Thinking about it, poles are a carry-over from the days of heavy, straight skis, when to turn you had to really jump, so the poles would take your bodyweight as you jumped (would be exhausting otherwise).
With modern skis you are taught not to jump, just stand up a bit to unweight, and tilt to engage the edges and carve.
For many other reasons poles may seem useful, like balance, planting on top of a bump, poling along a flat.... snowboarders don't use poles at all, and manage. In the thread above, it's pointed out that skiing without poles actually makes people ski better.
So with modern ski technology, will poles be developed out eventually? Could we see "elite" skiers skiing without poles - downhill, bumps, off-piste - and then aspirational skiers try to copy them?
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Orange200, I doubt they will disappear any time soon. Ever seen what happens to racers, be it DH, SG, GS, or S when they lose a pole? Not a chance. Poles help balance, are really useful when skiing steeps, deep pow and bumps and help you make snowboarders look silly on the flat. What's not to like? The only situation where I agree they are superfluous is when carving on a perfectly groomed piste.
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?
"why we have poles? ... to help you turn"
This.
Always helpful for balance, essential in bumps (mostly for timing, but try run lining without them) and when it's steep.
"poles are a carry-over from the days of heavy, straight skis"
... so are bindings and boots and goggles, et al.,
"when to turn you had to really jump" - no you didn't, up-unweighting was a lot more subtle than jumping and as for down-unweighting, well... (I guess you never skied old skool)
"the poles would take your bodyweight as you jumped" even if you did <jump>, which you didn't, the poles didn't "take your weight... (would be exhausting otherwise)" ... as you aren't "jumping" ...
"snowboarders don't use poles" - I could be led to say many things here ... they don't ski either. "if skiing were easy they'd call it snowboarding * ", etc.
.. snowboarders don't use poles at all, and manage. ?
Without poles, how is a skier supposed to tow their snowboarder mate along the flats????
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Can’t see them disappearing. My skiing on steeps and bumps is considerably better since I started making a more conscious effort to use the pole plant. I don’t think I’m alone in thinking that they are more than just there for poling.
In theory you may be able to balance properly on steeps even without poles, but I doubt that the majority of recreational skiers are good enough to do that.
You can't, perhaps I should say I can't do a kick turn without poles. Invaluable when you get stuck in some stupid spot on a steep slope.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Too useful/ essential for all sorts of skiing/ moving to be dropped. Plus you'd just be left doing jazz hands for balance. Some park rats of course ski without poles as they can do grabs easier.
After all it is free
After all it is free
As mentioned elsewhere, pisteurs often (not quite always) ski without poles as they are usually carrying other things, but have you seen just how well they ski?
My old skiing boss used to say that the valley saying was that "the really good skiers at the back of the class creating shenanigans became pisteurs and the good kids at the front paying attention who skied pretty well became instructors" ...
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.
under a new name wrote:
As mentioned elsewhere, pisteurs often (not quite always) ski without poles as they are usually carrying other things, but have you seen just how well they ski?
My old skiing boss used to say that the valley saying was that "the really good skiers at the back of the class creating shenanigans became pisteurs and the good kids at the front paying attention who skied pretty well became instructors" ...
Yes I remember stopping at the top of an unpisted slope, with fairly deep snow when a pisteur stopped by the side of us carrying a big bundle of marker poles balanced on his arms in front of him. I sort of knew the guy to pass the time of day with and jokingly said do you want a hand. He laughed and gave us a couple each and said "try it" and neatly headed off down in perfect style with the remaining bundle. He had at least one fag and a long phone conversation at the bottom by the time we caught him up
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
tangowaggon wrote:
Orange200 wrote:
.. snowboarders don't use poles at all, and manage. ?
Without poles, how is a skier supposed to tow their snowboarder mate along the flats????
very true!!
Sometimes I do take my Black Diamond Compactors out when I am snow boarding.
When I'm skiing, my main use for poles is releasing my bindings.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Without poles, how will skiers make the clicking noise which announces "Entitled idiot approaching, I am too important to slow down."
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.
If poles are so essential to balance on rough terrain why don't fell runners use them?
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Many years ago a coach asked us what poles were for and after the group responded he summed it up as BRATS (not what you're thinking but possibly a good idea) - Balance, Rhythm, Anticipation, Timing and Support. I think all of these still have a place in your skiing armoury not to mention their use(s) on the flat.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@tarrantd, yep.
@BoardieK, The ones around Chamonix do...
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@Orange200 Could we see "elite" skiers skiing without poles - downhill, bumps, off-piste - and then aspirational skiers try to copy them?
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
...
... they don't ski either. "if skiing were easy they'd call it snowboarding * ", etc.
do a kick turn without poles. Invaluable when you get stuck in some stupid spot on a steep slope.
