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Do you use pole straps?

altagirl

Moderator
Staff member
Gloria said:
skiing on piste with your straps on is no big deal. Especially if you are pushing across flats or on traverses. It's truly in the backcountry
or in the trees where they become a problem. I have gotten out of the habit of skiing with them on at area because I do ski the trees alot and now that my daughter is skiing I do more yo-yoing than true backcountry skiing. I simply don't want to get caught in a tree well and need my arms to free myself or clear an air pocket to breath and realize that I forgot to take my straps off and I can't move my arms. Let alone the risk of snagging them.
Unfortunately I have heard that the break away straps are good for most situations except being stuck in a tree well ( the most common risk of tree skiing ). If you don't ski the trees frequently, yo-yo or ski in the backcountry, you are probably safe with them on and probably not in anymore immediate danger than you would be with them off. If you are skiing in the backcountry or deep snow and losing your poles from putting them in the snow too deeply, try a larger basket designed for deeper snow.

I've been caught in a tree well. The pole straps were on and were not an issue at all. It was easy to move my hands to clear my face with the straps on, and easy to remove them when I wanted to. It wasn't easy to get out of the tree well - but that had nothing to do with my poles - that was just because I was bent in half with my feet stuck up over my head. I finally worked out a rhythm to take a deep breath, wiggle (which would bury me in snow from above again), clear my face, and repeat. Eventually I worked my way out. On another note - since that happened 5 years ago, my husband and I bought whistles which we wear on our jackets. My husband and friend were less than 100 feet away and I could hear them talking, but they couldn't hear me screaming my head off because I was muffled under the snow. That was really the scary part. I even had an avy beacon on, but they didn't know to look for me, so it wouldn't have done any good. They thought I had just kept on skiing down to the lift.
 

Gloria

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
easier way

If this happens to you again, and you have access to both poles and a good range of motion with your arms, try crossing your poles midway down in one hand and using them as a brace to push yourself up with. You will use alot less energy, especially if you have another hike or skin ahead of you. You are fortunate that you had the arm movement that you did unfortunately this is not always the case and I wouldn't count on it being this easy all of the time nor would I leave less experienced skiers with the notion that it will be
this easy for them. Happy Travels!
 

smpayne

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I don't use my straps, becasue they are more like hand cuffs or a second set of gloves. They fit very snugly around my gloves and are larger through the palm area. I do have the auto release, which works even with the straps off. Had to hike back up for a strap, while the pole was still in my hand, this was also the fall I sprained my thumb (oviously had nothing to do with the straps).

Here is what I have learned from this post. In the trees - leave them off. In the open powder, put them on. On piste - whatever is comfortable. Park/Pipe/freestlye skiing - whatever the coach says.
 

Pequenita

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Squaw said:
Still, I think there is a refined, loose movement lost when the pole is too tightly held.

I agree, although I swung too far in the "loose" part of that pendulum a few years ago when I noticed that I was using my pinkies to kick/swing my poles forward. :o Doh.
 

Squaw

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
:D funny that I read this thread this morning, because out on my runs today twice a clump of snow or branch momentarity grabbed my pole...and it would have been a drag to hike back for it if the strap hadn't kept it with me!

Pequinta, I know what you mean about how easy it is to get "too loose" with the pole swing. It may also have been part of the style -- maybe out of the "hot dog" era to swing the poles in a more pronounced way.
Jen
 

Gloria

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
terrain makes all the difference

The bottom line to whether or not you use your straps lies ultimately in the terrain you are skiing. If you are skiing cut runs etc on piste it
would generally make no difference whether you skied with them off or on. Whatever you are comfortable with. Beyond that understand the risks associated with the terrain you are skiing. Where Altagirl, assuming she skiis in Alta ( awsome area btw ) skiis with her straps on, keep in mind that Alta sits predominantly above treeline, is characterised by large expanse bowls which are frequently blasted including avalanche control in what many of us are considerring off-piste. Above treeline also means that the trees that are there, are less dense than those you would find at an area that sits within the treeline. Many of us don't have the absolute pleasure of skiing at a place like Alta so much of what we would ski off-piste or in the trees at these areas would require us to be more on top of things. If you are going to ski these areas, get all the information on avalanche safety you can, you will certainly be advised to ditch the pole straps
including many other things. If you are skiing at an area that sits in the treeline and want to cut off into the trees, remove your pole straps, the trees in these areas will be four or five times as dense than those at areas that sit above treeline and your odds of skiing
into a tree well or getting your pole hung up are that many times greater. Although it may not be wise to ski with your staps on in the trees anywhere, it is probably most important to understand the characteristics of where you are before making that decision. ;)
 

westcoast21

Certified Ski Diva
What a great thread. I was just about to start my own regarding poles and straps, but now I think I'll just add my question here since the topic of poles and straps/strapless is already rolling along.
My question is, what are the advantages / disadvantages to strapped poles vs strapless poles? I have been pole-shopping and I came across the Scott strapless ski poles for women and was blown away: I am a new skier and I didn't even know such a thing as strapless poles existed. I'll attach a photo of them so everyone knows what I'm talking about. Please weigh in with your thoughts, experience, advice!
 

