do you choose the right temperature wax? Well it's a guessing game predicting the weather in general but we can use some historical or regional data, along with some guesstimation between what the outside air temp is going to be. Keep in mind that when getting really technical in racing conditions, your snow temperature changes throughout the day and you might need to reapply different temp wax to match.
Download PDF Wax Charts
How to choose the right temperature wax?
Use Common Sense
So how do we guess what wax to use? Using common sense and little research. For the normal ride day on the hill one can use historical data. IE: if you are in Montana and it's really cold outside changes are you going to be using a cold or ice cold wax. If its spring in the Northwest and you are wearing a t-shirt you are going to want a warm wax. There is some common sense you can use in general terms to choose the right temp range you are going to be riding in.
Super hot and summer in the winter: ALL TEMP or WARM
Extremely cold event: ALL TEMP or COLD
Talk to locals
You can ask local shop, call ahead to where you are staying.
Carry rub-on wax
if you know its supposed to get really warm later in the day carry some rub-on wax for warmer temps that you can rub on at lunch time.
Look at avalanche websites
The most accurate information will be from avalanche report sites in the area you are skiing/snowboarding.
Watch the weather
If you live in the northwest you can get deep pow in the spring that can be wet and heavy and sticky. If you know the temps are going to spike the next day use a warmer temp wax.
Information sources.
- Ski resort websites
- Regional avalanche information sites
- NOAA
