Graphite or aluminum ski poles?

[drjeff]

If you ski a lot of trees, it's not uncommon to bend or break poles pretty frequently.

I can say that I've been charging trees for close to 20 years now and the only time I've ever broke a pole was when I got pissed off at myself for a stupid line I took and base ball batted a styling pair of neon orange with black accent Kerma corrective angles against a tree in some unmarked stuff @ Stratton

 

[deadheadskier]

Like I've mentioned, I've only had two pairs a poles, actually make that three over the past fifteen years or so. I replaced my last pair after a winter in Stowe spending 90% of my time in the woods over a 90 day season as I bent the heck out of those poles that winter. Lots of my friends that winter bent or broke poles. I probably haven't spent 10% as much time in the woods in my seven season since and haven't had a problem.

Just saying it's possible is all

 

[mondeo]

I have a closet full of bent poles. Either from planting them too hard on a bump and they sink in and drag me to the ground (a very effective surprise self-arrest technique) or from falling on them as they bridge two bumps.

 

[Glenn]

I only broken a pole once; out in Utah in my teens. Growing up skiing in the east, you could easily "accidentally" tap the bamboo markers and they'd fall over. Can't do that in Utah...they're actually burried more than 3" in the snow. I learned another lesson that day as well...never try to unbend a pole when you're outside and it's 20F outside. Life's little lessons.

 

[drjeff]

I learned another lesson that day as well...never try to unbend a pole when you're outside and it's 20F outside. Life's little lessons.

Let me guess, Mrs. Glenn was spanking you with her pole for making a bad descision again about what trail you just went down :lol:

 

[Glenn]

Let me guess, Mrs. Glenn was spanking you with her pole for making a bad descision again about what trail you just went down :lol:

LMAO!

That above story was a two-fer...Bamboo markers are burried deep in Utah...ski poles will snap if you try to unbend them...after trying to knock over said bamboo marker in Utal.

 

[tjf67]

I've had a few pairs of cheap aluminum poles in the last few years, they get bent up pretty easily. I just purchased a pair of composites, we'll see how I like them.

Careful in the bumps with them. That is where a lot of my snappage occured. Esp in the spring when you make the plant and it goes to deep. The snap they make is really a cool sound though.

 

[tjf67]

In all seriousness, WTF are you doing to be breaking multiple pairs?? Using them as "baseball bats" to trees and/or lift towers?? Forgetting to lift them going through a mid-station??

It happens in soft snow when you are charging. You make an aggressive pole plant the pole goes down farther than you want it to and BLAM 80 bucks out the window.
I ski over my poles a lot to but that never resulted in them snapping.

 

[bvibert]

Careful in the bumps with them. That is where a lot of my snappage occured. Esp in the spring when you make the plant and it goes to deep. The snap they make is really a cool sound though.

Thanks for the warning. I've practically had that happen with aluminum poles already this year, specifically the pole that the basket ripped off of. The composites that I'm getting only cost me $30 on sale so I'm not too worried. If they break then they break...