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marzNC

Angel Diva
Some topics are timeless. The original thread is from 2007.

I came across the Scott strapless ski poles for women and was blown away: I am a new skier and I didn't even know such a thing as strapless poles existed. I'll attach a photo of them so everyone knows what I'm talking about. Please weigh in with your thoughts, experience, advice!
Just about any instructor will tell you NOT to use a Scott pole with the hard plastic grips. A variety of reasons related to pole technique. However the reason it went off the market a long time ago is that in a fall, the design can lead to thumb injuries. I have a pair that I bought back in 1982. Still use them for groomer skiing at small hills where there isn't any ungroomed terrain, trees in particular. I've been skiing long enough and well enough that I rarely fall in that type of terrain. However, I did have a fall in recent years that resulted in a thumb muscle pull that probably wouldn't have happened with the typical pole strap.

Note that there is a proper way to use a pole strap. Do you know what that is?
 

Jilly

Moderator
Staff member
What a great thread. I was just about to start my own regarding poles and straps, but now I think I'll just add my question here since the topic of poles and straps/strapless is already rolling along.
My question is, what are the advantages / disadvantages to strapped poles vs strapless poles? I have been pole-shopping and I came across the Scott strapless ski poles for women and was blown away: I am a new skier and I didn't even know such a thing as strapless poles existed. I'll attach a photo of them so everyone knows what I'm talking about. Please weigh in with your thoughts, experience, advice!


3 words...thumb breaker grips. Speaking from experience.
 

liquidfeet

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
@liquidfeet : have anything to add? You've learned a lot about teaching beginners since you started this thread.
Wait. What? I started this thread?
Oh, I guess I did.

There are three things to consider when deciding about using pole straps.

1. Use them if convenience matters most.
No one wants to walk back uphill to get a lost pole. How often does the snow grab your pole and try to yank it out of your hand? For me, this happens. It just does. I don't like to hike up the hill.

2. Don't use them if safety matters most.
If the pole or the strap can get stuck while you keep going, that puts your shoulder in danger of being ripped apart. A dislocated shoulder is one thing. But rotator cuff repair and recovery are significant interruptions in daily life. The most frequent damage to the shoulder from the pole getting stuck is getting off the chair with the straps on. You never know when that basket is going to get stuck because someone sitting next to you twists or falls or does something else unexpected, catching that pole and ripping it around towards the chair's metal parts. Similar injuries happen in tight glades, especially ones filled with hemlock and spruce. Their dead branches stick out and can catch your strap. Reports of problems with pole straps in tree wells and avalanches are jumbled.

3. Use the pole straps if you find them essential in bump skiing and hop turns.
When used properly, the straps offer a horizontal support for your palm. The straps can support body weight in hop turns. They can function as a hinge point for pole-flicking when you are making fast, down-the-fall-line bump turns.
For the straps to be functional, they must be worn properly. Many recreational skiers don't know how to do this. It's not intuitive. Here's a pretty good image for how to put them on properly. What it doesn't show is how to use the strap as a support once you have your hand in the loop.
500x265px-176e3d19_Trekking-Pole-Straps.jpeg

The image below almost shows how to position the hand when using the strap for a function. You allow your palm to rest on the strap, and lightly clasp the pole grip.
images


****There is an alternative to straps.
I now use Leki Trigger S poles with the little grips on the pole. The poles come with two harnesses that fit onto my mittens, which stay permanently on the mittens (or gloves). The harness has a tiny little loop that clicks into the little grip on the pole. If you want, you can buy gloves from Leki that don't need the harness because they have the harness doohickie built into them. They are supposed to release when needed, but I've never tested that and don't know if mine would.

I don't connect to my poles until I leave the chairlift because I like my shoulders as they are, and I teach all my students to wait until they are off to put their straps on... and to take the straps off before getting on. They hold both poles in one hand for the whole ride to help them remember. This is actually a ski school requirement at my mountain. I forget to disconnect in the trees, but I don't ski tight trees so that's OK and after all, they are supposed to release. I use them in bump skiing to help me flick the poles fast. I don't do hop turns; no need, and my knees are not up to it. I have a tendency to lose my poles in dense fresh snow and have to hike back up which I hate, so normally I stay connected to my poles.

That big thing in the image below is the harness; it fits onto your glove or mitten, and stays there. I changed to the Leki system because I got tired of fitting my big mittens up through the loops. It took forever, and in a group I was always last to get going. These click in fast. And out fast.
images
 
Last edited:

mustski

Angel Diva
I like the Leki s trigger poles BUT I do find that I tend to grip the pole more firmly and that causes tenseness in my arms. I recently went back to a strap (ordered the wrong pole) and was amazed at how much looser my grip was. My whole upper bidy feels more relaxed.
 

westcoast21

Certified Ski Diva
Some topics are timeless. The original thread is from 2007.


