Poles for Kids?

[Greg]

I think this has come up before. When is the right time to get poles for your kids? My oldest will turn 6 in January and this is her third season skiing. She wants poles, I think just to be more like daddy. She's starting to make parallel turns, but still wedges to slow down quickly and stop. My feeling is poles will get in the way more than they will help right now, but she still says she wants them. Any thoughts?

 

[skiing is life]

if her balance is good and she rarely falls when she parallel turns then yes you probably should.

 

[SkiDork]

we started both ours at 6, when they started with KSC. I think she's ready.

 

[miskier]

I started my daughter with poles at 5 years old right from the start. I figured she did know how to ski at all so give her the poles now so she would not have to learn to use the poles after she has started to learn without them.

 

[bvibert]

If you would just get her to start skiing the bumps on Temptor she wouldn't need poles, as the bumps would come up to her hands anyway...

 

[billski]

My kids started skiing at age 4 and were pole-less until age 8. They turned out to be pretty decent skiers, but I must admit, they don't use their poles like they should (most people don't really). Then again, they are not as fanatical about skiing as I am.

Poles can be a crutch and a distraction at a young age. I vote for no poles early and give them lessons. Concentrate on one thing at a time. If the instructor gives the cue the kid is ready, then get them, otherwise wait.

 

[MrMagic]

Greg you are right about everything you said, she wants poles to be like dad and other skiers. Poles will make her fell more like a complete skier which will boast her confidence, but in turn if she does not use her poles they will get in the way. when kids have poles and they don’t use them they tend to hold them closer to their upper body sometimes making their upper body more tense, which can lead to other things, others will simply tuck them under their arms and bombs away. So without seeing your daughter skiing, is a tough call, this is what I would do make a goal of having poles toward the end of the season, there are a lot of good drills you can do with your daughter ( which mean you might be skiing with out your poles too) that will help her, that way when you give her the poles she know what to do with them and how to use them. Just my .2

 

[crank]

Give her the poles.

 

[Euler]

I gave poles to my kids when they wanted them. I was a bit relieved when they did ask for them as it makes it a lot easier to traverse the flats from lift to trail or the bottom of a trail to the lift with poles to help.

My daughter (10) is getting better with her pole use. She pole plants to time and start turns, but needs to quiet down her arm and torso swings that are happening as a result of the poles. My son ( 8 yrs) just holds them and uses them for stabilizing wings as he hops merrily over every possible bump/jump in his path!

I'm of the mind that skiing is just fun, and that kids will learn the basics just fine without too much worrying about technique. If they choose to become "advanced" and fine tune thier technique, they can take lessons or whatever when they want. If they ski a lot (I'm sure your kids ski a lot Greg) I think they will naturally learn what feels right and what works through trial and error and watching other good skiers ski. My daughter will be enrolling in Mt. Snow's Development program starting next week...I'll let the coach there work with her on her technique 'cause she's sure as hell not going to take any advice from her old man.

 

[freezorburn]

My son started skiing at 2-3. He was skiing by himself and insisted on poles 3-4 Years old.

Advice: DON"T OVER SIZE THE POLES. keep the poles the size the child needs do not get poles they "Will grow into."

Buy cheep poles cut them and get another set next year.

 

[gores95]

We started our oldest daughter on poles when she was 7/8. Our youngest daughter is six this year and I will probably give her poles at the end of the season so she is ready for next year. She is already bugging us so she will probably start earlier. She is also a better skier than her sister was at her age.

Experts will tell you to wait as long as possible on poles for kids...especially when it comes to getting on chairlifts with them! Advice on buying poles for kids....buy adjustable poles. We bought my now 11 year old them when she was seven and she will be using them again this year!!!

http://www.levelninesports.com/goode-composite-orange-junior-quick-adjust-ski-poles-p-538.html

Third pole down: http://goode.com/skipolemodel3.html#18 QUICK

 

[hiroto]

Give her condition. If she is old enough to have poles, she is old enough to ski bumps

 

[hiroto]

BTW, it is mighty pain until they are 8 or so and old enough to manage their poles themselves when getting on and off the chair. My daughter is 7 and I still cannot trust her to carry the poles onto the chair by herself. After all, she is still too short so I have to pick her up onto the chair anyway.

 

[freezorburn]

Experts will tell you to wait as long as possible on poles for kids...

See I disagree. I am and was one of those "Experts" . I trained, competed, coached and instructed skiing for 20 years.

I feel the "experts" at the PSIA don't know crap. There NAZI ski teaching methods don't always work. In in Many, many cases hurt the development of there students.

I am putting my money where my mouth is. My son he has been skiing (Standing by himself on snow) since he was 2. I gave him poles last year at 3-4 years old. This year he will be 5 and skiing the mountain by himself with poles and no leash.

