 Poster: A snowHead
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Thinking of buying my husband some new ski poles for Christmas. He's a good downhill skier - we don't do off piste and rarely powder. Am I right in thinking that carbon are the best? Anyone recommend a good website?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I wouldn't say that carbon poles are the best if you are looking for standard alpine poles. Aluminium poles, which most people use, will do the exact same job, equally well. Carbon poles will be a bit lighter, and some people might have a preference for that, but won't do a better job than aluminium.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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The upside of Carbon Poles is their lightness, strength, swing weight, low air resistance and they lessen the "shock" when planting a pole at speed.
The downside is the substantial cost and the fact that you have to watch them like a hawk, as they are desirable and easy to nick.....I would never leave them hanging over the skis, unattended.
IMO. They are nice to have, but imo there are better places to spend money. If I have to replace mine, I'd would just go with some cheap Aluminium ones.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
...low air resistance...
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Oh, you wacky skiers! Just admit they look super-kewl-awesome, accept they might not turn you into Franz Klammer and buy 'em. You don't need to drape everything in pseudo-tech justification to have a me-wantee moment y'know.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Richard_Sideways wrote: |
| Quote: |
...low air resistance...
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Oh, you wacky skiers! Just admit they look super-kewl-awesome, accept they might not turn you into Franz Klammer and buy 'em. You don't need to drape everything in pseudo-tech justification to have a me-wantee moment y'know. |
At least I didn't quote their Coefficient of Drag! 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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My carbon poles (Goode) are the longest lasting I've ever had, at something like 900 ski days...
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I have some nice Head Carbon poles and some cheap Scott Aluminium poles,
My carbons are quite skinny and flex when you have to pole, so for that reason i tend to use the more solid Scotts.
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| under a new name wrote: |
| My carbon poles (Goode) are the longest lasting I've ever had, at something like 900 ski days... |
I had a set of them at a time...they certainly lasted a long time. One of them finally snapped, just as I was aggressively pushing off a chair, causing me to collapse sideways and disappear down a banking...much to the amusement of lady Fartbag.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Old Fartbag, less of the "swing weight" more of the "SCHWINGGG! WANT!"
...and my opinions on poles are well documented.
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Buy them soon as they may be much harder to find after Brexit. 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@foxtrotzulu,
Goode are in Utah. Anyway, I don't like the little clogs on the ends of the Head poles.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Old Fartbag wrote: |
| The upside of Carbon Poles is ... and they lessen the "shock" when planting a pole at speed. |
Really? How so?
I've never used carbon poles, but I use carbon paddles for kayaking precisely because they're so stiff (compared to fibreglass) that every little movement and change of water pressure on the blade is transmitted up the shaft to my hands, so I can really feel what's going on. I'd have thought that the stiffness in carbon poles would similarly transmit more feedback (as with carbon skis and pretty much anything else carbon I can think of)?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| clarky999 wrote: |
| Old Fartbag wrote: |
| The upside of Carbon Poles is ... and they lessen the "shock" when planting a pole at speed. |
Really? How so?
I've never used carbon poles, but I use carbon paddles for kayaking precisely because they're so stiff (compared to fibreglass) that every little movement and change of water pressure on the blade is transmitted up the shaft to my hands, so I can really feel what's going on. I'd have thought that the stiffness in carbon poles would similarly transmit more feedback (as with carbon skis and pretty much anything else carbon I can think of)? |
Because they have a certain amount of flex (which cushions the shock), as alluded to by Neville in one of the above posts.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Thank you all so much! I think it will be aluminium.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I use the lekki hotshot poles. Excellent for warming the cockles filled with winter spice jaeger.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I did wonder about those but worried they were a bit gimmicky. Would save us carrying the hip flask, I suppose....
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@LizAtk, aluminium poles are rubbish. Every pair I've ever owned has got chipped, scratched and bent just by looking at them (or so it feels). And worse, the thinner and lighter (i.e. more expensive) they are, the easier they get damaged.
My 2004 Dynastar Legende Freeride graphite/steel tip poles though are magnificent. You can lean on them while waiting for people to group up and they flex but return back pin straight every time. You can push hard on them for poling with no fear of bending them permanently. The light swing weight is terrific on piste and the slightly inclined grip always keeps them forward. They also have interchangeable baskets for powder and snap off straps so you don't rip your arm off if they catch on something.
