Best surf wax by water temperature

The best surf wax is the one matched to your water temperature. Here's how Sticky Johnson, Sex Wax, Sticky Bumps and Fu Wax set their grades, in °C and °F, from each brand's own charts.

8 min read
4 brands
7 FAQs
Updated 28 Oct 2026

See the comparison Jump to the FAQ

Rubbing a bar of Sticky Johnson wax across a surfboard deck

In this guide

The best surf wax is the one matched to your water temperature. Get the grade right and most decent wax will grip. Get it wrong and the best bar in the shop goes smeary in warm water or stays slick and hard in cold water.

Here's the catch: every brand sets its own temperature cut-offs, and they don't line up. One brand's Cool starts where another's finishes. So we've put each brand's own published bands side by side below, plus how to pick yours.

Sticky Johnson wax bands: Cold below 15°C (59°F) · Cool 15–20°C (59–68°F) · Warm 20–24°C (68–75°F) · Tropical 24°C+ (75°F+) · Basecoat any temp.

Wax brands compared by temperature

All figures are water temperature, from each brand's own website. Where a brand doesn't publish a band, we say so rather than guess.

Surf wax grades and water temperatures, brand by brand, as published by each brand
Grade	Water °C	Water °F	Notes
Sticky JohnsonDeluxe, MEGA 2.0, Soft Johnson FoamieSticky Johnson temperature chart · Checked 28 Oct 2026
Cold	Below 15°C	Below 59°F	Deluxe Cold, MEGA 2.0 Cold
Cool	15–20°C	59–68°F	Deluxe Cool, MEGA 2.0 Cool
Warm	20–24°C	68–75°F	Deluxe Warm, MEGA 2.0 Warm
Tropical	24°C+	75°F+	Deluxe Tropical, MEGA 2.0 Tropical
Basecoat	Any temp	Any temp	Deluxe Basecoat, under any top coat on a hard board
Foamie Cool/Cold	Below 20°C	Below 68°F	Soft Johnson Foamie Cool/Cold, no basecoat needed
Foamie Warm/Tropical	19–25°C	66–77°F (converted)	Soft Johnson Foamie Warm/Tropical; band as printed on the box
Sex WaxQuick Humpssexwax.com Quick Humps user guide · Checked 28 Oct 2026
Yellow (X-Cold to Cold)	14°C and below	58°F and below
Purple (Cold to Cool)	9–20°C	48–68°F
Green (Cool to Mid Warm)	14–23°C	58–74°F
Orange (Mid Cool to Warm)	18–26°C	64–78°F
Red (Warm to Mid Tropic)	21–29°C	70–84°F
Blue (Tropic)	26°C and above	78°F and above
Original: Cold, Cool, Warm, Tropic Water	Not published	Not published	No bands on sexwax.com; check the pack
Sticky BumpsOriginal and Soft Topstickybumps.com product pages · Checked 28 Oct 2026
Cold	16°C and below	60°F and below
Cool	14–20°C	58–68°F
Warm	18–24°C	64–74°F
Tropical	24°C and above	75°F and above
Hawaiian	27°C and above	80°F and above
Cool/Cold	21°C and below	69°F and below	One bar for both grades
Warm/Tropical	21°C and above	69°F and above	One bar for both grades
Basecoat	Universal, all temps	Universal, all temps
Soft Top Cool/Cold	21°C and below	69°F and below	Soft-tops, without basecoat
Soft Top Warm/Tropical	21°C and above	69°F and above	Soft-tops, without basecoat
Fu WaxBrazil storefuwax.com.br product pages · Checked 28 Oct 2026
Cold Water	0–11°C	32–52°F (converted)
Cool Water	11–17°C	52–63°F (converted)
Summer Cool	17–20°C	63–68°F (converted)
Warm Water	20–24°C	68–75°F (converted)
Tropical Water	25–32°C	77–90°F (converted)
Base Coat	Not published	Not published

Figures are copied from each brand's own website on the date shown; "(converted)" means we worked out the other scale. Matunas and Mrs Palmers aren't in the table because we couldn't find temperature bands on an official brand website. Check the pack. Brand names are trademarks of their owners; Sticky Johnson isn't affiliated with them.

Why the numbers don't line up

Grade names aren't an industry standard. Each brand matches its names to its own recipe, so Cool can mean 14–20°C on one bar and 15–20°C on another. Some brands add in-between steps (Fu Wax's Summer Cool, Sex Wax's six colour labels), and some make one bar for two grades (Sticky Bumps' Cool/Cold). Overlaps are normal: if your water sits in two of a brand's bands, either is within that brand's published range.

Same water, different labels. At 18°C (64°F), Sticky Johnson says Cool. Sticky Bumps' published bands put you in Original Cool or Warm, Fu Wax in Summer Cool, and Sex Wax Quick Humps in Purple, Green or Orange. Same sea, four answers, all correct for their own bar.

Basecoat, top coat and soft-top wax

A hard board (fibreglass or epoxy) wants two layers: a hard basecoat that builds the bumps, then a softer top coat matched to the water. Soft-tops are different. They skip the basecoat and use a wax made for a foam deck.

Surf wax formats by brand: basecoat, top coat grades and soft-top wax
Brand	Basecoat	Top coat grades	Soft-top wax
Sticky Johnson	Deluxe Basecoat	Cold, Cool, Warm, Tropical, in Deluxe and MEGA 2.0	Soft Johnson Foamie Wax: Cool/Cold, Warm/Tropical
Sex Wax	No separate basecoat listed; its guide covers using Quick Humps as basecoat and top coat	Quick Humps (6 colour labels); Original (4 formulas)	None listed
Sticky Bumps	Original Basecoat (all temps)	Original: 5 grades + 2 combined bars	Soft Top Cool/Cold, Warm/Tropical
Fu Wax	Base Coat	5 water grades	None listed
Matunas	Not stated on brand site	Not stated on brand site	Not stated
Mrs Palmers	No brand website found	No brand website found	Not stated

From each brand's own website, checked 28 Oct 2026.

