Why low fluoros can be faster, Factory Team Explanation
Posted on February 8th, 2008
Below is an excerpt from weekly email from the Salomon Factory Team explaining when to use high fluoros. When the Swix Tech Team recommended LF4 for the race wax numerous participants questioned our decision. For some reason people wanted to put on an expensive(fluoros) wax job even though it was slower. Fluoros primary purpose is to repel water and dirt. Also, Fluoro waxes are softer due to their make-up. New cold and dry snow have none of these characteristics. When is it cold and dry - SAVE YOUR MONEY AND HAVE FASTER SKIS.
Andy Gerlach gives a great explanation and YES the winner did use LF4;
Dear SkiPost,I just raced the Boulder Mountain Tour. Why did Swix recommend CH4 covered by LF4? Why did they not suggest HF4 and Cold Cera. The other wax company suggested a straight floro final layer. Does not the more cera you use get you faster skis? What wax did your race winner, Michael Sinnott, actually win on?
P.M.
Dear P.M.,
Dear P.M.,Wax companies may wish it to be the case that the more you spend the faster you go. But this is not always the case. The ideal amount of fluorocarbons in the wax is based on the moisture, humidity and dirt content in the snow. At the Boulder Mountain Tour it was a Low Floro day primarily due to the very cold snowpack, the low air temperature, the low moisture content of the new snow (dry powder snow) and how aggressive the sharp the new snow crystals were behaving. These are typical conditions where high flouro may not run well, which is what we found during our speed trap glide tests.A simple rule is: If you can not make a snowball even with great effort it is a no floro day. If you can make a small snowball with allot of effort it is a low floro day. If you can have s snowball fight it is a high floro day with straight floro on top.
A simple rule is: If you can not make a snowball even with great effort it is a no floro day. If you can make a small snowball with allot of effort it is a low floro day. If you can have s snowball fight it is a high floro day with straight floro on top.Swix recommended LF4 as a final race layer over a base of CH4 because that was the fastest wax tested the previous 2 days. Conditions remained consistent and the Swix Technical Team felt confident in their report. CH4 and LF4 are incredibly hard and durable waxes. Just what was needed for this year’s cold and abrasive snow of the Harriman Trail. This is exactly the wax that the Factory Team’s Michael Sinnott won on.
Andy at SkiPost
