Ex-skier Anssi Pentsinen, who represented Finland in two Olympics, tells what to consider when choosing ski poles.
When purchasing ski equipment, consideration is often focused on skis, but you also need high-quality poles for the slopes.
A fitness athlete can be confused when choosing cross-country skiing poles, because the price difference is huge. You can get the cheapest adult ski poles for 12 euros, but top equipment costs already 400 euros.
Former national team skier, currently running his own ski shop Anssi Pentsinen tells you which things you should pay attention to in rod shops.
– Poles have at least the same difference as skis. If you compare professional racing poles with the poles of a few dozen people, the difference is astronomical.
1) Length
Anssi Pentsinen is an expert in ski equipment. Jenni Gästgivar
First you have to choose whether you want to ski freestyle or traditional. It determines the required rod length.
There are length tables online, but Pentsinen recommends testing the rods yourself. A good rule of thumb is shoulder height.
– In traditional poles, the standard is that the attachment point of the strap is at the level of the upper part of the shoulder blade. The shoulder and the stick should form an angle of about 90 degrees.
– The free stick should be about a fist’s height above the shoulder. The attachment point of the strap is approximately at the level of your own chin.
The length can vary by 1–2 centimeters, for example, depending on whether you are skiing straight push or shift skiing. The important thing is that you can lean on the poles while skiing and hold them with your own body weight.
– If the rod is too short, this is very difficult to do. With a long pole, you would have to raise your shoulders, which could cause your shoulders to get stuck. The pole would be at a gentle angle when skiing, which would make it difficult to generate power.
Some manufacturers indicate the length of the rod from the tip of the spike to the highest point of the rod, others on the other hand from the tip of the spike to the attachment point.
2) The price controls
The length is chosen using the shoulder as a guide. Jenni Gästgivar
Just like when choosing skis, you also have to think about your own skiing when buying poles. Are you looking for a light outdoor activity, sweat exercise or perhaps a competition?
In Pentsinen’s opinion, market rods of a few dozen are suitable for outdoor activities at most. You can get basic good and durable poles for 80–90 euros.
– When we go to fitness sports and sweat exercise, the price is a hundred euros and a little more. The price of poles suitable for fitness skiing events is 150–250 euros. At the competition level, we are at 300 euros.
Poles in the lower price category are made of fiberglass or aluminum. There are also carbon fiber and mixed rods with both carbon fiber and composite on the market. Roughly speaking, the more carbon fiber, the more expensive the rod.
In more expensive rods, the tube is not as thick and shock-resistant, because the manufacturer has invested in lightness.
– Aluminum rods are very resistant to knocks, as is fiberglass. Durability decreases in carbon fiber materials. They can withstand use, but they don’t take more than a few bumps.
3) Stiffness and weight
The shoulder line should be used as an aid in the measurement. On the left, a suitable length pole for freestyle skiing, on the right for traditional. Jenni Gästgivar
The two properties of a ski pole are stiffness and lightness. Often, a more expensive rod is stiffer and lighter than cheaper alternatives.
In a good rod, the stiffness is suitable for your weight and target level.
– Stiffness is by far the most important factor, emphasizes Pentsinen.
– If the emphasis is on sweating and efficient skiing, it’s worth putting a few tens or a hundred more to get a stiff pole.
You can test the stiffness by leaning on the rod and evaluating how the tube underneath flexes.
– Even if you are an occasional skier, but the weight is more, it is worth investing in the stiffness of the pole. However, poles are used to rest the weight of one’s own body.
The next most important thing is the weight of the rod itself. There is a difference of tens of grams in weight between a cheap and an expensive rod.
– The advantage of a stiff and light pole is that you dare to reserve weight for it. It takes strength.
4) Details
On the right is the tube of a more expensive rod, on the left is a rod worth a good hundred euros. Jenni Gästgivar
Then the attention is paid to the details.
The cork handle is significantly warmer to the hand than the plastic or urethane handle familiar from cheap models.
The rod strap, on the other hand, must be suitable for your hand. There are few straps left on the wrist from the bottom, as most poles have a strap that goes into the palm.
– Beginners are often surprised that the strap can be chosen according to the size of the palm. The palm strap must be suitable so that the hand does not slip off. The glove must also fit.
– There are poles with quick straps, where the thongs can be clicked off the poles. People like to take a lot of photos. There can be a lot of road crossings that you have to take out the poles often.
The exerciser should also take a look at the lower part of the pole.
The steel or aluminum spike known from inexpensive rods is less resistant to use than hard metal. Snow conditions, on the other hand, affect the size of the soma.
– Sompa can be changed according to the weather. In some rod models, even during the trip without tools.
5) Don’t screw up
In the straight thrust, the poles can be slightly longer than the rule of thumb. Remmi has to sit on the hand. Jenni Gästgivar
Once the poles have been chosen, it is important to protect them from unnecessary bumps.
– A protective pole case is always recommended. It is definitely worth having a pole tube, especially in an airplane or ski box.
Pentsinen reminds that a fitness enthusiast does not have to be an expert in pole matters.
– If you don’t know, the best thing is to go to the place to try the rods and ask the experts for help.