High End Poles!

[Tony S]

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

Decided to try the Grass Sticks. Have been using them this season. Not that many days due to exceptionally poor alignment between free days for skiing and non-heinous weather, but so far so good. The one gripe is that the straps are not set up properly to lie flat around your hand, and the design of the buckle prevents setting them up that way. I talked with Andrew at Grass Sticks about it. He acknowledged the issue and said they are working on a new reversible buckle to address the problem. (Apparently they USED to set the straps up correctly but customers complained. ) Meanwhile he's supposed to be mailing me an old style set.

 

[Wasatchman]

@rickgwhat happened in the crash that snapped your pole? Maybe this was an unlucky one off situation?

I use carbon composite poles but to be honest I don't find the type of pole all that important. So if aluminum floats your boat then go for it. I paid $5 for my carbon swix poles 6 years ago. They were used but perfect condition from a rental shop clearing inventory. I wish I'd have bought more than a pair looking at the prices for new poles right now.

 

[cantunamunch]

@rickgwhat happened in the crash that snapped your pole? Maybe this was an unlucky one off situation?

If it was, I've had at least 4 unlucky one-offs - all with relatively stiff carbon, not the softer 'composite' fiberglass/vinyl resin blends.

EDIT: To answer your question, most of them have been downhill tumbles, with either the ski or my lower body impacting the shaft of the pole.
Moguls-Taos-Scott
Tree-Well-Canyons-LEKI
Logging stump - KH - Lifelink
Tree-Whitegrass- Exel

I don't actually believe this was a failure mode specific to carbon - and I have a snapped aluminum LEKI Lawisond to demonstrate alu failure in a similar incident, as well as other alu poles that were partially cut by the ski edge.

 

[Choucas]

I don't know if it might work for what you are looking for (racing handles and straps), but when I had my carbon poles destroyed, I then went to the shop where I had bought them and asked if it was possible to get some spare parts to try to make then usable again: handles, basket, and tipss. They got them, had to pay of course, from their LEKI sales rep, and those were real spare parts not some refurbed parts hastily found. But those were normal spare parts and the shop was not a racing oriente one. Try and go to a ski racing specialized shop that sells LEKI and see if they can work that out for you. Even while in Switzerland. Since it might take a while, you better (if you know the names of a shop or two) work that out in advance.

Good info. I’ve got a shop here in Vermont that’s quite plugged into racing and moves a lot of LEKI product. I’ll check with them. Thanks.

 

[DanoT]

My Goode carbon poles are the lightest, strongest, longest lasting poles I have ever owned. They have had so much use that I wore the rubber off the rubber grips.

Replacement hand grips where available online but shipping to Canada doubled the price. So I went to the last Utah Gathering a day early so I could go to the Goode factory in Ogden and get grips and tips and a basket for a friend. They don't do sales out of the factory and don't have a receptionist, so I knocked on the back door and when a worker came out I told him my story. He invited me in and I got my parts and a mini factory tour. They were making carbon fiber water skis! Up until then I though Goode just made poles and snow skis.

 

[Spam16v]

Stories like this are what get sales.

My Goode carbon poles are the lightest, strongest, longest lasting poles I have ever owned. They have had so much use that I wore the rubber off the rubber grips.

Replacement hand grips where available online but shipping to Canada doubled the price. So I went to the last Utah Gathering a day early so I could go to the Goode factory in Ogden and get grips and tips and a basket for a friend. They don't do sales out of the factory and don't have a receptionist, so I knocked on the back door and when a worker came out I told him my story. He invited me in and I got my parts and a mini factory tour. They were making carbon fiber water skis! Up until then I though Goode just made poles and snow skis.