Do you want to go to the mountains or spend a day in the fresh air, and have already looked after yourself a pair of wonderful skis? But what about sticks? Without the right ski poles, fantasies will remain only fantasies! How to do optimal choice ski poles without risking ruining your vacation?

General information about ski poles

Perhaps, ski poles- one of the most important elements in all ski equipment. When choosing them, you need to take into account key parameter - length.

It doesn't matter if it's lightweight sticks from modern materials, with many convenient and useful properties, for example, detachable handles or a unique point, as long as they fit the height of the skier. If this element of uniform turns out to be too long or too short, the rest of the pluses can simply be overlooked.

If the sticks are too long, the arms will have to be raised above the normal position, which means that there will be no prescribed bend in the elbow, and with it the necessary impulse for the correct entry into the turn will disappear. Using too short sticks, the skier simply reduces the time he needs to enter the turn and deprives himself of support, thereby forcing himself to lean more. The conclusion is simple and obvious - ski poles need to be selected wisely and according to height.

Ski poles

How to choose ski poles by length?

To pick up stick length for skiing optimal length, you need to squeeze the inverted stick into a fist under its stopper (ring), press the elbow to the body. Shoulder and forearm in this position will be at right angles to each other. The lower part of the clenched fist will be located at the level of the waist or slightly above it. This example is done in ski boots at home or in a ski stand if the poles are picked up in the snow.

Table for selecting the length of ski poles by height:

There are sticks straight and curved. If straight lines can be called universal, suitable for both beginners and experienced riders, then curves are needed for sports riding. So, on high-speed descents, or in the giant slalom, they somewhat improve aerodynamics.

Telescopic poles needed for ski tourists, and can be used even by beginners (provided that the skier agrees to assemble and disassemble them each time).

shaft material. The aluminum shaft is light and comfortable to use, strong enough to withstand all the mistakes of a beginner skier. A composite shaft breaks easily on impact or heavy loading, fiberglass and carbon fiber may not withstand even a small cut by the edge of the ski.

Hand strap on sticks is called a lanyard. It is used so that the stick is not lost, and to create support for the hand. It is good if the loop has a buckle so that it can be adjusted to fit the hand. With the correct selection of the lanyard and the length of the stick, when riding, the hand will rest on this particular strap, the wrist will move freely in it, and the hand clenched into a fist will not slip out.

Rings on the bottom sticks are needed to create additional support, hold the stick on required level(so that it does not go deeper into the snow) and ensure safety. If ski poles are used only for skiing on a special track, you can get by with small rings, and for freeriding and skiing on freshly fallen snow, you need large rings.

Tip- a metal (metal is not used in children's ski poles) part at the lower end of the stick, which helps to push off when riding. H tips for ski poles There are two types: in the form of an inverse cone (universal form) and in the form of a jagged point used for ice skating.

stick handle is selected individually, but the main thing is that it is not slippery or smooth.

Cross-country ski poles

To calculate ski pole length for skating, about 20 cm must be subtracted from the height of an adult. It is believed that the result of this will be the appropriate height of the sticks. If the skier has strong arms, he can use longer poles, but their top point should not be above the earlobe and not below the shoulder. For kids the length of the stick is selected in a similar way.

For a classic course, ski poles are needed 30 cm shorter than the height of the skier, the same size of poles is needed for off-piste skiing.

Table for selecting the length of cross-country ski poles:

Cross-country ski poles are selected from any materials A: CFRP, aluminum and so on. Since the risks of breaking or bending the stick during such skiing are reduced, there is no need to rely on the skill of the skier. However, for off-piste skiing it is better to take aluminum ski poles. If you are not a professional athlete, choose only straight poles, curves will not affect the performance of the skier in any way.

Lanyard(hand strap) for such ski poles can be made of both leather and synthetic strap, but leather is preferable: this material is softer and will not rub your hand during prolonged skiing.

stick rings must be large: cross-country skiing suggest skiing on virgin soil and off-piste, which means that a large diameter of the rings is simply necessary so that the stick does not go deeper into the snow. Rings up to 5 cm in diameter are suitable for hard snow and knurled tracks, rings up to 8 cm are suitable for medium-hard snow, and rings up to 12 cm in diameter are used for skiing on virgin snow.

A pen for cross-country skiing should also not be smooth or slippery, but the best option becomes a corrugated handle made of soft rubber with finger grooves and a ledge at the bottom.