Until I bought Kastle skis I always said I'd be more pissed off if someone nicked my poles than if someone nicked my skis, that's how much I love them. They were expensive (70 Euro reduced from 120, I think, in the end-of season sale in 2005) but worth every centime. Sadly, there doesn't seem to be a direct equivalent in the current range but there are plenty of other composite poles around.
Something like this would be a good choice for an on-piste skier IMO, with most of the benefits mentioned above: http://www.dynastar.com/de-ch/product/power-40
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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They add a bit of weight when full up but but you don't really notice it. No need to take gloves off to have a little shot. Wondering which drink to take this year.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I would be pleased to get some carbon poles for Christmas.
But I am ATGNI, but would match my hat.
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@Norrin Radd,
You have a carbon hat ???
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@musher, the bobble is a buckyball
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Richard_Sideways,
He must have a very small hat then 
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| Old Fartbag wrote: |
| clarky999 wrote: |
| Old Fartbag wrote: |
| The upside of Carbon Poles is ... and they lessen the "shock" when planting a pole at speed. |
Really? How so?
I've never used carbon poles, but I use carbon paddles for kayaking precisely because they're so stiff (compared to fibreglass) that every little movement and change of water pressure on the blade is transmitted up the shaft to my hands, so I can really feel what's going on. I'd have thought that the stiffness in carbon poles would similarly transmit more feedback (as with carbon skis and pretty much anything else carbon I can think of)? |
Because they have a certain amount of flex (which cushions the shock), as alluded to by Neville in one of the above posts. |
Interesting, but weird because it goes against pretty much every other use of carbon I can think of (i.e. add stiffness without weight). My carbon paddles literally don't flex at all, for example.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| clarky999 wrote: |
| Interesting, but weird because it goes against pretty much every other use of carbon I can think of (i.e. add stiffness without weight). My carbon paddles literally don't flex at all, for example. |
My carbon poles flex a bit, probably more than my aluminium poles could without buckling.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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My carbon golf shafts flex noticeably, my bike doesn't. All depends on the carbon layup. Did have some carbon poles years ago, broke a basket, couldn't get a replacement so left them in Tignes and got some ally ones.
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Composites can be designed to flex significantly and absorb shock, if desired - and skis with carbon layup still have considerable flex!
I got given some carbon poles, would agree with all the points at the top - light, low swing weight, don't like leaving outside a restaurant!
They can bend when leaning on them hard but always spring back.
Could be prone to splintering if cut hard with edges then bent.
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You know it makes sense.
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We don't ski hard or fast, and my husband is not a heavy man. I'm sure he wouldn't have a problem bringing them inside when we stop for lunch or a drink. Now I'm swinging back towards carbon over aluminium! If he keeps them as long as he's had his bashed up aluminium ones, they'll see him out! I assume I should get all mountain, and steer clear of things that say suitable for freeride or racing. Thanks for all the info, @Raceplate.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| gravity-slave wrote: |
Composites can be designed to flex significantly and absorb shock, if desired - and skis with carbon layup still have considerable flex!
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I'll bow to your and other's experience as I've never tried them for skiing (and whatever is going on in your photo is way over my head  ), but I would note in your ski example they'd flex even more without the carbon - the point of carbon in skis is to make them stiffer without using more of the trad. (heavy) materials like wood/fibreglass/metal.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I do like the Volkl Phantastick 2 alloy poles, scratch a little bit very nice to use. I had carbon but snapped one, another issue I found was that if you are banging your boot to knock snow off you can damage the material and cause splinters to lift. I prefer alloy for off piste use, but for pure piste light carbon poles are lovely to plant.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I saw that I thought in horror what the price might be, but only 99 Euro
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Thanks - they look perfect!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Old Fartbag, Hmm... they only seem to come in 120cm rather than 125cm, but I'll look on other websites. I can't see the Dynastar Power 40s available from any UK store..... frustrating!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Ah, thank you - actually, even Amazon do them.
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Good job. Let us know what you do and how it goes.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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This forum is so incredibly helpful - I didn't know where to start. Thanks to all of you!
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Most of us take refuge on here because we are obsessed with skiing. We are stuffed full of more information than we know what to do with. A lot of friends and family think we're nuts...when they're gloomily battening down the hatches for winter, we all come out of our burrows and spring to life (checking webcams, buying equipment we don't really need and deciding whether to tune our side edge angles to 2 or 3 degrees). If we don't find someone to offload this excess knowledge onto, we eventually explode!
So you are really doing us a favour and making us feel useful.
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FAQ
. Aluminium is best for pole whacking, pole clicking, and bending back to somewhere near straight 