Last Updated 2/4 5pm.

The City of Lakes Loppet

BNS Mobile # - 303.656.3886

Wax Testing Results, Discussion and Recommendation to be added.

BNS will be in Minneapolis for the City of Lakes Loppet from February 3^rd-6^th providing wax sales and brand-neutral race waxing service.  Treat yourself to a full race wax application by our pro service team so you can relax and focus on your race. We tested many brands of waxes to find the fastest solution.

For testing results, discussion, and recommendation please see below.

Race Service Details:

Race Service waxing can be prepaid for HERE.

Our race service includes base layer, HF paraffin, and pure fluoro powder.  For classic skis, we will iron in a binder layer in the kick zone you designate, but we will not wax with the final kick wax layers. You will want to apply those race morning to achieve the best results.  We will test kick waxes, provide recommendations, and sell you kick wax if you need it, but you will have to apply it yourself race morning.

NOTE: THIS IS NON-REFUNDABLE.  BNS will refund if the race or BNS has to cancel for any reason, but otherwise this is non-refundable.

Race Service Drop Off and Pickup Details: 

Please get your skis to BNS as early as possible in order to allow us to do base prep and deliver your skis on time and without stress. Please deliver skis to us cleaned of both glide and kick wax.  It is important that you use a solvent in the kick zone and it is recommendation to use glide zone cleaner on the glide zones. Print out your receipt and bring a copy with you to drop-off. Make sure skis are labeled with name, cell phone number, and the event you are doing.

Wednesday/Thursday/Friday Early Drop Off - For your convenience we have 2 options for early drop off.

Trailer: You can drop them at the BNS Mobile Trailer. Please call BNS mobile, 303.656.3886 to arrange drop off. The trailer will be parked at the Hotel Sofitel Minneapolis. Located at 5601 West 78TH Street , 55439 Bloomington

UPS store in Edina: Directions and hours below. If you choose to use this drop off please prepay for race service HERE and notify us that you have dropped off skis, mobile@bouldernordic.com 303.656.3886

Edina UPS Store 1715 -- 5021 Vernon Avenue South Edina, MN 55436-2102

Open Mon-Thu 8am-8pm

Fri 8am-7:30pm

Saturday Drop Off – Please find us at the Vendor Village. We will have the Holmenkol/SkiGo tent setup outside and will be accepting skis.

Ski Pickup – Skis will be available for pickup at Theordore Wirth Park on Sunday morning. Please find us at the Holmenkol/SkiGo tent. Pickup will be available from 8am-10am. Skis dropped off early may be available for pickup Saturday afternoon at the Vendor Village.

If special circumstances arrive or you are in need of a different arrangement please contact us and we will do our best

 Testing Results and Discussion:

For those of you more interested in this sort of thing I have pasted our data sheets at the bottom of this post. I will just be posting the results here to keep things a little cleaner.

Weather Forecast - NOAA.gov - Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of snow. Cloudy, with a low around 23. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph. Sunday: A 40 percent chance of snow. Cloudy, with a high near 30. North northwest wind between 6 and 11 mph.

We tested at two locations today. At Theodora Wirth Park we used a speed trap on the race paraffins and the fluoro powders as well as a feel test on the top coats. We then headed out on the lakes for feel testing of the race paraffins, fluoro powders and topcoats. It was a beautiful day out, there is a chance of some snow in the forecast, but if race day is anything like today people will be in for a real treat. The course both at Wirth and on the lakes was in great shape. Conditions should be firm and fast. We began our testing at 10am, conditions stayed consistent throughout and snow temperature was -6C.

Test Results –

Time shows time back from the winner for all except the winner.

Race Paraffin – Speed Trap at Theodore Wirth Park

Fluoro Powder - Speed Trap at Theodore Wirth Park

TopCoat – Feel at Theodore Wirth Park

1. SkiGo C107 Fluid
2. SkiGo C105 Solid
3. Holmenkol Speedblock Mid 08
4. Rex TK-72
5. SkiGo C55/99 Fluid
6. SkiGo C105 Fluid
7. Holmenkol Speedblock Cold
8. Swix FC7 Solid
9. Holmenkol Speedblock Mid
10. SkiGo C22 Solid

Race Paraffin – Feel at Lake

1. Holmenkol Matrix Black/Blue
2. Holmenkol Matrix Red
3. Swix HF6
4. SkiGo HF Blue
5. Holmenkol Matrix Blue
6. SkiGo HF Violet
7. Swix HF7
8. SkiGo HF Violet/Yellow 2:1

Fluoro Powder – Feel at Lake

1. Holmenkol Cold
2. SkiGo C105
3. Swix FC7
4. Swix Super Cera
5. Holmenkol Mid
6. Holmenkol Mid 08

TopCoat – Feel at Lake

1. Holmenkol SpeedBlock Mid
2. Holmenkol Speedblock Cold
3. SkiGo C107 Fluid
4. Holmenkol Speedblock Mid 08
5. SkiGo C55/99 Fluid
6. SkiGo C22 Solid
7. SkiGo C105 Fluid
8. Rex TK-72
9. SkiGo C105 Solid
10. Swix FC7 Solid

Wax Recommendation – Based on Testing

Base Layer: SkiGo LF Graphite, scrape, brush.

Race Paraffin: Homenkol Matrix Black/Blue, scrape, brush. The Black/Blue won at both locations and will make for a very good race wax. On the Lakes the last 3 waxes were noticeably slower than 1-5. I was surprised when we compared the ranking of the skis to what we had put on them to see HF7 fall back at the lake. HF6 was both good on the lake and in the trap and would be a good choice.

Fluoro Powder: SkiGo C105 Powder. Given the forecast SkiGo C105 or Swix Super Cera would both be good choices. The Holmenkol Cold felt great at the lake, but doesn’t have quite the range on the warm end as the other choices. The speed trap results were extremely close between the Super Cera, SkiGo C105, and Swix FC7, with Holmenkol Cold just off the back. Feel tests were also quite close, but the C105 felt a bit better at speed.

Topcoat: SkiGo C107 Fluid. We recommend testing topcoats morning of and depending on the weather making your choice. As you can see the results between Wirth and the Lakes were quite different, making for a difficult decision. All of the Top Coats were applied using a cold application method where we hand cork the product very heavily, let it cool for 20+ mins, and then brush it out. All of the topcoats felt very good and will be an improvement while they stay on the ski. Not many people out that have the SkiGo C107 Fluid, but if you do that was very good at both locations. The Holmenkol Mid and Mid 08 Block also did well at both locations. If it is overcast or slighter colder race morning the Holmenkol Cold Block and the SkiGo C105 Solid would be good options.

Kick Recommendations:

As always with kick it is best to test morning of rather than going off a written recommendation.

Binder: Toko Base Grip Green, keep it nice and thin.

Grip:  SkiGo HF Blue will provide great range throughout the day and across the course. Other options to consider would be Swix V40, Swix VR40, Guru Extreme Hallgeir. For those who would like more kick a little Swix VR45 or Rode Violet under the foot might be a good idea. For covers try Rode Blue Multigrade or Guru Green if you desire a bit more glide.

Any questions you can email mobile@bouldernordic.com or call the BNS mobile number 303.656.3886

Thanks!