Top 5 best stick manufacturers

  • HEAD is an American company famous all over the world for its sports equipment (skis and poles). It is considered the first in the world in terms of convenience and popularity.
  • Rossignol is a French company that manufactures skis, snowboards and equipment for winter views sports. Ski poles are produced in the middle price category for men, women and children, mainly made of aluminum alloy and carbon fiber.
  • Atomic is an Austrian manufacturer of above-average sports equipment. Produces sticks with a shaft made of aluminum alloy, carbon.
  • Fisher is a company whose skis and poles are often featured in various competitions. Their SWIX division is another popular brand with athletes. So, using sticks
  • SWIX and Fisher skis, Fillon Maillet became European Biathlon Champion in 2013.
  • Choose poles according to your height - poles that are too long or too short will only get in the way. The second factor to pay attention to is the riding style. In the end, you need to focus on convenience - all recommendations are universal, which means that they are not always suitable for certain people.
  • For beginners, it is advisable to choose the lightest poles, but avoid fragile carbon fiber and carbon fiber - by the evening, even the lightest poles will seem an incredibly heavy burden to a tired beginner.
  • After skating, it is enough to wipe the sticks with a damp cloth, and then wipe dry. But you don’t need to wash them under running water or try to dry them near heat sources.

Production of ski poles - video

And now we invite you to see how high-quality ski poles are made.

What kind of poles do you use? Tell us about how you chose them! This information will be useful for those who are just learning to ski and choosing their first ski poles.

Published: February 4, 2016.

Why you need to select ski poles for height

The technique of skiing involves the performance of certain movements. Among these movements there is also repulsion by hands with ski poles. At the same time, such repulsions must be synchronized with the rest of the body movements.

At such moments, the body of the skier is in a certain position. And to work with your hands in such positions, sticks of a certain length are needed. Since all skiers are of different heights, everyone needs their own length of poles. And the only criterion in this case was the growth of a person. That is why the selection of ski poles for the height of a particular skier is so important.

Everyone can verify this for himself. It is enough just to ride with sticks of different lengths. Sticks that are too long or too short are uncomfortable to push. And in order not to test when buying, they have long been using the experience gained by many years and generations of skiers in the selection of ski poles.

Especially this experience will be useful for beginner skiers. They are just beginning to get acquainted with the technique of skiing. And it will not be easy for them to determine what length of stick is best. And how do you even use sticks?

How to properly wear ski poles

For those who decide to try the length of ski poles for themselves now, it will be useful to learn how to hold them correctly. And for other novice athletes or amateur skiers, this knowledge will also be useful.

To properly hold the ski pole with your right hand, you need to take it with your left hand just below the handle. Brush right hand from bottom to top, you need to insert into the strap loop of the handle of the ski pole. Then grab her hand with your palm. This places the pen strap under the palm and around the wrist. See pictures below.

This is the best way to hold the stick. When pushing, the hand will rest on the strap and the fingers will not strain too much. After the push, the stick will remain hanging on the hand and will not be lost. To do this, you just need to adjust the length of the strap according to the brush in place.

What are ski poles made of?

Since we got to the handle with a strap, it will be useful to find out what else ski poles consist of. Main parts of ski poles: shaft, handle, lanyard, paw and tip. Where is the strap and rings? A little more on this below.

Shaft

The shaft or shaft of a ski pole is its main part. Actually, once upon a time it was she who was limited to the complete set of ski poles. The main purpose of the shaft is to transmit force from the hand to the surface of the earth. With the help of the shaft, in fact, there is a push by the skier's hand.

The rod can be from different material. Once it was just a wooden stick. Then they began to use stronger and lighter bamboo. Bamboo sticks have been used for a very long time. And only from the middle of the last century, aluminum and its alloys began to be used for its manufacture.

Today, even titanium is used to make the shaft. It is a light and durable metal that is used in the aviation industry. Composite materials and products of the chemical industry are widely used. The most comfortable sticks are made of carbon fiber and fiberglass. But they are also the most expensive.

For an amateur skier, poles made of aluminum alloys are quite suitable. They are quite light and durable. What else does a skier need? Yes, one more thing. When there were not enough strong materials for the rod, its shape was in the form of a cylinder. Today, the shaft is made cone-shaped. This shifts the center of gravity of the stick towards the handle. When using such a stick, the athlete's hand gets tired less.

