Nordic ski wax chart and calculator
Wax for the snow, not the air. Enter the conditions, or pick a Bend Sno-Park to fill them in from the forecast.
Bend Sno-Parks right now
Snow temperature and wax band at each trailhead’s elevation, now and tomorrow at 9 AM. Tap “Use” to fill in the calculator.
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The chart
By snow temperature. Brands use their own colours and names, so match the range to your wax’s label.
| Snow temperature | Glide | Grip, new snow | Grip, old or icy snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| 32°F and wet (0°C) | Wet-snow wax, coarse structure | Red hard wax or klister-wax | Red or silver (wet) klister |
| 28–32°F (−2 to 0°C) | Warm | Red or violet hard wax | Universal klister |
| 18–28°F (−8 to −2°C) | Mid | Violet, then extra blue as it gets colder | Universal or blue klister |
| 7–18°F (−14 to −8°C) | Cold | Blue, then green | Blue klister under hard wax |
| Below 7°F (below −14°C) | Extra cold | Green or polar | Green hard wax over a binder |
Getting it right
- Snow, not air. Snow can’t be warmer than 32°F (0°C). On a 40°F spring day you’re waxing for wet snow at 32°F, not for 40°F.
- New snow skis colder. Fresh, sharp crystals grab: go one step colder. Old, rounded or refrozen snow skis warmer and is abrasive.
- Humidity shifts it warmer. Fog, falling snow and humid air make snow behave warmer; very dry air, colder.
- Mornings and afternoons differ. A clear night can leave the snow several degrees below the air at dawn, then sun warms it toward freezing by midday. If the range spans two bands, wax for where you’ll spend most of the ski or use a wider-range wax.
- Skate or classic, glide is the same. Grip wax is only for classic skis; skin skis need no grip wax.
Wax for your own route and time
Open your route in Route Forecast and choose Nordic ski: the forecast leads with the snow temperature and its wax band, new snow and the surface (fresh, packed, refrozen, softening) for the time you’ll be out. Open a route.
Questions
What wax should I use for cross-country skiing?
Pick by snow temperature, which is never above 0°C (32°F) and usually a little below the air on clear nights. Glide wax: warm wax near freezing, mid between about −2 and −8°C (28–18°F), cold between −8 and −14°C (18–7°F), extra cold below that. For classic grip, match the hard wax colour to the same temperature, and switch to klister on old, icy or wet snow.
Does new snow need a different wax than old snow?
Yes. New snow has sharp crystals that grab, so it skis colder than the thermometer says: lean one step colder. Old, transformed or refrozen snow is coarse and abrasive, so classic skiers usually need klister rather than hard wax.
What is snow temperature and why does it differ from air temperature?
Snow can’t be warmer than 0°C, so on a 40°F day the snow is still at 32°F. On clear nights the surface radiates heat away and gets colder than the air; in strong sun it warms toward 0°C. Wax charts are written for snow temperature.
Do I still need fluoro wax?
No. Fluorinated waxes are banned in FIS and U.S. Ski & Snowboard races and at most citizen races, including the Birkie. Modern fluoro-free waxes use the same temperature bands.