Swix Kickwax Base Binders

[bmullin]

Can someone point me towards a treatise on the two hardwax base binders from Swix? Why, when, how, would I want to use one versus the other. I am having a hard time determining the difference between VG30 and VG35.

More generally, any other good arm chair reading on kick waxing. I haven't graduated much above reading the temperature on the tin.

[Blah]

VG 30 for new and fine grained snow.
VG 35 for Old Transformed snow

[Montana]

Here's what my Swix Nordic Wax Manual says:
"At temperatures below 0°C (32°F) a relatively hard wax, such as V30 Blue, is recommended as a basewax. Base Binder VG35 is applied as the first layer when the snow becomes coarser."

But a careful examination of the wax tins for VG30 and VG35 indicates that they overlap quite a bit except for new snow. The snow icons on the wax tin indicates VG30 is for New, Old and Coarse snow. But the New Snow icon is missing on the VG35 tin.

I ski classic 99% of the time and my VG35 has been used a lot but my VG30 is unused. Maybe I skip the base wax when the snow is soft and new. For a marathon though I would use VG30 if there was new snow falling. Otherwise VG35.

Hope that helps.

[Blah]

Yeah....so a long version of what I said

To put it even more simple VG 35 is stickier that VG 30.

Neither of those binders are very sticky. I would use either for less abrasive snow but if the snow is abrasive I would use Vauhti K-base binder

[Montana]

Yeah....so a long version of what I said

My post was so long you got yours in before I finished writing. But I left it there anyway.
I think I'll look to try the Vauhti binder.

[liège]

If you're tracking down the Vauhti K-Base, you should pick up the Super Base as well. It's very, very good for most hard wax conditions.

K-Base is a little better for times when you're using soft kickers (Ski-Go XC yellow, for example) in almost-klister conditions. If you're willing to be a mixologist and only buy one Vauhti base wax, you can apply a thinner layer of Super Base and add in 4-5 small drops of cold klister (Rode Skare or Rex Blue) on each side of the groove, iron it all together (low temp - basically as low as your iron will go, ~110˚C) and smooth it out.

Bonus binder suggestions:
Rode Special Violet for almost all klister
Swix KX20 (green) for very abrasive klister conditions