# Graphite or aluminum ski poles?



## Geoff (Mar 12, 2009)

I've been reading a few comments about "cold metal ski poles" on the lift.  I've been on graphite poles for a jillion years.  I swapped over after Allsop stopped making those shock absorber poles with the spring in the grip.  Graphite poles are lighter.  They transfer much less shock so you don't get sore wrists on bullet-proof.  I break one every 10 years or so.  At this time of year, you can find them half price so cost really isn't much of an issue.


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## Greg (Mar 12, 2009)

Geoff said:


> I've been reading a few comments about "cold metal ski poles" on the lift.  I've been on graphite poles for a jillion years.  I swapped over after Allsop stopped making those shock absorber poles with the spring in the grip.  Graphite poles are lighter.  They transfer much less shock so you don't get sore wrists on bullet-proof.  I break one every 10 years or so.  At this time of year, you can find them half price so cost really isn't much of an issue.



Composites all the way. Would never consider alums again. I bought a pair of el cheap alums for the Sundown bump comp last year. After that day and AZ day at Sugarbush they were all bent to crap. Easier to cut composites to clown pole length too.  Yeah, when they are ready to go, they just snap, but I haven't even broken a pair yet.


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## Greg (Mar 12, 2009)

*K2 V8s*

BTW, I have these K2 V8s. If you can get over the green grips and work with a 46" or less (by cutting them), here they are for 30 bucks:

http://www.thedailysteal.com/product/107903

Old school K2 graphics on the shaft is rad!


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## wa-loaf (Mar 12, 2009)

I've got a pair of aluminum Leki's from the early 90's. They work just fine, I don't notice any weight issues and I'm not going to replace them until they break. Then I'll find a deal, doesn't matter what they are made of.


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## mondeo (Mar 12, 2009)

Greg said:


> BTW, I have these K2 V8s. If you can get over the green grips and work with a 46" or less (by cutting them), here they are for 30 bucks:
> 
> http://www.thedailysteal.com/product/107903
> 
> Old school K2 graphics on the shaft is rad!


I would, but this copycat street only goes one way...

7075-T6. Much stronger than 6061-T6. Only reason I'd go to CFRP is weight.


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## drjeff (Mar 12, 2009)

Composite for me - Swix Vipers







My 3rd season now since making the conversion and I wouldn't go back to aluminum. Swing weight with composite is soooo much better, and with the stiff of modern generation composite poles you get great performance AND durability!


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## deadheadskier (Mar 12, 2009)

I've had two sets of Black and Gold Scotts over the past 15 years, which I'm pretty sure are aluminum.  Never an issue with them.  I tired my father's Goode's at one point and really didn't care for how light they were.


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## eastcoastpowderhound (Mar 12, 2009)

alum...always a 7000 shaft..ie 7075.  good alum poles don't bend, cheap ones with a 5000 series shaft will bend and crimp easily.  I prefer the swing weight of a alum pole, like to know I've got something substantial there...also like the sound alum poles make when you clink them together...its my early warning system, lets you know I'm there.  I've used composite poles many times, too light...(guess I've got enough upper body strength to swing an alum pole :razz and I've had a few pair break, ferrules (the tips/baskets) fall off, etc...and these weren't cheap composites, they were expensive models from Swix and K2.


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Mar 12, 2009)

I have both..my graphites are heavier and my aluminum poles bend easier so now they look like racing poles..


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## Glenn (Mar 12, 2009)

I picked up a pair of Rossi G20's up in VT around Labor Day $20...brand new too. 

I like the lightness of the composite poles. I don't always like the flexibility of them. It's not that bad when you click off you're skis, but I've had some odd experiences when I used my poles to slow myself down or stop in the lift line. I drag my poles like crazy when I'm zipping along, so these composites do have a bit a different feel to them.


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## tjf67 (Mar 12, 2009)

Geoff said:


> I've been reading a few comments about "cold metal ski poles" on the lift.  I've been on graphite poles for a jillion years.  I swapped over after Allsop stopped making those shock absorber poles with the spring in the grip.  Graphite poles are lighter.  They transfer much less shock so you don't get sore wrists on bullet-proof.  I break one every 10 years or so.  At this time of year, you can find them half price so cost really isn't much of an issue.



I have had a few pairs of graphites and they alway snap.  I am brutal on poles.  I get the cheapest I can find.


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## deadheadskier (Mar 12, 2009)

tjf67 said:


> I get the cheapest I can find.



....same, then again, you know me


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## bvibert (Mar 12, 2009)

I've had a few pairs of cheap aluminum poles in the last few years, they get bent up pretty easily.  I just purchased a pair of composites, we'll see how I like them.


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## Euler (Mar 12, 2009)

tjf67 said:


> I get the cheapest I can find.



Me too.  I'm the guy who thinks 50% off new equipment is way too expensive and waits to get the Atomic Beta Ride 11-20s for $35 at the ski-skate sale.

In that same vein, I just scored a brand new pair of Solomon 1080 Fish Jr. Twin Tips for my 8 yr old from Ebay for $30 + $25 shipping.  It's a 2007 model, but brand new so I thought he'd like that for next year.


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## Beetlenut (Mar 12, 2009)

drjeff said:


> Composite for me - Swix Vipers. My 3rd season now since making the conversion and I wouldn't go back to aluminum. Swing weight with composite is soooo much better, and with the stiff of modern generation composite poles you get great performance AND durability!



