For classic recreational skiers, kick waxing often seems mysterious, illusive, a hard-to-master technique. But in reality, kick waxing can be simple, providing propulsion on the flats and a way to climb hills. And waxable skis will move faster than their "no wax" counterparts.

Since kick wax skiers want to maintain consistency when climbing hills and skiing the flats, they want to avoid losing grip after a short while and "icing up," which leads to snow clumping underfoot or frozen wax providing no grip. Achieving this goal depends on three things: having appropriate equipment, determining the proper wax and applying it correctly.

"Having appropriate equipment" means owning a pair of skis that are waxable classic skis and that "fit."

Grip wax should never be applied to "no-wax" skis, for this leads to a difficult-to-clean-up mess. When grip wax adheres to the no-wax pattern, dirt sticks to it. The dirt then causes snow to clump underfoot and a bad ski experience. With waxable skis, in order for a ski to function properly it must fit the skier, being within certain parameters in length and stiffness for the skier’s body weight. If the skis are too long, they will be clumsy and awkward. If they are too stiff, a skier may not be able to press the kick wax into the snow to make it function. If they are too short, they will probably be far too soft and the wax will wear off prematurely.

Second, choose the proper wax by using a snow thermometer which costs about $18. The snow thermometer is inserted into the snow only as far as needed for it to stand up by itself. After determining snow temperature, establish snow type: Is the snow powder snow or corn (large, rounded granular) snow or ice? If the snow is on the powdery side, then hard wax (a.k.a. stick wax or grip wax) should be used. If snow is icy or corned up, then klister is needed. When choosing the appropriate wax, consult the wax containers which show temperatures ranges for each product. Most ski shops also have a wax chart which identifies temperature and snow condition choices.

In addition to temperature kick wax offerings, wax companies also offer wet/dry wax systems for use with different types of snow. Grip waxes are made in three types—Extra Cold, Cold, and Warm—and klisters in two—Cold and Warm. If the snow is too dry to make a snowball, use Cold. If a snowball is easily made, use Warm. If the snow is icy or corned up, then use the klister versions.

Before applying kick wax to the ski base, mark the foot location on the side of the ski. Kick wax should be applied below the foot from just behind the skier’s heel to about 18 inches in front of the toes. Hard wax should be applied by rubbing, like a crayon, the wax on the ski and corking it smooth. To make the wax more durable, repeat the process for two or three layers. Between each layer, aggressively rub a cork over the wax until it becomes warm and smooth.

Before applying klister, warm up the tube by placing it near a heat source such as a car vent, an indoor heater, or a propane torch. Then squeezing from the back of the tube to prevent bursting, apply the wax onto the ski base in a slightly shorter area than the hard wax. Line the klister in chevrons or stripes that cover the entire width of the base for a really good result, allowing the klister to be spread evenly. Using your thumb or a wax scraper, smooth the klister out. Let it cool before skiing on it.

Because you will need to change kick wax for different temperatures and snow conditions, waxing requires a wax remover and wax removal paper. Old waxes must be removed before applying a new kick wax.

Removal of klister or kick wax is done in two steps. First, using the kick wax scraper, eliminate as much wax as possible by scraping. Then drip wax remover on the kick area and work it in a bit, scrubbing the wax remover along with the remaining wax from the ski base with wax removal paper or perhaps paper towel.

Kick waxing is not a mysterious art. With the proper tools, any recreational skier can choose the correct wax and apply it to a waxable ski base. If you do, you may just find yourself zooming past your "no wax" companions!