What Happens if You Don’t Wax Your Snowboard?

If you don’t wax your snowboard, you won’t get good performance and glide in the snow. You also risk damaging your board because wax helps prevent the base from drying out and also helps keeps moisture from penetrating the core. 

I’ve been snowboarding for nearly all of my life, and I know how important it is to keep your board in good shape. Wax is a vital part of this, and I’ve seen what happens without it. 

This post will tell you what happens if you don’t wax your snowboard. I’ll let you know why you always want to keep your base waxed up and what happens when you don’t. 

Let’s get after it.

The Importance of Wax

First things first, wax is essential. You don’t want to ride your snowboard without wax, and you always want to make sure that the wax on your board is in good condition for optimal performance. 

I’ll explain what happens when you don’t wax your board in the section below, but trust me, you don’t want to test this out. Keeping your board waxed up is really easy and something every serious snowboarder should know how to do. 

Even if you don’t want to learn how to wax your snowboard, you should always take it into the shop and have it waxed up a few times during the season. If you are renting a board, it should be waxed, and you don’t need to worry about doing it yourself. 

What Happens if You Don’t Wax Your Snowboard

If you don’t wax your snowboard, you are asking for trouble. It’s highly important to have it waxed up and ready for action. 

But what happens if you don’t?

First off, you won’t slide as well down the snow. Wax helps reduce friction between the base of your board and the snow. Your board will still slide downhill, but you’ll feel a noticeable difference when there isn’t enough wax. 

This can feel like tugging or sticking as you try to ride, severely affecting your experience. I’ve seen many experienced riders take bad wipeouts because they didn’t have enough wax on their boards.

Not having wax can also damage your board. Wax helps keep the base of your board from drying out and prevents excess moisture from seeping into its core. A board without wax is like a rider without cold-weather clothing – not a good idea. 

Wax naturally wears off as you ride, so you need to keep an eye on the status of your base. When it’s time for fresh wax, don’t delay this and keep riding, or else your performance on the snow and the protection of your board will suffer. 

Some people can tell when it’s time for new wax, while others just stick to a specific schedule. I like to wax up my board about once a week when I am riding heavy or at least every month during the season.   

FAQs

Here are a few short answers to some of the most frequently asked questions relating to what happens if you don’t wax your snowboard. 

Do snowboards need to be waxed? 

Yes, snowboards need to be waxed to slide properly down the snow and keep your base from drying out. Wax is necessary both for the performance and protection of your board. You won’t get very far without it. 

Should beginners wax their snowboard? 

Everyone needs to wax their snowboard – beginners and advanced riders alike. As a beginner, you might not know how to wax your board – so take it to a shop or ask a friend if so. But you still need to make sure that the board you’re using is waxed. 

Do you need to wax your snowboard every year? 

Yes, you should wax your snowboard at least every year. If you ride often, you should wax it much more than that. I know some serious riders who wax their boards nearly every day during the height of the season for the best performance. 

Conclusion

If you don’t wax your snowboard, it won’t slide properly down the snow, and the base can also dry out, causing serious damage. Knowing when to wax your board is essential for every rider to understand.   

About Lorraine
I'm a certified snowboard instructor. My first experience with snowboarding occurred at an indoor resort. One run had me hooked, and it has turned into a lifelong passion ever since then. I'm here to share with you some of the tips and advice I have learned along the way.

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