A pen

The handle is needed in order to make it more convenient to hold the ski pole. Therefore, the handles are often made anatomically shaped with notches for the fingers. In addition, a small stop or ledge is sometimes made at the bottom of the handle, which takes some of the load off the fingers.

The handles are mostly made of plastic. More expensive sticks use cork, leather, and other materials, and combinations thereof. It is better to use handles with a non-slip surface. It is better to hold them by hand. And there is another very important factor to consider.

Ski poles are used in winter, when the air temperature can reach quite low values. And so that your hands do not freeze, it will be better if the handle is made of a material with low thermal conductivity.

Lanyard

It is also called a strap or a loop. When pushing, the hand rests precisely on the lanyard and only partially on the stick. The task of the lanyard is also to keep the hand on the handle during the push. Well, do not lose the ski pole after the push, when it practically hangs on the wrist.

Everyone's hand size is different. To adjust the length of the strap on the handle, a special adjusting device is made. Today, the lanyard is made not just a strap, but it is made in the shape of a hand. As a result, it becomes completely different from the strip of skin that it was originally. The material for the manufacture of the lanyard can also be synthetic fabrics.

Once upon a time, rings made of various materials were used to support the stick on the snow. They were fixed at its lower end with leather straps or otherwise. Today, rings are used in cases where ski poles are used on soft snow or even on virgin soil.

They are used by tourists during ski trips, hunters and just lovers to wander through the virgin snow. Due to the large surface of the support, sticks with rings fall less into the snow. On a prepared ski track, small supports in the form of bird legs are more often used. There are enough of them on a compacted ski track.

The material for the manufacture of paws are different kinds plastics. This material is strong enough and weighs a little. The shape of the foot can be the most diverse.

Tip

The tip on modern ski poles is often combined with the foot. But sometimes they are made separately. The only task of the tip is to keep the stick in one place during the push. To do this, the tip is made sharp and metallic. After all, a ski pole can also rest on a hard surface. It could be ice too. The task of the tip is to keep it in any conditions.

Since the tip is very sharp, the stick must be used carefully. This will help prevent injury to those around you.

How to choose ski poles

Selection of ski poles by height

There are several ways to choose ski poles depending on the height of the skier. In addition, their length varies depending on the style that the skier uses.

How to choose ski poles for classic skiing

The size of ski poles for a classic course is chosen depending on the height of the skier. A skier in full gear and boots places poles next to him. With the correct length of the poles, the top of the poles should be level with the skier's shoulder.

Well, or another way. If you hold the ski pole in your hand vertically and at the same time set it aside, then the hand should take a horizontal position. Another way. If there are skis, then stand on the skis and put the sticks next to you. They should enter under the shoulder (in the armpit) with a little effort. It is allowed to slightly raise the shoulder without rising on the toes.

Length of ski poles for skating

The length of the skate sticks should be slightly higher than for the classics. The size of ski poles for skating is also chosen based on the height of the skier. A skier in boots places sticks vertically next to him. Their height should reach the earlobe or the tip of the nose.

If there are already optimal length ski poles for the classics, then the task is simplified. It is enough to add 10 cm to their length. We get the size of ski poles for skating.

How to choose ski poles by height according to the table

It is even easier to choose the length of ski poles using the data in the table below. It shows the sizes of sticks for skating and classic skiing, depending on the height of a person.

How much do ski poles cost

The price of ski poles depends on the manufacturer, the materials from which they are made, and the quality. The cost of sticks starts from a few hundred rubles and ends in many thousands.

It is not necessary to chase expensive and prestigious sticks. The main thing is that they perform the functions assigned to them. Moreover, you should not buy expensive ski poles if you plan to ski only a few times per season. Good amateur sticks can be bought for 500 - 800 rubles. But, if possible, it is better to buy sticks more expensive and better quality.

Where to buy ski poles

Ski poles can be purchased at your nearest sporting goods store. If there is none nearby or there is not a very rich assortment in it, then you can become the happy owner of good ski poles by wandering around the online store. In case of purchase, delivery directly to your home is possible.

November 5 in Zurich Council International Federation Nordic Skiing (FIS) approved changes to the rules regarding the height of the poles for the classic course, which should now be no higher than 83% of the height of the skier.

