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Waxing your skis or snowboard provides a smooth glide and enhances sturdiness. Whether or not carving up groomers or floating by way of pow, it’s a distinction you possibly can really feel. And it’s good to know your tools’s good to go for years to return. However ski wax will be hazardous to your well being. Prior to now, fluorinated ski and snowboard wax — additionally referred to as fluoro wax — used dangerous substances within the identify of pace.
Whereas that enhanced efficiency, it additionally posed a threat to customers and the atmosphere. However at the moment, a number of firms provide eco-friendly, sustainable wax that doesn’t compromise on efficiency. That’s a boon for skiers and riders seeking to keep wholesome and shield our surroundings. Listed here are three of our favorites.
The risks of fluorinated ski wax
Snowboarding and snowboarding are all about emotions and sensations. There’s the exhilaration as you construct pace on a morning run, or the satisfaction as you lock in a flip. And who doesn’t benefit from the weightlessness of driving over contemporary powder? However whereas freshly waxed tools enhances all of these, fluoro wax presents a severe threat.
That’s as a result of fluorinated waxes use an assortment of poisonous components. These include polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which embrace the chemical compounds perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS). PFAS — also called “without end chemical compounds” — are linked to quite a few hostile well being situations.
A recent study on fluorinated ski wax produced alarming outcomes. It discovered that skiers and riders endure dangerous publicity whereas utilizing fluoro wax, particularly since they don’t sometimes use protecting tools. That’s the very last thing you want when prepping for a powder day.
Not solely that, however PFAS leech into the snow throughout every run, polluting the mountains and staying put for years. With our winters already in danger from local weather change, eliminating fluoro waxes appears a worthy trigger.
To that finish, there’s a transfer away from fluoro wax within the ski and snowboard industries, and sanctioning our bodies ban its use in competition. That’s excellent news for snow sports activities lovers and the well being of our planet.
Sustainable ski and snowboard wax: our three favorites
Utilizing fluoro-free ski wax simply is smart. And with the professional formulations of a number of producers, you don’t should compromise on efficiency. Listed here are our favorites.
Purl Wax: affordable price and reliable glide
In case you’re searching for good efficiency at a good value,
is true up your alley. Primarily based in Colorado and main the best way on a fluoro-free future, the corporate hand-pours every bar. And costs begin at $11.95, making it simple to fill up for the winter.
Their “Pure” line of waxes is petroleum-free, biodegradable, and sustainably sourced. For eco-conscious skiers and riders, that’s a positive wager.
From Purl:
Based in 1999, off “Pearl Avenue” in Boulder. Our aim has been to assist speed up the transition to FLUORO-FREE ski and snowboard waxes by making a full vary of performance-driven, non-toxic snow merchandise.
Wend Waxworks: professional formulations for max efficiency
With many years of expertise and refined wax formulations, Wend takes pace and sustainability to new ranges. From its Efficiency waxes to its Race Waxes, the producer makes a recipe for everybody.
Significantly fascinating is Wend’s “NP” line of waxes — or “Non-Petroleum” — that use a 100% plant-derived formulation and are non-toxic and biodegradable.
From Wend:
The present WEND snow wax formulations have resulted from many years of progressive mix reformulation and subsequent on-slope and in-lab testing.
Mountain Circulate: eco-friendly and broadly out there
Since its founding in 2016, Mountain Circulate has been centered on eco-friendly merchandise. The corporate carried out two years of R&D and examined over 200 formulations earlier than releasing its line of plant-based, fluoro-free waxes. And since Mountain Circulate is available at evo and
, it’s a handy add-on when shopping for new gear.
Mountain Flow makes Sizzling Wax, Fast Wax, and Race Wax, for optimum slide in a variety of situations. Each product is plant-derived, petroleum-free, and biodegradable.
From Mountain Circulate:
In 2016, we shaped mountainFLOW eco-wax with an easy mission: present a easy and eco-friendly approach to enhance the snowboarding expertise.
Choosing the suitable ski wax: why temperature scores matter
It’d appear to be ski and snowboard wax is a one-size-fits-all product. In any case, how totally different can the formulations be? It’s simply wax. However whereas all-temperature wax will get the job accomplished, it doesn’t provide the tuned efficiency of temp-specific formulation. Right here’s why.
Temperature-rated ski and snowboard wax is more durable or softer to match snow high quality. In colder situations, snow crystals sharpen and harden, carrying away at wax. Due to that, cold-rated waxes are extra strong, standing up higher to frozen put on and tear.
Hotter situations result in rounder crystals, necessitating a softer recipe. As well as, warm-rated wax makes use of hydrophobic components to repel moisture in slushy situations. With out it, a snowboard can really feel like a magnet caught to the snow.
Different recipes on the temperature scale regulate accordingly, offering a tailor-made slide to go well with the climate. Not solely that, however you possibly can decide from nano-tech or racing formulation for much more pace.
When deciding on temp-specific wax, it’s like placing track-ready tires on a sports activities automotive. Whereas all-season radials would suffice, utilizing a centered design results in improved efficiency.
Eco-friendly wax provides efficiency and sustainability to on a regular basis skiers and riders. With their non-toxic, fluoro-free formulation, Purl, Wend, and Mountain Circulate prepared the ground in secure, quick ski wax. Not solely that however utilizing merchandise that shield folks and the atmosphere is an efficient feeling. For snow sports activities lovers, utilizing sustainable wax is a straightforward choice.
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