Just about any instructor will tell you NOT to use a Scott pole with the hard plastic grips. A variety of reasons related to pole technique. However the reason it went off the market a long time ago is that in a fall, the design can lead to thumb injuries. I have a pair that I bought back in 1982. Still use them for groomer skiing at small hills where there isn't any ungroomed terrain, trees in particular. I've been skiing long enough and well enough that I rarely fall in that type of terrain. However, I did have a fall in recent years that resulted in a thumb muscle pull that probably wouldn't have happened with the typical pole strap.

Note that there is a proper way to use a pole strap. Do you know what that is?
yes, I do :smile: I do the same thing that is shown in the picture a couple posts down. In all my research on how to ski before I actually got on the hill, one of the articles or videos I read/watched (not sure which) talked about proper strap use and how to do it. thankful I came across it. I just find it a bit annoying to have to strap in and then take them off for the lift and then back on again, so on and so forth. it's not the biggest deal in the world though so considering some have been saying how dangerous the strapless poles are for thumbs, I might be ok with dealing with the minor annoyance straps can pose.
 

kiki

Angel Diva
I always use my straps as I am clutzy and tend to drop them quite often, and it hard to go uphill to retrieve them.
I do use the “bunny” method as described above by @volklgirl
 

SnowSeeker

Angel Diva
Wait. What? I started this thread?
Oh, I guess I did.

There are three things to consider when deciding about using pole straps.

1. Use them if convenience matters most.
No one wants to walk back uphill to get a lost pole. How often does the snow grab your pole and try to yank it out of your hand? For me, this happens. It just does. I don't like to hike up the hill.

2. Don't use them if safety matters most.
If the pole or the strap can get stuck while you keep going, that puts your shoulder in danger of being ripped apart. A dislocated shoulder is one thing. But rotator cuff repair and recovery are significant interruptions in daily life. The most frequent damage to the shoulder from the pole getting stuck is getting off the chair with the straps on. You never know when that basket is going to get stuck because someone sitting next to you twists or falls or does something else unexpected, catching that pole and ripping it around towards the chair's metal parts. Similar injuries happen in tight glades, especially ones filled with hemlock and spruce. Their dead branches stick out and can catch your strap. Reports of problems with pole straps in tree wells and avalanches are jumbled.

3. Use the pole straps if you find them essential in bump skiing and hop turns.
When used properly, the straps offer a horizontal support for your palm. The straps can support body weight in hop turns. They can function as a hinge point for pole-flicking when you are making fast, down-the-fall-line bump turns.
For the straps to be functional, they must be worn properly. Many recreational skiers don't know how to do this. It's not intuitive. Here's a pretty good image for how to put them on properly. What it doesn't show is how to use the strap as a support once you have your hand in the loop.
500x265px-176e3d19_Trekking-Pole-Straps.jpeg

The image below almost shows how to position the hand when using the strap for a function. You allow your palm to rest on the strap, and lightly clasp the pole grip.
images


****There is an alternative to straps.
I now use Leki Trigger S poles with the little grips on the pole. The poles come with two harnesses that fit onto my mittens, which stay permanently on the mittens (or gloves). The harness has a tiny little loop that clicks into the little grip on the pole. If you want, you can buy gloves from Leki that don't need the harness because they have the harness doohickie built into them. They are supposed to release when needed, but I've never tested that and don't know if mine would.

I don't connect to my poles until I leave the chairlift because I like my shoulders as they are, and I teach all my students to wait until they are off to put their straps on... and to take the straps off before getting on. They hold both poles in one hand for the whole ride to help them remember. This is actually a ski school requirement at my mountain. I forget to disconnect in the trees, but I don't ski tight trees so that's OK and after all, they are supposed to release. I use them in bump skiing to help me flick the poles fast. I don't do hop turns; no need, and my knees are not up to it. I have a tendency to lose my poles in dense fresh snow and have to hike back up which I hate, so normally I stay connected to my poles.

That big thing in the image below is the harness; it fits onto your glove or mitten, and stays there. I changed to the Leki system because I got tired of fitting my big mittens up through the loops. It took forever, and in a group I was always last to get going. These click in fast. And out fast.
images
I second the leki trigger grips, especially for east coast skiers who are getting on/off lifts with frequency due to the shorter length of runs. I won’t ever go back to strapped poles.
 

BlizzardBabe

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I have Kerma poles with straps that stay "open." I can get them on and off faster than I've seen some folks click in and out of their Leki Triggers. Still, the release function on the Leki's is intriguing. I didn't know that about them. Oh, and don't lose that Leki over-glove thingie; they cost the earth to replace, apparently.1583937102406.png
 

Jilly

Moderator
Staff member
The only time I take my pole off my wrists are when I'm teaching or going up with kids. I just don't take them off usually.
 

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