I have pair of Swix graphite poles too. Jeff, what do you think of the yellow ad-tabs on the handles? Best poles I've ever had.


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## KevinF (Mar 12, 2009)

I had a pair of graphite ski poles (Kerma's) for years...  finally snapped one just leaning on it in the lift line at Burke.  I picked up a pair of mid-priced aluminum poles; they felt ok in the shop, but on the mountain I felt like I was swinging lead weights around.  I finally mail-ordered a pair of Goode ski poles, which are crazy light.  I love 'em.  I'll never go back to aluminum.


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## drjeff (Mar 12, 2009)

Beetlenut said:


> I have pair of Swix graphite poles too. Jeff, what do you think of the yellow ad-tabs on the handles? Best poles I've ever had.



I would have never believed that such a small piece of plastic could be such a GREAT idea.  That tab combined with the proper use of the strap basically makes it impossible to loose your grip while skiing.  

I'll second the best poles I've ever had line!


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## drjeff (Mar 12, 2009)

tjf67 said:


> I have had a few pairs of graphites and they alway snap.  I am brutal on poles.  I get the cheapest I can find.



In all seriousness, WTF are you doing to be breaking multiple pairs?? Using them as "baseball bats" to trees and/or lift towers?? Forgetting to lift them going through a mid-station??


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## Greg (Mar 12, 2009)

drjeff said:


> In all seriousness, WTF are you doing to be breaking multiple pairs?? Using them as "baseball bats" to trees and/or lift towers?? Forgetting to lift them going through a mid-station??



Passive aggressive personality.


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## deadheadskier (Mar 12, 2009)

drjeff said:


> In all seriousness, WTF are you doing to be breaking multiple pairs?? Using them as "baseball bats" to trees and/or lift towers?? Forgetting to lift them going through a mid-station??



If you ski a lot of trees, it's not uncommon to bend or break poles pretty frequently.


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## drjeff (Mar 12, 2009)

deadheadskier said:


> If you ski a lot of trees, it's not uncommon to bend or break poles pretty frequently.



I can say that I've been charging trees for close to 20 years now and the only time I've ever broke a pole was when I got pissed off at myself for a stupid line I took and base ball batted a styling pair of neon orange with black accent Kerma corrective angles against a tree in some unmarked stuff @ Stratton


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## deadheadskier (Mar 12, 2009)

Like I've mentioned, I've only had two pairs a poles, actually make that three over the past fifteen years or so.  I replaced my last pair after a winter in Stowe spending 90% of my time in the woods over a 90 day season as I bent the heck out of those poles that winter.  Lots of my friends that winter bent or broke poles.  I probably haven't spent 10% as much time in the woods in my seven season since and haven't had a problem.

Just saying it's possible is all


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## mondeo (Mar 12, 2009)

I have a closet full of bent poles. Either from planting them too hard on a bump and they sink in and drag me to the ground (a very effective surprise self-arrest technique) or from falling on them as they bridge two bumps.


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## Glenn (Mar 13, 2009)

I only broken a pole once; out in Utah in my teens. Growing up skiing in the east, you could easily "accidentally" tap the bamboo markers and they'd fall over. Can't do that in Utah...they're actually burried more than 3" in the snow. I learned another lesson that day as well...never try to unbend a pole when you're outside and it's 20F outside. Life's little lessons.


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## drjeff (Mar 13, 2009)

Glenn said:


> I learned another lesson that day as well...*never try to unbend a pole when you're outside and it's 20F outside. Life's little lessons*.



Let me guess, Mrs. Glenn was spanking you with her pole for making a bad descision again about what trail you just went down  :lol:


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## Glenn (Mar 13, 2009)

drjeff said:


> Let me guess, Mrs. Glenn was spanking you with her pole for making a bad descision again about what trail you just went down  :lol:



LMAO! 

That above story was a two-fer...Bamboo markers are burried deep in Utah...ski poles will snap if you try to unbend them...after trying to knock over said bamboo marker in Utal.


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## tjf67 (Mar 13, 2009)

bvibert said:


> I've had a few pairs of cheap aluminum poles in the last few years, they get bent up pretty easily.  I just purchased a pair of composites, we'll see how I like them.



Careful in the bumps with them.  That is where a lot of my snappage occured.  Esp in the spring when you make the plant and it goes to deep.   The snap they make is really a cool sound though.


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## tjf67 (Mar 13, 2009)

drjeff said:


> In all seriousness, WTF are you doing to be breaking multiple pairs?? Using them as "baseball bats" to trees and/or lift towers?? Forgetting to lift them going through a mid-station??



It happens in soft snow when you are charging.  You make an aggressive pole plant the pole goes down farther than you want it to and BLAM 80 bucks out the window.  
I ski over my poles a lot to but that never resulted in them snapping.


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## bvibert (Mar 13, 2009)

tjf67 said:


> Careful in the bumps with them.  That is where a lot of my snappage occured.  Esp in the spring when you make the plant and it goes to deep.   The snap they make is really a cool sound though.



Thanks for the warning.  I've practically had that happen with aluminum poles already this year, specifically the pole that the basket ripped off of.  The composites that I'm getting only cost me $30 on sale so I'm not too worried.  If they break then they break...


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