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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
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    323

    Ski poles to a young'un.

    Well, the season in the panhandle will hopefully be starting soon. The boy turned 5 two days ago and I was putting him to bed and laying with him for a bit he rolls over and says "dad, when do I get to use those things in my hands for skiin?"

    he has been skiing since 1.5 and for a newly turned 5 year old, is damn fun to ski with.

    I replied, "son, are you laying there thinking about skiin?"
    "yeah, I can't stop thinkin about it, dad."

    just a warm feeling, but then I remember that I did tell him when he was 3 that he could have poles at 5. I renigged on that the other night and told him 6. Just wondering what you other ma s and pas look for before you let the youngsters have the poles.

    thanks

    me

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
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    17,749
    Fer chrissakes, get him some poles. Bamboo is trending.

    https://www.soulpoles.com/bamboo-ski...rrish-ski-pole
    "timberridge is terminally vapid" -- a fortune cookie in Yueyang

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
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    323
    Id only go bamboo if I could get gold baskets on em for him.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
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    Alpental
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    Quote Originally Posted by mike View Post
    I renigged
    reneged, unless you nigged once and are at it again.

    Poles: kids are ready when the can actually make a parallel turn. If they are still in the power wedge then no to the poles.
    Move upside and let the man go through...

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
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    Vancouver, BC
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mofro261 View Post
    reneged, unless you nigged once and are at it again.

    Poles: kids are ready when the can actually make a parallel turn. If they are still in the power wedge then no to the poles.
    Why is this?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gcooker View Post
    Why is this?
    Cos it'll ingrain the really bad habit of trailing their arms behind their body and back seating. Wait till he's really ready. You'll know when he needs them

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
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    Alpental
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gcooker View Post
    Why is this?
    What dcpnz said. Carrying poles in the hands for a beginner is a distraction and they are more likely to end up with their hands at their sides instead of keeping them in a forward position leading to back seat steering and pole planting is not a requisite for learning a parallel turn. So not so much an age thing as an ability criteria, for little rippers 5 is fine for introducing poles.

    Throw back to 2006
    Move upside and let the man go through...

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Salt Lake City, UT
    Posts
    45
    Just got my (soon to be) 5 year old poles. He's stoked. Definitely helps on flat spots and in the lift line. I'm not really worried that ski poles in his five year old hands will ruin his form for life. For me, whatever makes it more fun for them, gets them more engaged, ski poles or whatever, is good. There's a lifetime to work on your form. Just have fun.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Highyak
    Posts
    592
    I earned my first pair of poles when I was 5 on a family ski trip in CO. I then exhibited bad form for the day and my dad took them away. I got 'em back a few days later, but still, I was steaming mad.

    Make sure to teach him proper pole-whacking technique, too. I mean, when he's ready...

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Co
    Posts
    1,169
    Black Diamond makes an adjustable kids pole. Keeps growing with them year after year.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
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    1,421
    Quote Originally Posted by pvars View Post
    I'm not really worried that ski poles in his five year old hands will ruin his form for life.
    I doubt it'll ruin form for life and I'm not saying it's too early for your kid cos I don't know you or him or how he skis.

    But in general when you give kids poles too early they have no idea what to do with them, they hang hands by sides or out back. It's impossible to pressure front of boot correctly when hands are back and consequently they develop bad habits and their skiing will suffer. And bad habits are really hard to break.
    Look around you local hill at other kids - there'll be some who know what they're doing with their poles and some who don't.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
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    Highyak
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    592
    Quote Originally Posted by flowing alpy View Post
    and now you snoboard:
    Yeah, see what happens when you take poles away from your kids? They just decide they don't need them anyway

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    the desert
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    883
    Quote Originally Posted by Mofro261 View Post
    reneged, unless you nigged once and are at it again.
    i lol'ed

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    Cloud City
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    8,768
    I like to wait til they make good parallel turns on groomers. It's an incentive to get them to really concentrate and try their best, a reward. Then I like to give them just one pole for a while to hold across their body, one hand over each end. It makes for some great hand position. Also gives them a chance to get used to holding an object while dealing with the lift. I don't want kids poling across the flats, or anybody really, because it just hinders their ability to use their feet and encourages locking up their knees and other bad stance stuff. I like everybody to get really good at skating with their skis.

