# Swix add tab



## twinplanx (Dec 26, 2013)

So I finally got some good poles after years of using mismatched, dented, bent, used & abused poles. Santa brought me some Swix Vipers. They seem light & well balanced. They even came with fancy powder baskets in addition to the regular smaller ones. The handle has some odd feature they call the Swix add tab, that supposedly keeps the pole in your hand even when losing your grip. Not really sure how that would work as it seems a bit awkward in the palm. Anyone have any feedback on this feature? I have a bad habit of keeping my poles strapped to my wrist when skiing glades. Does this feature work to the point where I can feel confident enough to remove the straps when the situation calls for such? 

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## twinplanx (Dec 26, 2013)

Lol I guess maybe the reason they are "awkward in the palm" is because there supposed to be on top of your hand lol 
is there a :dopeslap: / :facepalm: smiley icon? 

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## drjeff (Dec 26, 2013)

twinplanx said:


> Lol I guess maybe the reason they are "awkward in the palm" is because there supposed to be on top of your hand lol
> is there a :dopeslap: / :facepalm: smiley icon?
> 
> Sent from my SCH-S735C using Tapatalk



We have a winner! Twinplanx hit the nail on the head with the Swix pole tab! I've had them for 6 or 7 seasons now. Your hand goes under the tab. If you let go of the grip, the tab prevents the pole from slipping down out of your palm! I still go straps off in the trees though! 

The swix tab does do what it says it will though! Even my wife agrees that it works when I got her a pair of swix poles with the tab last Christmas

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## mishka (Dec 27, 2013)

I have Swix poles with  those tabs. Didn't like them at all. I  grind tabs out almost completely.


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## drjeff (Dec 27, 2013)

mishka said:


> I have Swix poles with  those tabs. Didn't like them at all. I  grind tabs out almost completely.



In all honesty, with absolutely no disrespect meant, but do you use your pole straps correctly?  If you slide your hands up and through the straps, and then grip the pole with the strap between your pole and the slot created between your thumb and index finger, the tab is out of the way, unless you let go of your pole/strap.

If one doesn't use their pole straps correctly, I could see how the tab could be annoying and in the way


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## mishka (Dec 27, 2013)

drjeff said:


> In all honesty, with absolutely no disrespect meant, but do you use your pole straps correctly?  If you slide your hands up and through the straps, and then grip the pole with the strap between your pole and the slot created between your thumb and index finger, the tab is out of the way, unless you let go of your pole/strap.
> 
> If one doesn't use their pole straps correctly, I could see how the tab could be annoying and in the way



  no problem.

I'm using pole straps as you describe. problem is that hook. Several times it got caught on lift chair and almost drag me with it. When I leaned forward for pole plant tab create pressure point in the muscle tissue make it almost painful after couple hours and extremely irritated.
I'm not trying to make a argument. Tabs my work for you but it definitely doesn't work for me.
To OP go and try, you might like it as it is or not. If not, like I did, start cutting tubs  little by little every ski day until you get where it's comfortable for you. only make sure all edges nice and smooth


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## Beetlenut (Jan 2, 2014)

I've had them on my Swix poles for about 6 years and like them. I find the one place they really come in handy is when your polling across the flats, you can put the butt end of the pole in your palm, and hold on to the Add Tabs with your last three fingers, and get a good push-off the end of your poles. I've never even noticed them while skiing.


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## cjohns716 (Jul 18, 2016)

Just got a pair of Swix blackhaws with the DD4 grips. One pole, the straps are aligned so that there are no extraneous loops of the strap when i go up through the loop from the bottom and grip the pole. the other however, seems that the strap is set into the grip the wrong way. I'm trying to figure out how to get the top cap off the grip in order to turn the straps around. Any chance you can help me? This is my first set of poles.


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## drjeff (Jul 19, 2016)

cjohns716 said:


> Just got a pair of Swix blackhaws with the DD4 grips. One pole, the straps are aligned so that there are no extraneous loops of the strap when i go up through the loop from the bottom and grip the pole. the other however, seems that the strap is set into the grip the wrong way. I'm trying to figure out how to get the top cap off the grip in order to turn the straps around. Any chance you can help me? This is my first set of poles.



Here's a video about how to install slalom guards on swix (and other) poles that involves info about how to pry the top cap off that should help you.

From having done the slalom guard installation on my kids swix poles,  I can say that it's not an overly difficult process, but the 1st time you do it, it's also not quite as easy as the pro's at Artech make it seem in this video.

And FYI, if you damage the end cap while prying it off, replacement ones are less than $2    (Not that I speak from experience about needing a replacement one!


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## xwhaler (Jul 19, 2016)

Picked up some new Swix freeride poles recently at Sports Authority of all places----got them for $25 marked down from $80 as part of their liquidation sale.
My 25 yr old Scott racing poles which I love dearly but are missing baskets on both poles and have been for 15+ yrs now may finally be getting retired.
The poling on the flat in deep snow and lack of baskets on powder days has become a bit too annoying.

These poles have the interchangeable baskets and the add tab feature so will try and report back once I use them come November.


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