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Out of his passion for surfing John Dahl formed Wax Research in 1971 to make and sell a better surfwax. Surfboard wax is used to release water from the deck of a surfboard. This allows for good footing and traction. The first waxes used in the early 1900’s were made from candles. Later in the 1930’s and 1940’s paraffin canning wax was used. In the 1950’s this wax was available in supermarkets for about 25 cents a pound. It was a very hard wax and was often heated and melted on the deck. This wax became slippery quickly, therefore sand was rubbed on the deck to scratch it up and give more traction. In the early 1960’s it was learned that adding oil would soften the paraffin and allow it to go on easier and build-up “wax warts” or bumps on the deck for increased footing. The next modification was in the form of a soft pliable wax similar to beeswax. The oil and the pliable wax coupled with the new lower melting paraffin base created the first modern style surfboard wax. In the mid 1960’s Mike Doyle and Rusty Miller added color and scent to make the bar not only useful but attractive. At this time the Gidget surf craze hit the East Coast and for the first time surfing became big business. Almost all factory manufactured surfboards, surfwax, and accessories were being shipped to the East Coast market. Surfers on the West Coast still used the paraffin bars from the local market and were very slow to accept the manufactured waxes. By the late 1960’s this attitude was changing and more surfwax companies were opening for business and continued to grow through the present.

Modern surfwaxes no longer use oils but instead use a softener similar to Vaseline. The beeswax type additive is still used in all waxes but now various tackifiers such as resins, synthetic rubbers, and heavy alcohol’s are used to supply the traction.

Waxes today are made in three general classifications:
Classic or traditional waxes, which contain higher paraffin content and are basically harder and less tacky.
Sticky waxes containing more softeners and tackifiing agents.
The very soft and very sticky that have just entered the market in the last few years.
The modern surfer wants his wax to apply quickly with a thick build up and actually have a putty-like feel under foot. Waxes are also designed for different water temperatures. Harder base paraffin, that is one that will melt at a higher temperature, is used in warm water conditions such as Hawaii, Florida, etc. Lower melt paraffin’s, which are softer, are used for cold water conditions and winter waxes. More softener is also used for the colder water while less would be used for the warm water wax as well as less of the tackifing agents to reduce the possibility of skin rashes. Base waxes are used for application on new surfboards and as the first layer of wax on a board that has been stripped of its old wax.

Wax Research has been producing waxes under it’s own name as well as custom formulation for other companies since 1972. The company also produces waxes for snowboards, skis, skateboarding, and other specialty waxes.