As the website of the FLG KhMAO has already reported, changes to the rules were proposed on September 30 at the autumn meeting of the FIS committees. From the current 2016/17 season, in all FIS competitions, the ski poles of a classic competitor must not exceed 83% of the skier's height (height measured in ski boots). Read the FIS explanation of the new rules.

The FIS Council at its meeting approved these changes, which are now officially made in the rules of cross-country skiing (International Competition Rules - ICR). And now, in all competitions under the auspices of the FIS, these rules must be respected. FROM complete calendar competitions under the auspices of FIS in Russia in the 2016/17 season, you can familiarize yourself with.

343.8.1
In competitions classic style The maximum length of the ski pole must not exceed 83% of the competitor's height. In freestyle competitions, the maximum length of the ski pole must not exceed 100% of the competitor's height. Height is measured while the competitor is standing with ski boots on a flat surface without headgear.

The length of a ski pole is measured from its lowest point (the tip of the foot tip) to the highest attachment point of the strap (lanyard).

All measurements must be rounded to the nearest centimeter as follows: less than 0.5 cm rounded down to the nearest whole number; 0.5 cm or more rounded up to the nearest whole number.

343.12.1
In all competitions, the replacement of the pole is only allowed if the pole is broken or damaged. In classic racing, if both poles are replaced, they must also meet the conditions specified in rule 343.8.1 (i.e. they must also measure 83% of the skier's height).

Below is a table of pole sizes for classic racing

Methodical instructions:

The Race Jury decides when and where to organize a procedure (or procedures) for checking the length of ski poles.

The organizers of the competition are responsible for providing the participants with the means to measure the length of ski poles. A few weeks before the start of the ski competition, the competition jury should send the organizers a list of the necessary equipment for measuring the length of the ski poles.

Not all athletes may be subject to verification - control can be carried out in any order. But at the start of the season, most athletes need to be tested.

Ski poles will not be marked.

Measurement

Devices for measuring the length of ski poles must be available during official practice. Athletes must be able to independently measure the length of their ski poles. Also, athletes should be able to measure the length of their ski poles before the start of the race and after the finish. If necessary, several devices for measuring the length of ski poles should be available.

In mass races (marathons), a device for measuring the length of ski poles must be available at the entrance to each start box.

At mass starts, where it is not possible to measure poles before the start of the race, it is necessary to schedule a measurement after the finish.

Sanctions

An athlete who has entered the start with equipment that does not comply with the rules is not allowed to start the race (ICR 351.2).

Athletes who use ski poles during a race that do not comply with ICR 343.8.1 must be sanctioned.

Replacing the stick in case of breakage

When replacing one stick, the length of the new stick does not matter. If both sticks have been changed, then they must comply with ICR 343.8.1.

Roller skiing competitions

Due to the fact that an athlete on roller skates stands taller than an athlete on skis, the maximum length of poles for roller ski racing in a classic course should not exceed 83% of the height of the skier + 5 cm (that is, the maximum length of the poles is calculated by the formula “(h + 5 cm)x0.83", where "h" is the height of the skier in centimeters.

original document (on English language), which reflects the changes in the rules, you can download

Skis are a universal type of equipment for sports, suitable for both extreme sportsmen who prefer steep slopes and lovers of quiet walks in the park. Sports equipment stores offer a huge range of models for different purposes. This article will tell you how to choose skis for height and weight, not to get confused when choosing a cherished pair and take into account all the criteria - from riding style to the physical parameters of the skier.

In this sport, the following areas are distinguished:

  1. Speed ​​skating on the track (professional sports).
  2. Skiing on prepared slopes (carving).
  3. Trail riding and all of them (universal).
  4. Riding on virgin soil and off-piste (freeride).

For each type of skiing, there is a certain sports equipment, the rules for choosing which must be studied before going to the store.

First, you need to decide on the type of activity. Will it be cross-country running or mountain riding. Sports ammunition for each of the ways of skiing has its own. Basically, these are classic, walking or skating methods.

Secondly, it is necessary to understand the methodology for the correct selection of equipment for such body parameters,.

How to choose skis for height?

When choosing a ski pair, you must remember: the shorter the product, the easier it is to manage. Therefore, it is better for beginners to look at shorter models that can provide maneuverability and easy control. Experienced skiers who love speed can afford a longer pair, especially since it is these models that provide the most glide.

