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How long are your poles?

Primoz

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I'm 181cm and my are 170cm... ok those are skating xc poles :D But seriously... for alpine I'm using 130cm for normal skiing (SL and GS skis), for ski touring/freeride I put 140cm for up (unfortunately they don't extend any longer) and 130cm for down, and for those few times that I help test/run in DH skis for friend, 145cm DH poles.
 
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TS
Z

zircon

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Interesting to read all the responses and thanks for the scatter plot @dbostedo

@textrovert I also would have expected the opposite, which is why I was shocked the instructor told me to do it and even more shocked that it helped.
We adjusted them somewhere about halfway between 115 and 120. Can't say exactly where because the poles don't have markings shorter than 5cm. I'm now starting to wonder if there's also an element of boot fit to what pole length works. My current boots are really upright because of very poor dorsiflexion (one of the few things about these boots that works for me). I'm wondering if a lot of the tall people on short poles have a more aggressive forward lean effectively shortening the entire body?
 

textrovert

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I'm now starting to wonder if there's also an element of boot fit to what pole length works. My current boots are really upright because of very poor dorsiflexion (one of the few things about these boots that works for me). I'm wondering if a lot of the tall people on short poles have a more aggressive forward lean effectively shortening the entire body?
Good points. I would put it as more flexed knees and ankles, while still maintaining a more central balance/slightly forward balance. If, like you say, your boot is mostly straight and also it is not being flexed/hinged forward, you will immediately get into the backseat when you flex your knees. You may be compensating for this by skiing taller and breaking more at the hip to get forward. In which case, the longer pole would help and prevent that.
 

textrovert

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View attachment 96417

Fairly tight grouping.... as you'd expect. Not too many outliers... the main one is probably whoever is 6' tall using 135 poles.

I took the first or main size if people gave multiple, depending on what they said. And converted everything to cm, which introduces just a little bit of rounding error.

Nicely visualized, thanks!
 

Noodler

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Interesting to read all the responses and thanks for the scatter plot @dbostedo

@textrovert I also would have expected the opposite, which is why I was shocked the instructor told me to do it and even more shocked that it helped.
We adjusted them somewhere about halfway between 115 and 120. Can't say exactly where because the poles don't have markings shorter than 5cm. I'm now starting to wonder if there's also an element of boot fit to what pole length works. My current boots are really upright because of very poor dorsiflexion (one of the few things about these boots that works for me). I'm wondering if a lot of the tall people on short poles have a more aggressive forward lean effectively shortening the entire body?

Pole length is more about terrain choice and skiing style/technique. If you ski with high edge angles your upper body will be much closer to the snow. Long poles are a liability in that situation. I used to ski with 48", then moved to 46" for a season, and now use 44" and would never go longer. The shorter poles are much better for groomer zooming and moguls. I would prefer a bit longer for all-mountain or when in soft snow, but that's why I have a set of adjustable length poles too.
 

Tom K.

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Pole length is more about terrain choice and skiing style/technique. If you ski with high edge angles your upper body will be much closer to the snow. Long poles are a liability in that situation. I used to ski with 48", then moved to 46" for a season, and now use 44" and would never go longer. The shorter poles are much better for groomer zooming and moguls. I would prefer a bit longer for all-mountain or when in soft snow, but that's why I have a set of adjustable length poles too.

Great. Must resist the idea that I need a "pole quiver".

Danger, Will Robinson!
 

Atomicman

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5' 10 1/2".......But with boot risers and ski plates probably at Least 6'0" 132cm (52") LEKI's
 

Tony Storaro

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LEKI Venom Vario S- as long/short as I want them...:ogcool:

Best poles ever....apart from the trigger S strap maybe, which I am not particularly fond of.

183 cm.

120 for lazy days with the family and half arsed carving.
110 when things get serious.
 
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Noodler

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One pair of adjustable poles will do nicely methinks.

I own two different models of LEKI adjustable poles. They have their pros and cons. The older model uses a "twisting" action to lock the length chosen. One of those poles has been fine, but the other tends to slip. The nice thing about the twisting mechanism is that it's internal to the pole, so they still look like normal slim poles and they don't catch on the chair (or my crotch) when sliding them underneath when getting on the chairlift.

The other pair is the newer Carbon Vario S that uses more of a clamping style length adjustment mechanism and the clamp is more secure, but bulky and tends to catch on the chair (or my crotch) when getting on/off the lift.
 

Tony Storaro

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I own two different models of LEKI adjustable poles. They have their pros and cons. The older model uses a "twisting" action to lock the length chosen. One of those poles has been fine, but the other tends to slip. The nice thing about the twisting mechanism is that it's internal to the pole, so they still look like normal slim poles and they don't catch on the chair (or my crotch) when sliding them underneath when getting on the chairlift.

The other pair is the newer Carbon Vario S that uses more of a clamping style length adjustment mechanism and the clamp is more secure, but bulky and tends to catch on the chair (or my crotch) when getting on/off the lift.

The Venoms have this twisting mechanism and I have had no problems so far, but I've been using them for 2 months only, so it is too early to say how durable they will be long term.
They save a ton of headache in picking the right length tho.

