Ski Waxes Waxing the skis properly is one of the most important parts of cross-country skiing. Skiers use waxes for two reasons - to glide faster, by decreasing the friction between snow and ski base, and to be able to kick with the skis in classic technique by increasing the friction between snow and ski bases. For skating, only glide waxes are needed. Illustrative picture of grip waxes from https://www.justtrails.com/winter-trails/xc-ski-series/how-to-apply-kick-wax/#.X7sw581Kg2x Skiers choose the waxes depending on the temperature and moisture content in the snow. For colder and drier conditions, harder waxed are used as the friction between the snow and ski bases is even larger. For warmer snow with higher moisture content, soft waxes are applied. Illustrative picture of glide waxing from https://ebsadventure.com/blogs/news/how-to-put-storage-wax-on-your-skis