Those who intend to take skiing seriously should pay attention to models and. When buying, you should rely on the following rule: they must be 20-30 centimeters longer than a person’s height; for the ridge method - by 10-15 centimeters; for walking - 15-20 centimeters. Walking or combined options are the most popular.

How to choose a grower?

Rostovka is the length of the product. For clarity, when choosing a pair for yourself, it is convenient to use a special table to determine the size and ski equipment. It is advisable to print this table for determining the length by height and take it with you to the sports equipment store. In the case when the weight of the skier exceeds the norm for his height, it is necessary to add an additional 2 or 3 centimeters to the length.

Important! universal rule when buying a ski pair - subtract 10 centimeters from the height indicator.

So you can choose a product in a sports store that is suitable for almost all types of skiing, will provide maneuverability, comfort and safety.

Adult length selection table

skatingGrowthClassic move
155 150 160
160 155 165
172 160 178
177 165 178
178 170 187
187 175 187
190 180 195
195 185 202
195 190 205
200 195 205
202 200 210
205 205 210
210 210 220
210 215 220

For women, to determine the optimal length of "snowshoes", you need to subtract 10-18 centimeters from the height indicator. At intermediate training and under optimal conditions, a woman with a height of 170 centimeters will fit a size of 158-160 centimeters.

Available statistics provide relevant figures. Most pairs bought by men are 167-177 centimeters long, for women this figure is 152-158 centimeters.

It is necessary to take into account the fact that for children there are separate conditions for the selection of a ski pair. Do not rush to buy it for. If it is rather small, then it is growing rapidly, and it is better to rent equipment for skiing. It also makes no sense to buy equipment for the sake of one trip to the mountains. If such trips are regular or the child plans to go skiing, the acquisition should be taken very seriously. When buying, you should rely on physical training, height and weight of the child, as well as the type of riding ( or ). The main difference between products from adults is their lightness and size.

Inexperienced little skiers should buy models 5-10 centimeters smaller than the growth rate, approximately up to the child's chin. As you gain experience, skis can lengthen by 5-10 centimeters.

How to choose skis by weight?

To buy ski equipment by weight, it is enough to know your weight and be guided by the table below for selecting skis by weight:

Choice of length according to weight

Note! An important factor in the selection of skis is also their rigidity.

There is a direct relationship between the stiffness of skis and the weight of their owner: the heavier it is, the higher the stiffness index of the products should be. To measure the stiffness, you can squeeze the product in your hands or use a flex tester. A flex tester is a device with which, when installing skis on a flat surface or a special board, you can determine their stiffness.

As for determining this indicator in children, it is necessary to focus only on the weight of the child if it weighs less than 40 kilograms:

Weight, kg10-20 20-30 30-40
Rostov, cm70-80 90 100

For skiing, they are selected taking into account the growth of the child and, as a rule, 25-30 centimeters less than him.

How to choose the right skis and poles for height?

Above is given by height and weight. But when buying ski equipment is also very important to do it right. Approximate - shoulder level. The better a skier skis, the longer sticks he can afford. It is also worth remembering the following rules:

  • sticks must strictly correspond to growth, you can not purchase equipment "for growth";
  • support on sticks must be of appropriate size and length.

What else you need to know when choosing a ski pair?

When buying, it is not always possible to limit yourself to such characteristics as the height and weight of a person. A successful acquisition will also depend on the conditions of subsequent skiing. For non-professional use there are:

  1. Carving skis (convenient for maneuvering, entering into sharp turn on prepared slopes).
  2. Freeride skis (designed for experienced cross-country skiing).
  3. Universal (the most popular due to their wide use on any tracks, regardless of the preparation and physical characteristics of the skier).

Another important parameter to consider when choosing skis is the presence of notches. Notches are applied to prevent strong slipping, in particular sliding backwards. Models with notches do not need lubrication, however, they do not allow to develop high speed and are inconvenient to use on icy surfaces. Notches are convenient when there is no riding experience.

In the absence of notches, the skis must be lubricated special tool- lubricant. This lubrication allows you to increase the speed when sliding and reduce recoil. It must be applied along the entire length, periodically removing and updating the application.

What is the best ski stiffness to choose?

Rigidity is easy to determine by the gap between the block and the floor surface. If the gap is 0.5 millimeters (the thickness of a sheet of paper), these are skis of medium hardness. Such skating. When skating, skis of increased rigidity are preferable. When checking, the gap between the floor and the skis is about 2 millimeters.

