Ski Wax or Phantom Glide? Count Your Time and Cost per Season
Run the Numbers Before You Fire Up the Iron
Waxing every few outings adds up, whether that's an evening at the bench or another drop-off at the shop. We can't hand you one honest per-season number, because it depends on your shop, your snow and how often you get out. So here's how the two options stack up (no sales pitch required).
One thing to know up front: Phantom Glide is a base treatment from DPS Skis, not a wax you iron on. It cures to the base in about an hour of direct sun, and you can still wax on top of it. So this isn't wax versus no wax forever. It's about how you'd rather spend your time.
When Hot Wax Makes Sense
Waxing your skis or snowboard is the best way to get consistent glide. A properly waxed base keeps you from having one ski that glides smoothly while the other skitters across the snow (scary!). Keeping your skis conditioned also helps them last, so they'll earn more at the ski swap when you upgrade.
If you already own a vise and an iron, or you like turning tuning into a Friday night with friends, hot wax is hard to beat. Our tune and wax guide walks you through the whole job. It's written for skis, but the same process works for snowboards with a few small changes.
Gearhead Tip: Clean your base with a few hot-wax-and-scrape cycles using a cheap block of all-purpose wax, and save the pricey condition-specific stuff for your final coat. Treating with Phantom Glide? Skip the hot-wax cleaning cycles, which leave wax in the base. Use a base cleaner, or get a shop stone grind.
Basic tunes, including waxing, edge sharpening and base repair with P-Tex, are totally doable at home. Base welds, base grinds and edge repairs belong at a ski shop.
When Phantom Glide Makes Sense
Phantom Glide is for skiers and riders who'd rather skip the iron, the scraping and the mess. You apply it once, and sunlight cures it into the base.
At home, plan on about 20 minutes of prep and about an hour of cure in direct sun, so pick a sunny day. Our guide to applying Phantom Glide at home has the full steps. Each Single Application Kit treats one pair of skis or one snowboard, and the kit's handling notes are worth a read before you open a packet.
Gearhead Tip: Check the forecast before you open a packet. Don't start the cure if rain or snow is on the way.
Buying new skis from another brand, or a snowboard where offered? Add Phantom Glide: Professional Application Before Shipment to your order and our technicians treat the base before it ships, within a week of ordering. Here's how the two routes compare.
Hot Wax vs. Phantom Glide at a Glance
Home hot wax
Phantom Glide
What it is
Wax ironed into the base, then scraped and brushed
A base treatment that cures to the base in about an hour of direct sun; wax can still go on top
How often
A yearly tune-up for occasional skiers, up to once a month for frequent skiers
Once; it lasts the life of the base. Base Care pads as needed.
Time
20–40 minutes for a whole tune, depending on your ability level
Less than 2 hours at home, or nothing on your end when applied professionally; your order ships within a week
What you need
Vise, base cleaner, alcohol, rag, wax, iron, plexi scraper, brush
Single Application Kit plus a base cleaner, or the At Home Kit; and a sunny day
Price at Backcountry
Depends on the tools you already own
Single Application Kit $99.99, At Home Kit $199.95, Professional Application Before Shipment $129.95
Still on you
Edge tuning and base repairs
Edge tuning, base structure (the fine texture pattern in the base) and the occasional stone grind
What It Costs Over a Season
Every shop prices tunes differently, so check with yours before you compare.
Line
What it covers
Shop tune
Your shop's tune price × the tunes you book per season
Home hot wax
Any tools you still need, plus wax for the season
Phantom Glide
Single Application Kit $99.99, At Home Kit $199.95, or Professional Application Before Shipment $129.95 with new skis or a snowboard
Upkeep and grinds
Base Care Kit $49.95, plus your shop's stone grind price when the base needs one
Only need a base cleaner for prep? The Single Base Clean Kit is $19.95.
How Much Time It Takes
Here's roughly where the minutes go:
Task
Typical time
Hot wax: whole tune
20–40 minutes, depending on your ability level
Hot wax: final coat on a snowboard
Let it fully cool before scraping, up to an hour for some waxes
Hot wax: new or freshly stone-ground board
Repeat the hot-wax-and-scrape cycle seven to ten times
Phantom Glide at home
About 20 minutes of prep, then about an hour of cure
Phantom Glide applied by our technicians
Nothing on your end; your order ships within a week
Phantom Glide upkeep
About 30 seconds with each Base Care pad
A lot of the wax and cure time is waiting, not working. So it's worth knowing which minutes are hands-on, and which ones you spend with a cold drink in hand.
What Phantom Glide Doesn't Change
Edges and structure: You still need to take care of your base structure and your edges. All skis and snowboards need periodic stone grinding and tuning.
Base wear: Phantom Glide doesn't prevent base abrasion, the dry, white look a base picks up with use.
Shop work: Base grinds and edge repairs still belong at a ski shop.
So, Which One Is Right for You?
If you ski a handful of days and don't own a vise, a shop tune at the start of the season has you covered. If you're out a lot and love bench time, stick with hot wax. If you'd rather skip the iron and the scraper, Phantom Glide fits. Buying new skis from another brand, or a snowboard where offered? Our technicians can apply it before your order ships.
Ready to treat your own base? Grab the Phantom Glide At Home Kit, or see the whole Phantom Glide lineup. Questions about your setup? Chat with a Gearhead.