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Step 1
Learn the benefits of cross country skis you can wax.
Waxable cross country skis, when perfectly waxed, can adapt to a wide variety of snow conditions. Fast wax is placed on the front and back of the skis, and grip wax is placed under the foot. This allows for a lot of control at different temperatures, especially when going up and down hills. Nothing is faster than properly waxed skis. -
Step 2
Learn the downside of wax skis.
Even though professional skiers use waxable skis, wax skis have a downside. Waxing takes time and has to be done correctly in order to be efficient. A poor wax job can actually slow you down. Waxing cross country skis is complicated because a grip wax is applied as well as a fast wax. This is too complicated for some beginners to do properly. -
Step 3
Learn the benefits of waxless skis.
Waxless skis have a scale pattern on the bottom that prevents them from slipping backward. They are easier to use, and don't require complicated waxing procedures. -
Step 4
Learn the downside of waxless skis.
The herringbone pattern creates friction when moving forward. This is not too substantial, but the pattern's inability to adjust to different snow conditions means that waxless skis are at times slower than wax skis. Waxless skis aren't normally used by professional racers for this reason. -
Step 5
Make your choice based on the ease of use vs. the lost speed of waxless skis.
