 Poster: A snowHead
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So i'm just wondering as i've seen this argument used on here a couple of times. Anyway i can't for the life of me think of any reason not to use the straps on ski poles. All of the people i've ever skied with, including a number of freeride pros & ex WC racers I've never seen a one of them ski without using the straps on their poles. So it made me wonder why would you not use straps on your poles?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If on snow I personally use my straps (saves hiking up the slope to get ur pole) BUT I know alot of our dry slope racers take them off. I think they do this for safty as they want the pole to fall away from them rather than landing on them being hit by them etc!
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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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people often advocate going strap-less off piste as in an avalanche you want to get rid of them, I think 
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Habit, I've always been strapless.
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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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I never use the straps. Too much faffing around for me, no safety reasons involved.
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| gilo wrote: |
| people often advocate going strap-less off piste as in an avalanche you want to get rid of them, I think |
I'm pretty sure the avalanche will take them off u anyway!
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queen bodecia, now you have your own skis, buy your own poles. The only reason you have faffing is because you are used to the sh*te rental poles with the dodgy straps.
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frank4short, if you've seen the argument, then you already know why people would not use pole-straps. I generally don't use them if off-piste as I don't want them dragging down if I get caught in an avalanche, or dragging my arm off if skiing between trees. I do this on the advice of just about every guide I've ever skied with - most of whom have removed their straps altogether. I will put the straps on if on a particularly steep slope provided the avalanche risk is not high. I will also use them in a race course, for added leverage in the start gate, and in case (as has happened more than once) the pole gets knocked out of my hand. I will also strap in for mogul fields. Freeskiing on piste - whatever takes my fancy, whatever habit I'm in at the time - more ofthen than not I don't bother.
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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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gilo, GrahamN, I don't think the avalanche/off piste thing is a valid reason. Having spent the vast majority my skiing experience off piste never had a problem with either catching a pole on a tree or for that matter when i pulled my mate out of an avalanche. As dansmith, said if you're in an avalanche letting go of your poles is going to be the least of your problems. I would also much rather deal with the unlikely possible consequences of a pole catching than the having to ski with one or less poles when skiing anything steep or technical whether it be avalanche prone or not.
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frank4short, what you obviously need in your life are ski boards, you don't even need poles!!!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Well, fortunately I've never been avalanched, but that's the instruction from the professionals, so I'm not going against it. As I've had poles stuck in tree roots and ripped out of my hands more than once, I'm more than happy to go with them on that too.
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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 don't cut the straps off poles because they are useful for hanging over skis when parked up for munchies. 
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| dansmith wrote: |
| gilo wrote: |
| people often advocate going strap-less off piste as in an avalanche you want to get rid of them, I think |
I'm pretty sure the avalanche will take them off u anyway! |
I don’t think the straps would break. They are made of immensely strong miniature seatbelt webbing.
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You know it makes sense.
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| ringingmaster wrote: |
| dansmith wrote: |
| gilo wrote: |
| people often advocate going strap-less off piste as in an avalanche you want to get rid of them, I think |
I'm pretty sure the avalanche will take them off u anyway! |
I don’t think the straps would break. They are made of immensely strong miniature seatbelt webbing. |
Nope it wont break the strap but it will most certainly rip off your glove with the pole attached! most people also ski with there straps loose so they can slip there hand in and out easily at lifts etc so again hand will slip out rather easily if pole is forced away! also the plastic clips that hold the straps together are as weak as anything by most manufactures! they dont take much force to snap!
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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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Having just finshed reading 'Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain' yesterday (I definitely recommend it), I can say that book certainly recommends that you do not use straps. The advice is if you get taken, ditch your poles and skis/boards asap (skis should happen 'automatically', some boarders have rip cords to release their bindings), as they can keep you burried as the avalanche progresses.
EDIT - spelling.
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Poster: A snowHead
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frank4short, because I don't want hand or wrist injuries in a fall. If I have no straps on, the pole can fall away quickly. If I have to move up slope a bit to collect it after a fall, meh. If I lose it down a gulley, it's drill time with one pole or none until the next hire shop. They're not the most expensive piece of kit (not the sort I use anyway  )
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| dansmith wrote: |
| Nope it wont break the strap but it will most certainly rip off your glove with the pole attached! most people also ski with there straps loose so they can slip there hand in and out easily at lifts etc so again hand will slip out rather easily if pole is forced away! also the plastic clips that hold the straps together are as weak as anything by most manufactures! they dont take much force to snap! |
Don't worry Dan, I hear the Dendix at the Christchurch ski center is quite well attached.
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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 know of one Glencoe local who was caught in a slide and could not move his hand to clear snow from his face once the slide had stopped due to the straps on his poles. Obviously every slide is different and straps on poles may be the last of your worries but I'm certainly convinced.
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moffatross, the voice of reason speaks!
My straps have break-connectors in them, so if they get caught or snagged strap comes off anyway.
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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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easier to use them as a rudimentary harpoon without straps.
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hyweljenkins,
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My straps have break-connectors in them, so if they get caught or snagged strap comes off anyway
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I used to have some poles with those, but haven't been able to find any of late. What make are yours/where did you get them?
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Hurtle, Kerma, bought at the ski show at Earl's Court, probably in 1992! I've since replaced the poles, but I transferred the straps. It's probably easy to sort out yourself, as long as you can get the buckles.