Why use Sticky Johnson

Every brand in the table grips when it's matched to the water. Here's why Sticky Johnson is the one to reach for, and why we make it the way we do.

Tested in tough water

Sticky Johnson started as one surfer's obsession: wax that holds on when the surf gets heavy. Every bar is still tested in the raw West Coast swells of New Zealand, powerful surf that finds out fast if a wax lets go. If it holds there, it'll hold wherever you surf.

Hand-made to a secret recipe

We've been refining our recipe for years, in the lab and in the surf. Every bar is hand-made in New Zealand from natural, non-toxic ingredients, because every session puts your wax straight into the ocean.

Grip you can choose

Deluxe is our everyday wax: long-lasting, super grippy and it beads up nicely. MEGA 2.0 is our super tacky top coat for when you want maximum stick. Both come in all four temperature grades.

A system that works together

Deluxe Basecoat builds tight, solid beads, and every Sticky Johnson top coat is made to grip onto them. Soft-tops get their own foamie wax, and every bar is labelled to one set of bands in °C and °F, so you know which one to grab anywhere in the world.

Switching from another brand? Find your water temperature in the table above and grab the Sticky Johnson grade that covers it. Start on a clean deck with Deluxe Basecoat, then top it with Deluxe for everyday grip or MEGA 2.0 if you like it super tacky.

Shop Sticky Johnson wax

How to choose the right surf wax

Check the water temperature, not the air. Grades are set by sea temperature, and a hot day doesn't make the water warm. Our surf wax temperature chart has monthly averages for New Zealand, Australia and the USA.
Find your Sticky Johnson grade. Match the water temperature to our bands: Cold below 15°C (59°F), Cool 15–20°C (59–68°F), Warm 20–24°C (68–75°F), Tropical 24°C+ (75°F+). Switching from another brand? Go by the temperature, not the grade name on your old wrapper.
Hard board? Basecoat first. Rub on Deluxe Basecoat to build the bumps, then your top coat over it. On a soft-top, skip the basecoat and use Soft Johnson Foamie Wax.
Between two grades? Go softer for cold mornings. As a rule of thumb, the softer (colder) grade suits early sessions when the water's at its coolest.
Comb and top up before every surf. When the season changes and you switch grades, strip it back and start fresh rather than layering one grade over another.

See the temperature chart How to wax a surfboard

Sticky Johnson wax for your water

Here's our range by grade. Every top coat goes over Deluxe Basecoat on a hard board.

Deluxe: everyday grip

MEGA 2.0 top coat and foamie wax

Shop all surf wax Find a stockist

Surf wax questions

What is the best surf wax?

The one matched to your water temperature. Getting the grade right matters more than anything else on the wrapper. Check the water temperature, pick the Sticky Johnson grade that covers it, and put a basecoat down first on a hard board. Our bands are Cold below 15°C (59°F), Cool 15–20°C (59–68°F), Warm 20–24°C (68–75°F) and Tropical 24°C+ (75°F+).

Does surf wax brand matter?

The grade matters most: any wax will struggle if it's the wrong grade for the water. After that, it's recipe and how the bar goes on. Ours is tested in heavy West Coast surf and comes in two strengths: Deluxe for everyday grip that beads up nicely, and MEGA 2.0 when you want it super tacky.

What's the best surf wax for beginners?

The one that suits your board and your water. On a soft-top, use a foamie wax and skip the basecoat; ours is Soft Johnson Foamie Wax. On a hard board, rub on a basecoat first, then a top coat for the water temperature. Check our temperature chart for your spot and month, and our how to wax a surfboard guide for the steps.

Do soft-top surfboards need wax?

Yes. Soft-tops need wax for grip just like hard boards, but they don't need a basecoat. Rub a foamie wax straight onto the deck. Soft Johnson Foamie Wax comes in Cool/Cold (below 20°C / 68°F) and Warm/Tropical (19–25°C, as printed on the box). Sticky Bumps also makes a Soft Top wax, split at 21°C (69°F).

What's the best surf wax for cold water?

A Cold grade. It's the softest grade, so it stays tacky when cold water firms it up. Sticky Johnson Deluxe Cold is for water below 15°C (59°F), and MEGA 2.0 Cold is the super tacky option. Other brands draw their cold line in different places, so if you're switching, go by the water temperature, not the name. Put a basecoat down first, and keep the board out of a hot car: soft cold-water wax melts fast.

What's the best surf wax for tropical water?

A Tropical grade: the hardest top coat a brand makes, so it doesn't go smeary in warm water. Sticky Johnson Tropical is for water 24°C (75°F) and up; other brands start their tropical grades anywhere from 24°C to 26°C. Put a basecoat down first and keep the board in the shade between surfs. Heading somewhere warm? Do your basecoat before you leave and throw a bar of Tropical in the board bag.

Is one brand's Cool wax the same as another's?

No. Grade names aren't a standard. Sticky Johnson Cool is 15–20°C, Sticky Bumps Original Cool is 14–20°C and Fu Wax Cool Water is 11–17°C, while Sex Wax Quick Humps uses colour labels instead (Purple, Cold to Cool, is 9–20°C). Switching to Sticky Johnson? Go by your water temperature and pick our grade that covers it, not the name on your old wrapper.