Waxing Guide

What is a "kick zone" and how do I determine it?

The kick zone (aka the grip zone or the wax pocket) covers roughly the middle 1/3 of a classical Nordic ski base; it is where the kick wax is applied on a waxable ski and it is where the fishscale grip pattern is located on a waxless ski. The remaining 2/3 of the ski base (the areas toward the tips and tails) are the glide zones.

The only skis that have a kick zone are classical Nordic skis, meaning those that employ the traditional "cross-country" skiing method of striding and gliding. Skate skis do not have a kick zone and therefore do not need kick wax. See the section on camber for more information on this.

There are several ways to determine the wax pocket on your Nordic skis:

Easiest. The easiest way--especially if you are not big on precision--is to simply define the area from the back of the binding forward to the point 12 inches beyond the front of the binding as your kick zone, and apply kick wax there. Modify the length of your pocket as needed (more grip = longer pocket, more glide = shorter pocket)
More Accurate. A more accurate method is the venerable "Paper Test", which can also be used to determine if skis are either too stiff or too soft. To do the test, the skier places the skis on a clean, flat (important!) surface and stands over (or steps into) the bindings. A friend takes a piece of regular old paper, places it under the ski (between the base and the floor), and slides it forward toward the tip of the ski until it stops. This marks the front of the wax pocket. The friend then slides the paper back towards the ski tail until it stops; this is the back of the wax pocket. Make a mark on the sidewall of the skis and define this area as your kick zone.
The Bestest. The most accurate method (though if done right, the paper test gets pretty close) is to your wax pocket defined for you in the ski shop; we do this as a service to anyone who purchases waxable classic skis. The process is similar to the Paper Test but is done on a more accurate machine designed for such a purpose.

Remember that whatever method you employ to find your ideal wax pocket, it is still a changeable thing that can and should be adjusted to accomodate certain snow conditions, waxes, air temperatures, etc. It is certainly a valuable jumping-off point for tenacious grip. Enjoy!

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Bike: Johnny's 10 Bike Tips Local MTB Rides Ski & Board: How-To Waxing Guide Winter Ski/Board F.A.Q. 06-07 Ski Gallery		Waxing Guide back to FAQ What is a "kick zone" and how do I determine it? The kick zone (aka the grip zone or the wax pocket) covers roughly the middle 1/3 of a classical Nordic ski base; it is where the kick wax is applied on a waxable ski and it is where the fishscale grip pattern is located on a waxless ski. The remaining 2/3 of the ski base (the areas toward the tips and tails) are the glide zones. The only skis that have a kick zone are classical Nordic skis, meaning those that employ the traditional "cross-country" skiing method of striding and gliding. Skate skis do not have a kick zone and therefore do not need kick wax. See the section on camber for more information on this. There are several ways to determine the wax pocket on your Nordic skis: Easiest. The easiest way--especially if you are not big on precision--is to simply define the area from the back of the binding forward to the point 12 inches beyond the front of the binding as your kick zone, and apply kick wax there. Modify the length of your pocket as needed (more grip = longer pocket, more glide = shorter pocket) More Accurate. A more accurate method is the venerable "Paper Test", which can also be used to determine if skis are either too stiff or too soft. To do the test, the skier places the skis on a clean, flat (important!) surface and stands over (or steps into) the bindings. A friend takes a piece of regular old paper, places it under the ski (between the base and the floor), and slides it forward toward the tip of the ski until it stops. This marks the front of the wax pocket. The friend then slides the paper back towards the ski tail until it stops; this is the back of the wax pocket. Make a mark on the sidewall of the skis and define this area as your kick zone. The Bestest. The most accurate method (though if done right, the paper test gets pretty close) is to your wax pocket defined for you in the ski shop; we do this as a service to anyone who purchases waxable classic skis. The process is similar to the Paper Test but is done on a more accurate machine designed for such a purpose. Remember that whatever method you employ to find your ideal wax pocket, it is still a changeable thing that can and should be adjusted to accomodate certain snow conditions, waxes, air temperatures, etc. It is certainly a valuable jumping-off point for tenacious grip. Enjoy! back to FAQ