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hyweljenkins, ah, thanks! Unfortunately, one of the actual break-connectors snapped and there was no way of mending it, so no point transferring the straps. (Mine were Kerma too, IIRC.)
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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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Leki clip in system gets round all this (well the old yellow one does, the new red one just breaks). attached when you need it. Pops off if a large force applied (like binding for your poles)
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| gilo wrote: |
| people often advocate going strap-less off piste as in an avalanche you want to get rid of them, I think |
^ this. The last thing want want when buried is still being attached to your poles.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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"Skiers Thumb" (aka dislocating your thumb), is the reason I no longer use straps.
About two years ago, I managed to suffer this very injury after a low-speed fall. According to the doc at hospital, wearint ski straps makes the sort of injuries much more likely.
After spending around 8-weeks in a plaster/splint thingy, it was enough to put me off using straps!
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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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Not sure on the straps on std poles as i've only ever used rental ones
However i wondered why you can't use a strong velcro fastening.
That way if it gets caught and there is enough force to damage you hand it will rip the strap apart
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Simple fact, you're not using your poles correctly if you're not using the strap. Simple fact two, if you don't have the reactions to 'release' the strap when a pole becomes caught or in a slide, don't ski in that sort of terrain. In all my years of skiing I've never caught a pole and I've skied some pretty dense brush with some very large powder baskets. User error on this one.
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You know it makes sense.
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| abj wrote: |
"Skiers Thumb" (aka dislocating your thumb), is the reason I no longer use straps.
About two years ago, I managed to suffer this very injury after a low-speed fall. According to the doc at hospital, wearint ski straps makes the sort of injuries much more likely.
After spending around 8-weeks in a plaster/splint thingy, it was enough to put me off using straps! |
Only way to get "skiers thumb" is if you are not using straps correctly. If you do use poles (and straps) like you should, there's no even slightest chance to hurt yourself with it... no matter how bad you fall.
And as Parlor wrote, if you don't use straps, you don't and you can't use poles correctly.
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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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parlor,
would agree that you're not using the pole correctly without straps and also that "skiers thumb" is due to holding them wrong. It's a bit harsh to say "if you don't have the reactions to 'release' the strap when a pole becomes caught or in a slide, don't ski in that sort of terrain" lots of slides hit people unaware and once you're tumbling......
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Poster: A snowHead
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What is the purpose of using the straps? If you drop a pole, simply stop and pick it up. If you drop it from a chairlift, pity anyone who might be underneath!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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More pressure when poling, easier to pivot the pole when planting, easier to swing the pole wildly around your head when wooohooing..
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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 have come round to parlor's way of thinking in the last couple of years. the way it was put to me is that using the strap helps you on every single pole plant whereas not using the straps might help you in a small number of fairly unlikely situations
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| primoz wrote: |
| Only way to get "skiers thumb" is if you are not using straps correctly. If you do use poles (and straps) like you should, there's no even slightest chance to hurt yourself with it... no matter how bad you fall. |
I was just trying to work out how it would be possible to hold the strap which would put my thumb at risk... I agree with you.
Can anyone be bothered to upload 2 photos?
i) How to wear a strap
ii) How to break your thumb and blame it on your strap?
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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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queen bodecia, the same reason as for doing up tight enough to be useful; dansmith, says many skiers ski with loose straps to slip the poles off easily, but if the straps are used correctly too loose would prevent this.
If the poles are held with the strap round the back of the wrist and the double strap coming up from the wrist across the palm - so the strap is between the hand and the grip and then the strap can be pressured downwards on by the wrist. I'm not a pole planter (I ought to be, but I'm not), but those that are say this pressure helps with a pole plant. However, where I notice it is when I am poling across flat ground. When I started I didn't hold the straps this way, but since starting to do so it makes such a difference when poling that I'd hold the poles any other way. N.B. Initially the strap feels in the way of the grip, but you soon get used to it.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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queen bodecia,
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If you drop a pole, simply stop and pick it up
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A bit boring if you've wiped out and left it a long way up a steep slope and there's no kind soul higher up the mountain who will bring it to you!
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If you drop it from a chairlift, pity anyone who might be underneath!
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I don't keep the straps on when riding a chairlift - surely asking for trouble when you get on and off, isn't it?
Does anyone else, every time they see this thread title, think of scantily-clad eastern European dolly-birds (of whom there are many around Clapham Junction on a Saturday night) in their best (lack of) clothes? 
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Thanks Megamum, I can't say any of that has ever crossed my mind. I do pole plant but I tend to 'skate' across flats rather than pole along. I've certainly never used straps before, it just always seems such a faff with getting on and off lifts and stuff.
arv, yes, I need to buy some poles, but it can wait 'til after Christmas.
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'Should I ski with pole straps on' is the new 'should I wear a helmet'! This could run and run!
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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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queen bodecia, I ski with them on, but usually do lifts with them off - there are usually a few moments as you get on and off a lift to sort them out. Try with them the way I suggested for a couple of days, see if you think it is helpful - you can always go back to no straps. Its one of those things where you tend to think that there must be a reason why thousands and thousands of ski poles are made with straps, to begin with. I also wondered 'why' as I said, but since using them I certainly can see the advantage in doing so - you might be pleasantly surprised!.
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'should I wear a helmet'
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Well, should I?
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