Skis of medium hardness are more versatile, that is, they are models for recreation. In any case, it is better to determine the stiffness on flex testers in specialized stores.

How to choose skis for professional skiing?

This information will be of interest not only to professionals, but also to those who, like athletes, want to try their hand at the slalom track. Skis for professional use are regulated by strict rules:

  • ski size (for men - 163-167 centimeters; for women - 154-158 centimeters);
  • size for giant slalom: 182-190 centimeters for men; 175-182 centimeters for women. In this case, you should focus on the preparedness of the skier, his physical parameters and conditions for skiing.

Studying the available range of ski equipment, we can conclude that the majority of manufacturers produce a range of 4 pairs of skis of different lengths. For the highest accuracy, before buying skis, you must calculate the size according to your weight and height. For the highest accuracy, before buying skis, you must calculate the size according to your weight and height. It is preferable to buy a pair of skis for the first time with the help of a specialist or an experienced skier.

For all the seemingly small importance of sticks, they have always existed in alpine skiing. At the very beginning of the history of alpine skiing, skiers descended from the mountains with an alpenstock, which served to control the balance and change the trajectory of the descent. Over time, the long pole was transformed into two shorter ski poles.

Sticks have their own functions and purposes. They are needed to facilitate the implementation of turns, maintaining and maintaining balance during the descent. Ski poles will help when moving on gentle areas or when maneuvering near the lift. When passing sports tracks, sticks are used for starting acceleration, blocking the gate poles. They help to maintain balance and give additional confidence in difficult situations on a steep slope, mounds, indispensable for off-piste skiing. With their help, it is easier to unfasten the fasteners, get up after a fall, etc.

You may not worry too much about ski poles and sticking techniques when you rent poles, but when you buy your own poles, there is a problem of choice. Let's try to figure out how to choose the right poles for skiing.

Anatomy of ski poles

The ski pole consists of a handle to hold, a tip to prick, a ring to prevent the pole from falling into soft snow, a lanyard and a rod to combine everything into one. Although nothing fundamentally new in the design of ski poles is to be expected, the development of design and technology in this area continues.

Sticks are available in various lengths, elasticity and strength, with various bends and different ring diameters.

First of all, you need to choose the right sticks in length, this is the key to a safe ride and proper riding technique.

ski pole length

The length of the stick is selected according to the height of the skier and is usually a little less than 3/4 of their own height. For children, the length of the sticks ranges from 70 to 105 cm, for adults - from 110 cm to 145 cm, in 5 cm increments.

Although the optimal length of the sticks also depends on the proportions of a particular person, on the ratio of the size of the torso and legs, on the length of the arms.

How to choose the length of the sticks in the store

For a more accurate choice of poles, put on ski boots (or take into account the height of their soles) and, standing on a flat, hard surface, turn the pole upside down. The stick must be rested on the floor, leaving it slightly forward.

Stand up straight with your knees slightly bent. If you grab the stick with your hand under the ring (hand parallel to the floor), the angle between shoulder and forearm should be about 90°.

The safe riding technique allows for scatter - the length of the sticks can be three to five centimeters more or less than the selected value. Experienced skiers recommend taking poles a little (5-7 centimeters) longer. This approach is explained by the fact that the stick, when skiing, sinks a few centimeters into the snow. Next, you can start fitting the sticks by shortening them by 1-1.5 cm.

With the correct length of ski poles, the skier should have no problem bringing the pole forward for a thrust, while feeling how the pole "clings" the slope and helps the body move forward over the skis. When choosing ski poles for children, the spread is only allowed upwards, if it is not planned to change the poles every season.

For ski touring, ski touring, ski mountaineering, special telescopic poles are produced that can change the length. Telescopic poles can also be used in some ski disciplines.

The shape of ski poles

After choosing the length, you should pay attention to the shape of the stick. The curve of the stick under the handle serves to anticipate the thrust and to provide effective support on the stick during tight turns on the descent. The forward bend relieves tension in the forearms, makes riding safer and minimizes the chance of injury to the hand. There is another option for ensuring the safe use of sticks: some manufacturers lay a bend in the shape of the handle.