The other ones I use from time to time are the G3 carbon adjustable, but don't like them very much as they are much thicker, bulkier and have those clamps which are OK on hiking poles but look weird and as you say are catchy on ski poles.

The one thing I do not like about the LEKI is the trigger S strap which keeps the handle in your hand at all times and I am used to leaving them dangling from my wrists when adjusting boots or goggles.
Recently found replacement straps which convert them to "normal" poles but they are yet to arrive so cant comment how good they are.
 

Pajarito-bred

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Thanks, dbostedo, for the scatter plot.
It's nice to know I'm above average on your plot. I'm 5'10" and have been using 125 cm poles for my last two pairs. But I don't really know for certain if I'm using the proper length for my skiing style, terrain, and snow conditions, as I haven't used any other length for alpine since growing to my adult height during the Gerald Ford administration (our most recent presidential skier).
There's so much good info on skis on this site that I (almost) don't feel entitled to add my own potentially sketchy bit of opinion. But I can geek out on what I know about ski poles in one semi-concise post, without starting a new thread, while I wait one more week for our local ski hill to open.

History:
3). LEKI Alu-carbon with quick-release trigger grips 1997-present.
2). Orange Scotts with one-piece white strapless grips 1978-1997 (matched my Olin Mk-IV comps)
1). (whatever my my dad brought home from the ski swap before that)

I think the LEKI's are terrific! Until I break these I'm tempted to consider an equipment update too risky. Pretty low swing weight, the quick-release grips are super-convenient, with ice-gripping tungsten-carbide tips, with the safety benefit of strap "quick release" if the pole (or myself) gets caught in tree branches or deep pocket of snow. These also have a slight forward bend just below the grip that brings the tip forward about 6"compared to a straight shaft. They look like they'd be adjustable length but aren't. "German design and engineering" printed on each pole!
Issues: I have noticed that wallowing around in deep powder post-wipe-out can cause the trigger pocket to become impacted with snow. I've replaced the glove-attached straps at least twice, reglued the aluminum/carbon trim, but might venture to spring for new LEKI's next time instead of replacing the grips again. The base of the pole above the basket has many years of ski-edge gouges, with an unknown amount of abuse tolerance remaining.

My current quandary:
My girlfriends brother has been skiing since he was 2 years old (now 59) and rips on Nordica Enforcers. But he uses bargain-bin poles way too short that are bent in seven places, would be rejected even by the most sketchy off-brand-low-rent rental shop.
I have inherited a really nice pair of K2 carbon poles, 120 cm, in excellent condition, a present to my dad about 10 years ago, as he was the same type of expert skier with horrible poles as mentioned above. My dad skied his final run last season, and I'm tempted to re-gift his poles to my girlfriend's brother for Christmas, if I could be assured he would appreciate them.
I weighed one of each pair:
K2's: 211g (7.44 ounces) with strap, (120 cm L)
LEKI: 262g (9.23 ounces) (237g pole, plus 25g strap, 125 cm L)
Dang, maybe I shouldn't have done that....this unfortunate data does not match my perception

Rationalization: But most of the LEKI's excess weight is at the top, where the shaft is aluminum, while the weight at the bottom (carbon) is more important for swing weight. At some point in the distant past I was told in some ski shop to flick the pole back-and-forth quickly, as we do when making tight turns skiing. In engineering terms it's moment-of-inertia, a function of resistance to rapid acceleration and deceleration required at the tip of the pole, which has to travel much farther as we ski than the grip does, which is traveling only at hand-speed.

a) should I keep the shorter, lighter K2's for myself?
b) or am I too much of a LEKI snob to use traditional-grip poles?
c) will my girlfriend's brother appreciate a gift of decent ski poles? He's 5'8" so 120 cm is, in my opinion, appropriate. The gift would of course enable me to continue to critique his annoying prior lack of appreciation of ski-pole quality while riding the lift.
d) why do so many otherwise expert skiers not give a flying duck about swing weight or quality of poles?

LEKI grip and glove/strap
IMG_0543.jpeg

Carbon shaft damage above basket (I think comparable to what's seen on 7075 alloy aluminum shafts)
IMG_0547.jpeg
 

cantunamunch

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Keep the K2s - you'll need them soon ^enough and you already appreciate the gift. Or put a HUGE powder basket on them and enjoy the quiver.

Give your GFBro a pair of bulletproof Scott S4s like the Scrapper Pro. If he doesn't appreciate it, you will.

#farlessembarassing
 

DoryBreaux

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I 100% prefer going shorter than the "traditional" reccomended. Even my touring poles are short. Why? I like skiing low and powerful. And when I need to be tall and light? It's not that hard to adjust. This topic cuased many a heated discussion in the Northstar ski school locker room.
 

neonorchid

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5’6.5” and I usually set the adjustable length poles at ~ 118 to 120.
Years ago the suggest measure was to hold the pole upside down and with a hand at the basket the arm should be at a right angle to the ground. I forget if the hand was to be held under or over the basket.
Went with 120cm for the last fixed length poles I purchased.
I would have been ok with 115cm poles but decided to stay closer to what I’ve been using with the adjustable poles.
I tend to ski with a more relaxed upright and centered stance which is where the longer 120cm length feels right to me.
 
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