Ah, winter! The time of year when gear heads wax poetic about ski wax. There’s perhaps no more quintessential Central Oregon winter experience than gliding through a Cascade wonderland on cross-country skis. A good wax job will help make your ski outing more efficient and more enjoyable.

Here’s a quick rundown of the types of wax you need to consider:

Classic skis

While many people think of wax as a way to reduce friction and go faster, waxing classic skis is all about providing grip on the snow.

Hard waxes work best for colder conditions — anything below 35 degrees — and are sold in what resembles a large crayon. Rub the wax on the middle third of the ski (the waist) with short back-and-forth strokes.

Warmer temperatures require klister wax, a gluelike wax that comes in a tube and needs to be heated with an iron. Apply a base coat of base klister, then a second coat of universal or temperature-specific klister.

If that seems like too much work, you can also buy a spray wax that won’t be as effective but will help with grip.

Waxless skis

Despite their name, you can wax waxless skis. These sorts of skis have a textured waist to provide grip, so they don’t need grip wax. But you can still benefit from some glide wax for the tips and tails. Try a glide wax which can be rubbed or wiped on, without an iron.

Skate skis

Skate skis are all about your need for speed, and while ski bases are fairly slippery on their own, a good glide wax will give that extra edge to beat your buddy to the finish line. Most glide waxes are color coded for the specific temperature in which they work best. If that’s too much to think about, try a universal wax that will work for all temperatures. Glide waxes must be melted with an iron, although there are spray-on, rub-on and liquid waxes as well.

Sources: REI.com, Nordicskiersports.com