    One thing, the really little rippers have a hard time with ski poles because the mittens don't let them have enough grip. Also found that their hands will get cold pretty quickly when they are skiing with poles.

    A good distraction is just letting them play around with my poles, that usually satisfies them.
    Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.
    Henry David Thoreau

  15. #15
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    Nov 2002
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    Cloud City
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    Quote Originally Posted by dcpnz View Post
    I doubt it'll ruin form for life and I'm not saying it's too early for your kid cos I don't know you or him or how he skis.

    But in general when you give kids poles too early they have no idea what to do with them, they hang hands by sides or out back. It's impossible to pressure front of boot correctly when hands are back and consequently they develop bad habits and their skiing will suffer. And bad habits are really hard to break.
    Look around you local hill at other kids - there'll be some who know what they're doing with their poles and some who don't.
    I agree with all this but I am usually seeing them holding the poles awkwardly up, like little squirrel hands. Have experimented with teaching them out of it, but it seems a waste of time when they can just ski great without poles. I also have come to feel like hands can be in a natural position by your sides on easy groomers, without poles, and that when the terrain gets steep/bumpy, etc, all I have to do is mention getting hands out there for balance and I see good hand positions, naturally and without a lot of overbearing instruction/drilling on the subject. Personally I like to focus as much as I can on what's happening with feet and skis.
    Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.
    Henry David Thoreau

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Posts
    323
    Not guilty!!! I have never nigged. Not sure what it is, but fairly confident I have not done it, that I remember.

    Great advice on the poles. Many thanks. Next weekend we are gonna work on some good parallel turns and skiing down greens w one foot to learn our edges. Homeboy wants to "hick a cliff" so if he gets his turns down right next weekend there is a wonderful 2-3 foot rock to ride off of, his first cliff!!

    Thanks again

    Me

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Reno
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    2,434
    Quote Originally Posted by pvars View Post
    Just got my (soon to be) 5 year old poles. He's stoked. Definitely helps on flat spots and in the lift line. I'm not really worried that ski poles in his five year old hands will ruin his form for life. For me, whatever makes it more fun for them, gets them more engaged, ski poles or whatever, is good. There's a lifetime to work on your form. Just have fun.
    Good discussion.....stuff I haven't given that much thought to. I went with pvars......whatever makes it fun. Both my boys started at sub 2, and one is 7 and one is 4.

    Last season the 6 year old wanted them (as all his buddies got them), so I bought. He is a conservative skier, not a ripper but can ski a blue of the top of mtn. So far I think poles have been good.....I don't see bad form yet, and they really help him get around. The 4 year old likes to hold a pair too, and he is mostly on harness.......that is probably a bad idea, but he likes it. We just chase Mom and Brother, so I have an unusually teaching method with him (I have never told him anything......he is on harness and just points it). He LOVES it, and we have a great time as a family. Eventually I need to get him independent, but he is really confident on skis and can turn anywhere he wants to go (and just turned 4, so who cares). He uses the poles to push himself around on flats too....so that helps. Both kids cross country ski too, and so use poles there with some competence.

    Buy adjustable poles.....K2 makes them too.
    Donjoy to the World!

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    idaho panhandle!
    Posts
    9,951
    Not sure why anyone would buy their young offspring skis,boots, or poles, just lease them. So many places are doing such crazy season leases on gear it is crazy to buy, esp. since kids grow so damn fast. You can lease from most places for under $100 for everything. Just get them a package and if they want to use the poles, go for it, if not, put them with your other gear in the lodge.

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