Do you need to wax a new snowboard?

A common question that new riders often ask is: Do you need to wax a new snowboard? And in general, the answer is "no." The tune that a snowboard receives at the end of the manufacturing process (often called the “factory tune”) is good enough for most riders. With that said, some riders prefer to customize their tune by applying a new coat of temperature-specific wax and/or detuning the edges for a less catchy ride. As with most things related to snowboarding, there are a lot of personal preferences involved, and you can decide what works best for you.

Factory tuning typically uses all-temperature wax, and if you ride in an extremely cold region or a warmer, wetter region, then applying a temperature-specific wax could potentially improve your performance.

Additionally, you will want to wax regularly to protect your board and have as much fun as possible. To keep your base fast and fresh, we recommend that you wax at the beginning and end of the season and after every 3-5 days of riding. Not only does waxing increase speed, but it also strengthens the base of the snowboard to protect against rocks, stumps, and other types of snow sharks you may meet. Also, a consistent layer of fresh wax keeps your base from drying out, which can cause material degradation.

Whether you are surfing soft pow, ripping park laps, or carving icy steeps, it is important to match your edge tune to the conditions you ride. And while the factory tune will be ideal for most riders, some snowboarders choose to detune their edges.

For example, park riders sometimes detune their snowboards (dull with a file) to ensure a smooth slide on rails and more forgiving landings from jumps.

Every Burton snowboard is waxed, sharpened, and ready-to-ride as soon as you take it out of the sleeve. With a factory wax, sharpened edges, and a fresh bevel, every board is finely tuned for immediate use on most terrain in most conditions. In fact, Burton’s manufacturing process involves several individual steps to ensure that your new snowboard is lightning fast from day one.

Did you know we now offer hot hand-waxing and edge tuning services at select Burton Flagship Stores and Burton Outlet Stores? If your snowboard is in need of some TLC, stop by your local Burton store and a friendly expert will get it ready for the slopes.

Interested in tuning your snowboard at home? Check out Burton’s complete line of Snowboard Tools & Tuning products. Looking for some help on how to get started with home snowboard tuning? Hit up the Burton Guides to talk shop.

Hopefully, it's clear to you that most riders don't need to wax a new snowboard before taking it to the hill. However, here are some related questions that the Burton Guides receive regularly.

Q: When you buy a new snowboard, do you need to tune it?

A: In general, you do not need to tune a brand-new snowboard because the factory tune it comes with offers enough performance for most riders. However, if you are planning to ride in extremely warm or colder conditions, you may want to apply specialty wax before you take your new snowboard to the mountain.

Q: Do new boards come waxed?

A: Every new Burton snowboard comes waxed, sharpened, and ready-to-ride as soon as you take it out of the sleeve. Additionally, most snowboards from most manufacturers include a "factory" tune that includes an all-temperature hot wax.

Q: Do I need to wax my snowboard at the beginning of the season?

A: In general, the product experts at Burton recommend waxing a snowboard after every three uses and at the beginning and end of the season.