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Do you use pole straps?

marzNC

Angel Diva
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.
When I was using the bamboo poles that @santacruz skier brought to Taos, I liked the way the straps stayed open. She had a much harder time with the typical flat straps on my adjustable poles. Especially with mittens.

I can get straps on faster than some people with Leki trigger poles. I tend to do it on the move when loading or unloading a chairlift these days. I mostly wear gloves.
 

liquidfeet

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Back when I used poles with straps, my mittens took longer to get through the pole straps than my gloves. Less maneuverability or something.
 

SkiBam

Angel Diva
I ALWAYS take my poles off on any lift. All it takes is a tangle at the top (when folks manage to cross skis, run into each other - and believe me, I've had all these things happen) and I sure don't want my still-attached-to-me poles making it even worse. Take poles off. Hold them in one hand. That's what I do and, if asked, will encourage anyone to do. It's simple safety in my view.
 

BlizzardBabe

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Only take them off in Gondola's or surface lifts.

Wow. That surprises me. It would never occur to me to leave them on. It must be ingrained, because I don't remember being taught to take them off; I just do. Likewise, I'd never futz with putting them on while still on the chair. I do know that I like having a free hand to "catch" the chair on a fixed grip and to push off on a high speed detachable.

I ALWAYS take my poles off on any lift. All it takes is a tangle at the top (when folks manage to cross skis, run into each other - and believe me, I've had all these things happen) and I sure don't want my still-attached-to-me poles making it even worse.

I had this happen last week in Steamboat. An inexperienced person w/me on a full quad chair decided to exit the chair by executing a full snowplow. She took out the person on the other side of her but, luckily, I was on the end and was able to lift my inside ski and make a sharp turn on my outside. I don't know what would've happened if I'd had a pole in between (aside from perhaps using it as a weapon :nono: ).
 
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liquidfeet

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Our ski school has us teach everyone to take poles off and hold both of them on one hand for the entire lift ride. This is especially important while getting on and off since that's when most multiperson entanglements happen. We can't predict how clumsy others on the chair with us might be.
 

dloveski

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Just got Leki poles while at Big Sky. Click on and release quick. In trees they quick release. I just have to be sure I have the hand straps with me when I change gloves.
 

snow cat

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I just recently decided not to bother put on the straps on at all while skiing. Funnily enough I’ve had few tumble/falls since that decision but haven’t had a pole get lost/away from me or tangle up on/with me yet. But when I did have them on before, I found that they get more tangled up if there’s a fall.
 

fgor

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I've never used pole straps out of paranoia about thumb injury. Maybe I'd use them if I had releasable straps? I often still have my poles in my hands after a fall anyway! I always sit on my poles on chairlifts so if I did use the straps, I'd be taking them off then.

Interestingly, someone told me that straps are good to use for some ski technique reaaon, like that using the straps means you can grip the pole less tightly and reduce upper body tension while skiing? Not sure. Interesting idea though.
 

snoWYmonkey

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I use my straps with my massive mittens all winter long. Never getting on or off lifts, and sometimes I unstrap when skiing tight skis. I love being able to drop the pole while skiing to look at my clock, or even when stopped to pull off my mitten and grab something. I use traditional straps as I take my mittens off a lot in a lesson and the Leki system makes it harder to take them off as it is usually snug around the glove or mitten.
 

NewEnglandSkier

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I always used to use the straps, but then last year and again this year the mountain I'm skiing has short runs, so I find I don't bother using the straps anymore.
 

Amie H

Angel Diva
I quit using the straps, I'm not sure when but long ago. That said, I'm still using my 1989-90ish purple Aero Flite poles made in Shelburne, VT.20220205_192303.jpg I've bought other poles but these are the OG for me!
 

altagirl

Moderator
Staff member
@Amie. LOL, DH was trying to repair an ancient pole basket recently. We have a dozen pairs of newer poles but he doesn’t like any of them because the grips are "wrong". He's considering using a mismatched set of 20 year old beat to death poles because apparently the many hundreds of dollars we've spent on poles since then are all garbage. And there is virtually no paint left on the "good" ones so its not like I could find him a replacement even if you could find it because who knows whay they are. I give up.
 

Amie H

Angel Diva
@Amie. LOL, DH was trying to repair an ancient pole basket recently. We have a dozen pairs of newer poles but he doesn’t like any of them because the grips are "wrong". He's considering using a mismatched set of 20 year old beat to death poles because apparently the many hundreds of dollars we've spent on poles since then are all garbage. And there is virtually no paint left on the "good" ones so its not like I could find him a replacement even if you could find it because who knows whay they are. I give up.
One of the baskets on my poles is really beat up, but it's fine bc I'm mostly on hardpack, anyway.

I really do love these grips. I've tried 3-4 others that didn't feel right.
 

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