In high-speed ski disciplines, preference is given to curved sticks. Straight sticks significantly increase air resistance. The curved shape serves to remove the rings behind the body and, as a result, reduces aerodynamic drag. Some modern sticks bend in two or three planes at once. In addition, in slalom, a special protection is installed on the handle of the ski poles, with which the slalomist beats off the gate poles when passing the track.


Don't buy curved poles unless you're into downhill skiing.. With arbitrary skiing on the slopes, such nuances will be redundant and will lead to discomfort when skiing (and to unnecessary expenses).

Anatomy of ski poles

Ring ski pole prevents the pole from sinking deep into the snow. Rings have different diameters and are selected depending on the type of slope. Large diameter rings are more suitable for skiing on soft snow or virgin snow so that the poles do not fall into loose snow. When skiing on prepared trails, in the park or halfpipe, choose poles with small diameter rings, such rings will not interfere and cling to ski boots. Sports poles usually have a cone instead of a ring (with the exception of special slalom poles). Some manufacturers provide ski poles with interchangeable rings for different skiing conditions.

tip called Bottom part stick that is in contact with the slope. Usually tips are made of stainless alloys of various hardness. Depending on the shape, they are cone-shaped, "toothed crown" and reverse cone. Under normal conditions, the most common and safest tip is the reverse cone. For an icy slope, it is preferable to choose a “toothed crown”. Cones are less common.


Kernel- the base of the ski pole. Rods can be made from materials of varying degrees of strength. The most commonly used are various aluminum alloys, titanium-based alloys, carbon fiber (carbon fiber), fiberglass (fiberglass). The highest quality poles are made from complex combinations of metal and composite plastics.

The strength of the rod is measured in conventional units of stiffness. The higher the stiffness index, the higher the quality of aluminum and, accordingly, the strength of the ski pole. Sticks for amateurs have a hardness of 4 to 4.5 units. Expert ski poles - 5-5.5 units. Sticks with a stiffness above six units are used by athletes.

Most ski poles are made from aluminum of various strengths. Carbon sticks are lighter, but also more fragile and expensive. Athletes usually use aluminum sticks with the highest material strength. Composite poles are not used by athletes because of their fragility and low moment of inertia when blocking the poles. Some skiers prefer the rigidity of aluminum, while others like the ability of composite poles to absorb impact energy.

If you are still at the initial stage of skiing, you don’t have to think too much about what and how sticks are made of. It is enough that they are structurally strong and of high quality. In this case, the simplest straight aluminum sticks with a conventional handle and a tip (sting) will do.

Lanyard- a strap attached to the handle of the stick. The strap is needed so as not to lose the stick if it slips out of your hand. Lanyards have a length adjustment function to adjust the loop to the fullness of the forearm. The lanyard adjustment should be such that the hand feels supported from below. This position allows you to get additional support, and hence greater acceleration at the start. In addition, if you open your hand, the stick will hang on your hand in the most secure position. Sports ski poles are equipped with lanyards with a quilting function, which increases the safety of using the poles on steep slopes and at high speeds. So, as an alternative to the lanyard, LEKI has developed the Trigger system, which includes not only the handle and strap of the ski pole, but also the skier's glove. The strap is permanently attached to the glove by means of Velcro fasteners and buttons. The system can be triggered by pressing the breaker cover. There is also the possibility of unfastening in automatic mode if the skier runs into an obstacle or the stick bounces off the skier.

Handle call that part of the stick for which it is held when skiing or skiing. Handles can be made from various man-made materials - plastic, rubber, cork, neoprene, polyurethane foam or EVA. Each of the materials has its own level of grip to comfortably hold the stick in various conditions, despite sweat or precipitation. Cork and neoprene are comfortable to hold even when wet. Handles made of porous materials remain "warm", which is very important in cold windy conditions.

The most optimal among experts are handles made of frost-resistant rubber, which do not slip in the hands and do not “tan” at low temperatures. Some manufacturers put a leading bend in the shape of the handle. Other firms strive to make the handle as "grip" as possible, laying the leading bend in the shape of the rod. On some models of handles brush protection can be installed. Most sports ski poles allow the installation of shields to protect the hands.

Remember that sticks are still consumables. Try it, look for your perfect match. In some cases, it may be worth waiting for the sales at the end of the season and buying ski poles at a discount. Please note that often ski poles can be selected in accordance with the design of specific skis, manufacturers think through the whole image completely.