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How to wax a surfboard
Thursday, 18 October 2012 15:43

Applying wax to a surfboards: grip, not slip

Waxing a surfboard is easy. Nevertheless, you can greatly improve the quality of the adherence by reducing slippery with a few pre-surf actions.


Surfboard wax is more important than ever. Power surfers and new school aerialists demand a tight grip between their feet and the surfboard, so a faultless wax job is compulsory.

Vertical drops, air drops, radical layback snaps, frontside airs and fast barrels require time waxing up the surfboard.

Today, surf wax bars have been designed to meet a wide range of needs. The temperature of the water, smell and natural or synthetic materials may be selected.

Also, applying a base coat surfboard wax makes sure you'll get a primary anti-slippery layer that will last longer than the top basic coat. Some surfers also apply wax in the surfboard rails for extreme duck diving and late take-offs.

Wax should be applied in the feet working zones of the surfboard. Always add an extra area, in case you need to move into unusual foam sections of the stick. Longboarders are the only ones who usually wax the entire boards.

Where to wax a surfboard: longboarders have a huge wax job ahead

There are many successful surfboard waxing techniques. Criss-cross, random, vertical, horizontal, oblique and circular rubbing. Never apply new wax to an old, dirty, sandy and less sticky one.

Although, there is not an official ways of applying wax, try to get a few horizontal strips of wax that halt your feet from moving up and down, towards the nose and tail of the surfboard.

The best way of waxing a surfboard goes as following:

1. Get a surfboard wax remover, a base coat wax, a top coat wax, a surf comb and a couple of paper towels
2. Remove old wax from the surfboard deck using the wax comb.
3. Clean the remaining wax residue off with a wax remover, until your deck is glossy.
4. Apply the base coat wax over the surfboard - using any wax job technique cited above - until you get small bumps.
5. Pick the right top coat wax for the water temperature you're surfing in. Top coat wax is soft and easier to apply, once the base coat wax job has been completed.

In the next surf session, remember to comb your deck and add the extra layer of top coat wax that was lost in the previous surf. You should remove and clean the entire wax of your surfboard every two months.

Surfboard wax loses its grip properties with the passing of time, even if you don't surf regularly.

Buy a surfboard wax remover.
Buy a base coat wax.
Buy a top coat wax.

Discover the best surfboard traction pads.


 

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