Hot Box Skis

To many racers, 'hot boxing' skis isn't anything new -- the technology really came out a number of years ago. However, it's only recently that shops have begun to offer this service. In the Twin Cities, Hoigaard's added this service for skiers last fall. We dropped a pair of particularly stubborn skis off with them in December.

First, a general primer. Hot boxing is a waxing process that works to quickly and effectively saturate the base of skis by 'cooking' the skis at a given temperature. Through this process, the base opens up and deeply absorbs the wax. When it's done correctly, it can provide a finished base layer that normally could take a skier 20-30 iron waxing passes to achieve. It can be a huge time saver, especially for new skis and freshly stoneground skis. It also reduces the chances of the skier accidently burning the ski with an iron that might be too hot.

The biggest trick in hot boxing skis is providing the correct environment. If the enclosure is too hot, the skis could bubble or delaminate. If the heating isn't evenly distributed or accurately monitored, you could get similar nasty results. So ultimately, it's best to go with a professionally designed hot box unit.

The unit chosen by Hoigaard's is the Toko Thermo Bag. At first blush, this contraption looks a bit like a sleeping bag for Herman Munster. It isn't until the unit is opened that you get a sense of the simplicity and portability of it. The padding walls are attached with velcro and peel away to allow easy access for loading and unloading of the skis. There is a high-grade heating unit and temperature control to ensure even and consistent heating. And if you need to, the whole unit can be disassembled and packed into a large athletic bag form.

As Toko recommends, Hoigaards dials the unit to around 60C (about 140F). The 'cooking' duration is usually around four hours, sometimes more. Hoigaards offers a number of options, depending on whether the skis are new or just in need of a refresh.

The pair of skis I submitted was a bit out of the norm. I've had a pair of generic waxless racing skis for a while now, but even after 10-15 wax jobs, they still were quite dry. The base is a white ptex (sintered, not extruded). Generally, a standard black ptex base has much more graphite in it, and thus absorbs wax more readibly than the white ptex base. Hoigaards ran the skis through the hot box twice, with a reloading of the wax in sessions. The verdict? In scraping them down for the first time afterwards, I could tell the base wasn't nearly as dry. And in applying some fresh wax, it again felt less dry and more saturated. I was sold.

Thanks to Hoigaards for providing us with a sample run. For more details on their waxing services and possible specials, check their store listing.