how to choose ski poles?

[tinymoose]

Another option is to buy adjustable poles. I finally did this after messing around with pole lengths for years. After a bit of adjusting, I finally got them to a length I'm comfortable with for now, but if I want to change it down the road if my skiing or preference changes, I can.

 

[Jilly]

She has adjustable poles. And finds them heavy.

But tinymoose has a point. Find the length with those.

 

[tinymoose]

She has adjustable poles. And finds them heavy.

But tinymoose has a point. Find the length with those.

Ooops! I didn't read the first post again and it had been a few days. Are trekking poles heavier? I haven't noticed that my ski poles feel any heavier than my old non-adjustable poles.

But yeah, find the length with those and then buy that length!

 

[volklgirl]

Almost as important as length is the grip shape and size, and how they fit with your gloves or mittens. I've had some that I liked in the store, but absolutely hated with mittens on. Like helmets and goggles, try the poles with the gloves you typically use.

 

[mustski]

I am piggy backing here. I use Leki trigger poles which I love. However, I am in the market for adjustable poles. I am starting to ski bumps more and a friend I ski with swears by adjustable poles. He shortens them for bump skiing and lengthens them for powder. What do you all think of that approach?

 

[marzNC]

I am piggy backing here. I use Leki trigger poles which I love. However, I am in the market for adjustable poles. I am starting to ski bumps more and a friend I ski with swears by adjustable poles. He shortens them for bump skiing and lengthens them for powder. What do you all think of that approach?

I got adjustable poles for the same reason a while back. I was starting to do short (5-15) in-bounds hikes at Alta. Also just to be able to experiment with pole length in general.

Learned quickly that my Alta instructor hates adjustable poles. I think he doesn't trust them to hold up in steep terrain. My first pair of adustable poles were too cheap so I understood his concern. Now I also have light weight regular poles. What I use now are much shorter than what I was using 10 years ago. Partially due to Diva threads in recent years about pole length.

 

[Jilly]

As an instructor, I'm not getting the shorter poles for bumps. I plant/touch my pole on the down side of the bump. I need the regular length to do that. It also makes me keep my weight forward. Shorter would be too far forward.

 

[santacruz skier]

As an instructor, I'm not getting the shorter poles for bumps. I plant/touch my pole on the down side of the bump. I need the regular length to do that. It also makes me keep my weight forward. Shorter would be too far forward.

I think my new grass sticks are too short. 41 1/2 inches and I feel like I am too far forward on bumps.... but am told my 44 inch poles (same size for years) were too long ....

 

[GeoGirl]

Ooops! I didn't read the first post again and it had been a few days. Are trekking poles heavier? I haven't noticed that my ski poles feel any heavier than my old non-adjustable poles.

But yeah, find the length with those and then buy that length!

there are probably lightweight adjustable poles, but mine were the cheapest possible option... thanks for the advice, I'll mess around with the length and see what fits best

 

[diymom]

Got an email from Grass Sticks with a 15% off code which expires on Oct. 22. The code is STICKFAMILY918

 

[santacruz skier]

Got an email from Grass Sticks with a 15% off code which expires on Oct. 22. The code is STICKFAMILY918

Great poles!

 

[DvR]

I'll try. The poles come with adjustable straps that you wear over your gloves/mittens. On the part of the strap that runs between your thumb and the rest of your fingers, there's a little plastic loop. When you want to click in to your poles, you simply insert the loop into a notch in the pole handle and press down. To release, you push a button on the top of the handle. The straps stay on your gloves all the time, and you can transfer them from one pair of gloves to another, whenever you want.

This video might help:

This will be my first season using the Leki Trigger S system. Is there a learning curve to using them? When you take a break during your ski day do you leave the straps on the pole or take them with you?

 

[ski diva]

This will be my first season using the Leki Trigger S system. Is there a learning curve to using them? When you take a break during your ski day do you leave the straps on the pole or take them with you?

There's pretty much no learning curve. They're so easy to use that it takes just moments to get it down.

And since I wear the straps on my glove, they just come with me.

 

[DvR]

Thank you! Which gloves did you buy?

 

[tinymoose]

Thank you! Which gloves did you buy?

It really doesn't matter the gloves. I use everything from leather heavy duty mittens to lighter weight gloves. The velcro straps that attach to the poles are adjustable to fit whatever gloves/mittens you have.

 

[DvR]

It really doesn't matter the gloves. I use everything from leather heavy duty mittens to lighter weight gloves. The velcro straps that attach to the poles are adjustable to fit whatever gloves/mittens you have.

Leki makes ski gloves with the plastic ring so you don’t have to wear the straps.