So It depends. My son Needed and wanted Poles and it helped him get better. We ski 30 to 40 days a year and I push my kids to ski, I drop them off at ski school. However, I always pick them up early 2ish and ski train them for 2 hours.

 

[gores95]

See I disagree. I am and was one of those "Experts" . I trained, competed, coached and instructed skiing for 20 years.

I feel the "experts" at the PSIA don't know crap. There NAZI ski teaching methods don't always work. In in Many, many cases hurt the development of there students.

I am putting my money where my mouth is. My son he has been skiing (Standing by himself on snow) since he was 2. I gave him poles last year at 3-4 years old. This year he will be 5 and skiing the mountain by himself with poles and no leash.

So It depends. My son Needed and wanted Poles and it helped him get better. We ski 30 to 40 days a year and I push my kids to ski, I drop them off at ski school. However, I always pick them up early 2ish and ski train them for 2 hours.

I think the issue isn't the actual skiing its getting on and off (especially on) the chairlift. Plus I think skiing without poles actually makes them a better skier. Then adding poles later takes them to another level! Have you ever tried skiing without poles....not so easy!!!! JMHO.

 

[Starter Jackets Rule!]

I think this has come up before. When is the right time to get poles for your kids? My oldest will turn 6 in January and this is her third season skiing. She wants poles, I think just to be more like daddy. She's starting to make parallel turns, but still wedges to slow down quickly and stop. My feeling is poles will get in the way more than they will help right now, but she still says she wants them. Any thoughts?

Age Four!
Why did you wait so long?

 

[Starter Jackets Rule!]

I think the issue isn't the actual skiing its getting on and off (especially on) the chairlift. Plus I think skiing without poles actually makes them a better skier. Then adding poles later takes them to another level! Have you ever tried skiing without poles....not so easy!!!! JMHO.

Come on the kid has been skiing for THREE YEARS!
Did you even read the question posed by Greg?

 

[rueler]

Greg,

It sounds like poles will bring a big smile to her face. That's a good thing! It'll keep her coming back for more. When it comes down to it, you should do what's going to make you and her happy about the ski experience.

When teaching little ones, I never look at a certain age when poles should be introduced...I look for certain skills to be in place before I feel comfortable introducing poles to the younger skier. From your description Greg, it sounds like she's moving around well on her skis...it shouldn't be a problem.

A quick checklist of skills I usually look for before introducing poles:

___ able to move both skis/legs independently

___ able to show signs of being able to skate on flat terrain

___ able to perform the sidestep or herringbone walk to travel up slight inclines


___ able to turn in control (doesn't matter whether it's wedge, christie or open parallel turns) and come to a complete stop (this is my make or break)


From my experience as a ski teacher, if most of these skills are not in place before introducing the poles, the transition to poles will be more difficult.

I like to see strong skills and movement patterns in the feet and legs before giving a student poles. Giving poles before the student has skill moving and turning their skis in control will sometimes lead to the young skier overusing their upper body/poles to help correct movements that aren't happening.

 

[Starter Jackets Rule!]

Greg,

It sounds like poles will bring a big smile to her face. That's a good thing! It'll keep her coming back for more. When it comes down to it, you should do what's going to make you and her happy about the ski experience.

When teaching little ones, I never look at a certain age when poles should be introduced...I look for certain skills to be in place before I feel comfortable introducing poles to the younger skier. From your description Greg, it sounds like she's moving around well on her skis...it shouldn't be a problem.

A quick checklist of skills I usually look for before introducing poles:

___ able to move both skis/legs independently

___ able to show signs of being able to skate on flat terrain

___ able to perform the sidestep or herringbone walk to travel up slight inclines


___ able to turn in control (doesn't matter whether it's wedge, christie or open parallel turns) and come to a complete stop (this is my make or break)


From my experience as a ski teacher, if most of these skills are not in place before introducing the poles, the transition to poles will be more difficult.

I like to see strong skills and movement patterns in the feet and legs before giving a student poles. Giving poles before the student has skill moving and turning their skis in control will sometimes lead to the young skier overusing their upper body/poles to help correct movements that aren't happening.

Again, The kid has been skiing for Three Years. need we go on?
I will bet anyone here that I can get Greg's kid railing turns in four runs!
Any takers?

 

[tjf67]

I think this has come up before. When is the right time to get poles for your kids? My oldest will turn 6 in January and this is her third season skiing. She wants poles, I think just to be more like daddy. She's starting to make parallel turns, but still wedges to slow down quickly and stop. My feeling is poles will get in the way more than they will help right now, but she still says she wants them. Any thoughts?

When it looks like the poles will help her progress then it is time to give her poles. If she is 6 and has skied for three years she is either there or getting very close. My budddies kid is 4 and he just got his poles this weekend. he was so excited after skiing he asked if he could bring his poles home with him(they have a locker)