Advanced Liquid Paraffin Application

We are now three years into fluor-free (FF) testing full-time, and with that has come a LOT of application testing and data. We get tons of questions about the best way to apply liquids for speed and durability. 

Here are the five main ways we have played with liquid applications and a discussion about them. 

When finishing with a liquid, AFTER the liquid has dried:

• Single application of liquid, finished with Rode Roto Wool—Consistently good in all temperatures, so if in a pinch it is a go-to method. This is also usually the winner by far for speed and durability, making it the easiest and most straightforward thing to do for most. IF durability is a main concern, we recommend using the Rode Hand Fleece brush to work the liquid in and THEN Roto wool it.
• Single application of liquid, finished with Holmenkol Roto Fleece and then Rode Roto Wool—A tried and true method in below 22F conditions and may increase durability over straight wool, but this is still up for debate.
• Single application of liquid, finished with Roto Cork then polished with Rode Roto Wool—The Roto Cork method has been surprisingly good in temperatures below 22F. Roto corks can be tricky if you are not used to them, so this method should be left to the skilled roto users. 
• Single application of liquid, Ironed at 130-135C, cooled, and then Rode Roto Wool—A very hit-or-miss, and only recommended below 16F or so. It just doesn't seem to consistently improve skis, even though the iron may help in drying the liquid faster. 
• Double application of liquid, finished each time with Rode Roto Wool—We tend to use this method more in warmer conditions as the snow starts to reveal surface moisture, but IF you have the time this method is always worth trying as it usually yields very fast skis.