How important are ski poles?

NorthCascades
NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I'm asking about classic Nordic skiing.

Poles go for anywhere from about $20 to about $500. The more expensive ones are lighter, stiffer, made from better materials, and have better strap mechanisms and baskets, etc. I don't have enough experience to put that in context and decide how important it is to me. Does anybody have any advice?

Replies

  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    edited November 2016
    Lighter, stiffer, better materials, and better strap mechanisms and baskets means your skiing will be easier and the poles will hold up better. I wouldn't buy the cheapest ones, because you get what you pay for, but I wouldn't buy the most expensive either because I wouldn't get enough use to justify. We just got carbon fiber trekking poles on the web for less than half the usual price, less $ than aluminum. So it pays to look around. I will say the light weight and sturdiness of the carbon fiber is very nice, but I doubt we could have justified regular price. Have fun!
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    It's definitely worthwhile investing on good quality poles but unless you're thinking of going pro or just have too much money you don't need $500 ones. You can get a good carbon composite pole for under $100 (less if you get them on sale) that should give you years of service.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    Thanks folks.

    What I'm hoping is that somebody can help me understand what the differences are between bad and good poles, so that I can decide which of those things are worth paying for.

    I'm not too worried about durability because snow is soft.

    I don't need adjustable length because I'm going to use these on groomed trails.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,997 Member
    edited November 2016
    Poles generally are more important for nordic than downhill.

    For downhill, they are more a timing device and weight is seldom put on them except when skiing very steep mts or doing moguls. In nordic, you use the poles all the time to plant & push in combo w/the stride, plant and push off the skis to achieve the glide. The faster you want to go the harder the push off the poles and skis will need to be. You also use them more often in nordic for support doing herringbones, side steps and push offs going uphill.

    So, you should buy the lighest & strongest poles that you can afford The faster you want to go and the more difficult the terrain, the more inportant this will be.
  • peleroja
    peleroja Posts: 3,979 Member
    sgt1372 wrote: »
    Poles generally are more important for nordic than downhill.

    For downhill, they are more a timing device and weight is seldom put on them except when skiing very steep mts or doing moguls. In nordic, you use the poles all the time to plant & push in combo w/the stride, plant and push off the skis to achieve the glide. The faster you want to go the harder the push off the poles and skis will need to be. You also use them more often in nordic for support doing herringbones, side steps and push offs going uphill.

    So, you should buy the lighest & strongest poles that you can afford The faster you want to go and the more difficult the terrain, the more inportant this will be.

    This. I'm not a great cross-country skier or anything but IME, well-fitting, strong, light poles make a big difference because you do really use them a ton (unlike downhill, where I'm happy to use the cheapest poles I can find since I really only use them in moguls or for help turning on very steep blacks/double blacks and I'm not heavy enough or fast enough to need top-end stuff for that.)

    Personally, I would bypass the bargain poles and at least go for something mid-range. My current nordic poles have developed some interesting little bends over the years because they were kinda cheap and when I replace them, I think it'll be worth it to pick something a little higher end.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Durability IS important because they help propel you. If they bend you will work harder while skiing. If they fall apart or beak, it could feel like long way home! This never happened to me, but I didn't have $20 poles either.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    Thanks everybody! I appreciate all the input. :smile:
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