High End Poles!

[rickg]

So much for high end carbon fiber composite ski poles! I had to take just one more short bump run as I was making my way back to base area of Beaver Creek. Of course I crashed and this was the result!

So, I did the only thing I could, I repossessed my spare pare that I lent to my cousin! I was letting him use them as I had been telling him how much I like LEKI poles. He can buy his own now!

Rick G

 

[Tony Storaro]

The reason I went back to normal, honest, simple, cheap alloy LEKI poles.

 

[slowrider]

Duct tape.

 

[Andy Mink]

The reason I went back to normal, honest, simple, cheap alloy LEKI poles.

I was able to take the slight bend out of my alloy Lekis with a bit of table corner persuasion. I don't know if carbon poles would have made it out of the crash so well.

 

[AtleB]

Cheap alloy for me. I break and/or lose way too many poles to buy the high end stuff..

 

[CascadeConcrete]

I was able to take the slight bend out of my alloy Lekis with a bit of table corner persuasion. I don't know if carbon poles would have made it out of the crash so well.

Carbons either wouldn't have bent to start with, or they would have snapped.

 

[Nobody]

I had my son break one of my LEKI carbon (well it was in truth hybrid, Alu on top 1/3 and carbon the lover 2/3) by skiing on it (while pole planting too close to the ski edge). Edge cut through it like butter...Still for that , obvious, downside, I love the carbon poles. Low, very low swing "momentum", even so that the change of basket from the small , on piste model, to a wider one to use off-piste / in soft snow was decidedly detectable.

Duct tape.

Won't work. I had said above pole repaired, homemade, with a carbon bandage and an inner alu "rod" for stenght (edit, I found a tutorial on youtube where those are called, "internal splint" and "external splint". so, that's what I did, sort of, I might concede that the repair was not done well, thus what happened later). It lasted about half a season. One day while pole pushing, it simply snapped again , because the applied forces were even so slightly off axis (there should be a thread around here about my repairs on the pole). Next pair of LEKI carbon got destroyed in a shop attempt to shorten them (the "tech" put one, then the other, in a vise, crushing them). I now use the free replacement I got from the shop, a thin alu LEKI model, for my daily skiing...but will buy another carbon one, if ever the time will come (I have a brand new hybrid Alu Carbon SL "racing" pair stored away for a day of "celebration", that I fear, will never come...)

 

[Nobody]

Still, I think you could give it a DIY try at repairing it. The swing momentum will considerably change and will be noticeable and different between the two poles, but, why not?

 

[chris_the_wrench]

Im skiing some 20+ year old LEKI aluminums. They have had bent and kinda straightened so many times its crazy. Ive bought probably 6-8 pairs of poles to replace them, but Ive either hated them or they broke. Ive never used a carbon pole that didn't feel crazy flexy like noodles, but I also never bought a high end carbon pole because I know what happens to my poles.

My current poles are getting on their last season, so I'll have to do something..

 

[fatbob]

This is why thrift store alu beats fancy premium carbon poles for some.

Sorry I know they are a sponsor - for balance LEKI Alu poles are often available in thrift stores and some price them at a premium to the general bin.

 

[Tony Storaro]

Ive never used a carbon pole that didn't feel crazy flexy like noodles, but I also never bought a high end carbon pole because I know what happens to my poles.

Believe me, high end carbon Comperdels flex like...how did you put it....noodles, yes.

The only carbon poles I tried that did not flex were LEKI Venom Vario S, but as I keep my poles together with the ski in a bag in the car, edges started to scuff the carbon and as I was afraid this would not end well, I went back to alloy poles.
Simple, durable, trustworthy, cheap.

 

[Philpug]

I don't think there is ever the question that aluminum poles are are usually more durable, but there is a cost for durablilty and that is weight. Carbon is lighter, there is a cost for the light weight and that is durability. Thats why there are both designs and variations there of on the market. Chose the one best for you, obviously not carbon.

 

[Carl]

I've never considered the weight of an aluminum / alloy pole to be an issue that I needed to address.

 

[Living Proof]

I don't think there is ever the question that aluminum poles are are usually more durable, but there is a cost for durablilty and that is weight

The other benefit of carbon fiber is shock absorption. Skiing eastern hard pack with Al poles causes my wrists to become painful, not so after switch to carbon fiber. Would bamboo poles be a better option for both shock absorption and longer life?

 

[Philpug]

Would bamboo poles be a better option for both shock absorption and longer life?

Depends not all bamboo is the same. Sole Poles were really heavy and a high swing weight, the Grass Sticks feel a little more traditional.

As fas as overall durability of carbon, I have been usuing Carbon poles for over 30 years starting with the original Goode 10.4, I only broke one and that user error.

 

[rickg]

Thanks for the comments. I knew when I bought them this could happen. The pair I repossessed from my cousin are also carbon, but solid carbon. Have used them for about 5-6 seasons and when I saw the carbon composite on sale I bought them. The pole that broke had a hollow core, the older ones are solid.

I will send a picture to LEKI and ask them if they can help. Not sure what warranty is for their carbon poles.

Rick G

 

[Levy1]

I have always enjoyed the LEKI Poles and their innovations.The way that they fit on the glove the way they snap off when you fall. Push the button and they're off. It's been a great product for me.

 

[Andy Mink]

I have always enjoyed the LEKI Poles and their innovations.The way that they fit on the glove the way they snap off when you fall. Push the button and they're off. It's been a great product for me.

I took a pretty good tumble the other day and was somewhat surprised the trigger didn't release. I suffered no ill effects and I didn't even notice the pole was bent until later.

 

[CascadeConcrete]

I took a pretty good tumble the other day and was somewhat surprised the trigger didn't release.

It's a common misconception that they're designed to release in falls. You won't find LEKI saying that anywhere. Any releases that happen are incidental.

Actually, LEKI does seem to discuss release on their website now. However, at least for the older designs I have, they almost never release. And as far as I can tell, the mechanism works almost opposite of how you'd want it to for safety release. When the pole gets pulled away from the glove, it just pushes harder against the little lever, jamming it in place. The newer poles may be different.

 

[cantunamunch]

The other benefit of carbon fiber is shock absorption. Skiing eastern hard pack with Al poles causes my wrists to become painful, not so after switch to carbon fiber. Would bamboo poles be a better option for both shock absorption and longer life?

I had this issue with my last rotator cuff tear in 2006. The carbon poles I bought that season (Scott not LEKI) lasted until 2018.