 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi
Have bought a pair of skipoles to go with my first set of skis,but on getting them home get the impression that thay are a touch long.I am 6'1" and the poles are 1.3m.Can i check with my boots and skis on for correct length,and how do I do this?All net info that I've read seems a tad vague,and doesn't state whether you should be wearing socks/shoes/skiboots when measuring.
Iain
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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yanto, invert the poles, hold under the basket, forearm should be at 90 degrees.
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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 am 6'2" and use 125cm poles. I have a pair of 130cm but find them too long for comfort anywhere on or off piste and particularly in bumps. Another way of roughly checking length is to put the poles between your feet: the top of the handle should be at the cleft at the bottom of your breastbone.
I would recommend you take the poles back before you use them and get them changed.
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Thanks for that guys.Still not sure whether I should be wearing boots and skis when doing these tests,but wearing shoes both these tests showed the poles are the correct length
Cheers
Iain
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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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yanto, If in doubt, buy the longer size, give them a try and cut what you don't need off (easy if Aluminium). Dip the handle in a saucepan of cooling hot water, slide of the grip, cut off the extra, replace grip, off ya go.
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yanto, bearing in mind that skis and boots will add height, then I'd say you're fine by the sounds of things. 
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| ccl wrote: |
| I am 6'2" and use 125cm poles |
Snap, we're twins!
Yes sounds like his poles are just a touch too long.
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I'm 5' 8"" and use 120's.
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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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I am a shade over 6'1" and I'll use 130cms.
I have BD adjustables so the problem ...................isn't
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| yanto wrote: |
wearing shoes both these tests showed the poles are the correct length
Cheers
Iain |
Very interesting! That sent me to the ski cupboard to check my poles and with both these tests, the 130s are too long and the 125s just right. Which only goes to show the my 6'2" must be made up in a different way from your 6'1" For instance, I know my arms are longer than average (no comments about knuckles trailing on the ground, please) which presumably leads to needing shorter poles than someone whose arms are perhaps a more conventional length for his height.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I'm 5'9" when I bought mine I ordered 120cm but the shop called and said that for my height they would recommend 115cm so that's what I bought. I've also got a pair of 120cm to try if these are too short!!
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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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I'm 6'1 and i use 115cm poles. Anything longer throws me back too much...
Standard skipole inverted test shows 125 to be about right though.
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I use 120's and am 6'. Anything esle seems too long.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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5'10" too, longish body, 125cm poles for me too.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I think the most important bit about pole length is they shouldn't be so long they will make raise your arms higher then is comfortable.
The body works like levers, high arm->backseat, backseat->bad skicontrol, bad fun.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Off to Tignes in January so I'll soon find out if length is right.I presume ski hire shop will be able to cut them down if required.BTW I've got quite long legs so that may explain difference ccl.Cheers for all the replies
Iain
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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'm 5'8, and I use 130cm leki carbon 12's, but I tend to flick sideways rather than straight when pole planting... always seemed much more comfortable than anything shorter that ive used. I spent two three hour sessions at the snowdome before settling on 130's, then ordered some. But then I am weird lol 
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It's amazing how much difference 5cm makes. I swap between 115, 120 and 125 poles depending on what I'm doing/what's in the ski locker, and it takes an hour at least to get used to the size whenever I choose a different pair. I think it's worth experimenting a bit to find the length that you're really happy with.
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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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| rob@rar wrote: |
| I think it's worth experimenting a bit to find the length that you're really happy with. |
100% agree - I think its good to use the normal sizing method to get a baseline, but I seemed to forever be having difficulties with the smaller poles, and just felt more comfortable with 130's
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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This is very interesting. By all accounts my poles should be too long. I'm 5'3 and use 115's - 110's just feel too short. Also, the angle in the shop (walking shoes and hand under basket) seemed dead on for 115's (just lower than 45degree) - what does it all mean? Maybe I have short arms? Maybe I'd ski better with 110's afterall? Does level have anything to do with it? When I started skiing I def had 110's, Now I've skied more than 40wks and feel I have a pretty tidy technique - could that be why the longer feels better?
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Modern poles seem to have small baskets which aren't much use in fresh snow when you are trying to get up again after falling. Are there larger baskets available sold seperately out there that i could replace my small ones with 
Rob
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"Modern poles seem to have small baskets which aren't much use in fresh snow..."
To which Johnnyboy splurted through his coffee "damn right!"
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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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Some interesting comments here, as Flowa says. There is something to be said for "using a sizing method to get a baseline" and then adjusting to what you feel comfortable with, but that brings an important factor into play - how you actually use your poles. If trying sizes out till you feel comfortable results in Stephen at 5'8" skiing with 130cm poles and me at 6'2" using 125s, you have to think there must be a considerable difference in the way we use our poles. It is worth thinking about your pole-planting technique: are you bringing the bottom of the pole straight through using your wrist as fulcrum (an action similar to using a hammer) and are you moving the handle forward with your forearm staying roughly horizontal? If you try for this and find you are either raising your hand and arm significantly above the horizontal or you are swinging the point of the pole way round in an arc in order to keep it from catching on the snow then your poles are probably on the long side. Does it matter? Well, yes, because the more efficient and effective your pole planting the more your pole planting will help your posture, balance etc. Of course we can adjust to overly long or short poles and feel comfortable, but we have to be careful in case the adjustment becomes a development of less than helpful techniques which adversely affect our skiing and perhaps hinder progression.
And yes, you should be able to get broader baskets to interchange with the smaller ones depending on the snow conditions. Indeed I bought a pair of poles recently which came with both types.
So why am I writing this on Christmas Day instead of watching TV? Because the Wizard of Oz is on, that's why. 
Happy Christmas everyone and great skiing!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| ccl wrote: |
| If trying sizes out till you feel comfortable results in Stephen at 5'8" skiing with 130cm poles and me at 6'2" using 125s, you have to think there must be a considerable difference in the way we use our poles. |
Or an accumulation of differences in
- the average steepness of the slopes you ski
- the height of the bumps you ski
- the depth of the powder you ski
- the edge angles you use, the angulation you use, and the amount of extension/retraction you use
- the on-ski stack height (binding, plate, boot) you use
- the position of the hips and upper body along the length of the ski during the turn
- the amount of counter you use
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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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All relevant factors no doubt, but more complex than necessary, I reckon. And in any case, your poles go with you around the mountain from one kind of terrain to another, through one kind of snow condition to another. Quite simply, in a basic centred stance on a moderate slope, Stephen's hands must have to be raised much higher in pole plant than mine - higher than I would find comfortable and high enough for me to feel that it would adversely affect my skiing - especially given my constant battle against a tendency to lean back.
But I hope, Stephen, you don't think I was picking on you. Apart from commenting on the differences between us, the rest of what I said was meant to be a generalisation which might be helpful to those in the thread who were wondering about the "right" pole length.
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Last edited by 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  on Wed 26-12-07 0:31; edited 1 time in total
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You know it makes sense.
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| ccl wrote: |
| But I hope, Stephen, you don't think I was picking on you. Apart from commenting on the differences between us, the rest of what I said was meant to be a generalisation which might be helpful to those in the thread who were wondering about the "right" pole length. |
No not at all, I just posted extra info to clear up how i find my poles in use. I hope you have had a good christmas day! (Everyone) 
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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|
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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FAQ
).
And my forearm in an orthodox centred stance would be about 45 degrees from the horizontal.
