An Investigation Comparing the Efficacy of Different Lubricants for Skis on Artificial Snow

Abstract

Whilst the earliest skis were made of wood, modern day ski bases are constructed of high molecular weight polyethylene. Water repellent or hydrophobic surfaces improve the glide of the skis and a significant industry has developed to provide waxes and other additive products to support alpine skiing. Using a method known as glide testing which employs accurate instruments to time skis travelling down an artificial snow slope, the effectiveness of fluorocarbon and Perfluropolyalkylether additives together with combinations of these with hydrocarbon waxes were compared. Skis which were un-waxed were used as a control. Whilst this investigation was not able to demonstrate any firm conclusions regarding the comparative efficacy of products under investigation, it does raise interesting questions relating to waxing, as the ‘skis with wax removed’ were surprisingly faster over the first 10 meters of the test track. A number of improvements to the glide testing method are also suggested.