is my pole too long?

**dfinn** · 04-17-2006, 12:38 PM

i think my ski poles are too long. is there a guestimate or rough rule for how long they should be?

i'm new to this whole skiing thing. yesterday was my 4th day of the season. I made it down one of the double black chutes at Rose.

**pechelman** · 04-17-2006, 12:44 PM

you shouldnt really be worried about length so much as girth

seriously though, do a search anywhere on the internet, there are plenty of resources

**bio-smear** · 04-17-2006, 12:45 PM

turn it upside down, grab above the basket. Your forearm should be about level to the ground.

**enlosandes** · 04-17-2006, 12:45 PM

Your wife doesn't think so

!

**pechelman** · 04-17-2006, 12:47 PM

Originally Posted by bio-smear

turn it upside down, grab above the basket. Your forearm should be about level to the ground.

above the basket
which he actually means below the basket when it is upsidedown
or
the side of the basket that normally faces up

**dfinn** · 04-17-2006, 12:47 PM

Originally Posted by enlosandes

Your wife doesn't think so

!

She was eaten by alligators when her plane crashed in Florida.

**Tippster** · 04-17-2006, 01:11 PM

Originally Posted by pechelman

above the basket
which he actually means below the basket when it is upsidedown
or
the side of the basket that normally faces up

You beat me to it. I see so many "pros" in Rental shops doing it the other way and folks ending up with poles that are 2" too short.

**bio-smear** · 04-17-2006, 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by pechelman

above the basket
which he actually means below the basket when it is upsidedown
or
the side of the basket that normally faces up

Yeah, I mean choke up on that pole. Bad choice of words I guess. Of course, I gapishly drag my poles like outriggers anyway, so it doesn't really matter.

**Obstruction** · 04-17-2006, 01:16 PM

Originally Posted by dfinn

She was eaten by alligators when her plane crashed in Florida.

I can see why she doesn't appreciate your equipment any longer. Them alligators really know how to please a lady.

**dfinn** · 04-17-2006, 01:25 PM

Originally Posted by bio-smear

Yeah, I mean choke up on that pole. Bad choice of words I guess. Of course, I gapishly drag my poles like outriggers anyway, so it doesn't really matter.

That's pretty much what I find myself doing. So far the only use I've found for poles is to help me stay up when I'm about to crash or help me get up from a crash. I figured I should start working on this whole pole planting thing a little more.

**bad_roo** · 04-17-2006, 01:30 PM

I was skiing with poles way too long for me. Gordy diagnosed this fact and as soon as I switched to shorter poles it really transformed my skiing, getting me into a lower, more aggressive position and it aslo stopped me doing some funky things with the positioning of my hands.

**crashnburn'd** · 04-17-2006, 01:30 PM

How tall are you? How long are your poles?

I'm 6'2" and ski with 48" poles, which by the grab below the basket technique is too short.

**dfinn** · 04-17-2006, 01:32 PM

i'm 5'11. I'll measure my poles when I get home tonight. They were given to me and I have no idea how long they are.

**TomK** · 04-17-2006, 01:59 PM

Here's an online calculator that says you should be using 50 inch (125 cm) poles.

http://www.untracked.com/polesize.html

That sounds about right to me.

**Tippster** · 04-17-2006, 02:02 PM

Yeah - I'm 6'3" and use 52" poles.

**jSki** · 04-17-2006, 05:10 PM

Originally Posted by pechelman

above the basket
which he actually means below the basket when it is upsidedown
or
the side of the basket that normally faces up

I'm suprised that shops and experienced skiiers still think this is true. When was the last time that you skiied with your legs straight. Bend your knees like you would in your boots and hold poles that long, their up near your chin. Shorter poles will engourage you to lean forward in your boots and give you more control. Short poles helped me the most in the bumps because it got me forward in my boots and I don't have to swing the pole sideways for the next plant. My poles for crappy resort days/bumps touch the ground when standing up straight and my arms are hanging straight down. Otherwise for BC days and powder days I use adjustables that arent to much longer when I ski. Short poles helped my skiing immensly over the last few years. Most shops will chop down poles for 5 bucks or you can use a pipe cutter on them, assuming their not composite.

**Shepherd Wong** · 04-17-2006, 05:44 PM

Go 47-49 inches depending on what feels better. I like longer poles myself. For me it helps keep me from bending at the waist too much. I'm 6'1.5" and use 52" poles.

**leroy jenkins** · 04-17-2006, 05:50 PM

Originally Posted by jSki

I'm suprised that shops and experienced skiiers still think this is true. When was the last time that you skiied with your legs straight. Bend your knees like you would in your boots and hold poles that long, their up near your chin. Shorter poles will engourage you to lean forward in your boots and give you more control. Short poles helped me the most in the bumps because it got me forward in my boots and I don't have to swing the pole sideways for the next plant. My poles for crappy resort days/bumps touch the ground when standing up straight and my arms are hanging straight down. Otherwise for BC days and powder days I use adjustables that arent to much longer when I ski. Short poles helped my skiing immensly over the last few years. Most shops will chop down poles for 5 bucks or you can use a pipe cutter on them, assuming their not composite.

Its all personal preference. The only time I ever really use my poles is skating across the flats, or occaisionally to help push off a takeoff or on pillows or something, so I like them longer (50" and I'm 5' 11") to reach through powder and find something firm to push off of. They never really seem to get in the way and any time when my stance is getting all low I'm not pole planting anyways.

G · 04-17-2006, 06:23 PM

turn it upside down, grab above the basket. Your forearm should be about level to the ground.

And keep 'em like this when you're skiing the black diamond chutes.

This thread should have a poll, by the way.

**Spats** · 04-17-2006, 06:24 PM

Originally Posted by bad_roo

s soon as I switched to shorter poles it really transformed my skiing, getting me into a lower, more aggressive position and it aslo stopped me doing some funky things with the positioning of my hands.

I have to agree here. Like crashandburn'd, I'm over 6' and ski with 120cm poles. By the "grab under the basket" rule, these are way too short. But I ski much better than I did with poles the "correct" length...before I was always wondering where I should plant my pole, now I just do it unconsciously.

[butthead]huh-huh. You said "plant your pole." huh-huh[/butthead]

A shorter pole makes you be more aggressive with your pole plants. It also means that it doesn't throw your arm around when you ski past the pole you just planted. I think that expert skiers should probably subtract 2-3 inches from the "hand under the basket" rule.