The big guide to ski poles, length and materials

Your ski pole can make or break your whole skiing experience. But how do you find your way through the pole jungle? With some tips and advice on ski poles, length, material and much more, we hope you'll be able to find a great pair of poles right away!

What you want from your ski pole

Ski poles fulfil a very important function in both downhill and cross-country skiing. When you are downhill skiing they help to keep your balance and when cross-country skiing they help to provide power. Whatever you use your poles for, it's important that you use one that suits you and your skiing.

So how do you find the optimal rod? Below, we list four areas that you should prioritise a little more:

  • Rigid
  • Lightweight
  • Strong
  • Comfortable grip

Rigid - Of course, you don't want a pole that bends in the middle of the ride. So go for a really stiff pole.

Lightweight - To be as efficient as possible and keep the pendulum swinging, choose a lightweight pole.

Strong - The stronger your rod, the more durable it is.

Comfortable grip It's obviously important that your pole has a comfortable and ergonomic grip. Just think how many hours you'll be holding that grip

There are of course lots of different rods, in different brands and of different materials. The material itself is often decisive when it comes to whether your rod is good or less good. All materials also have different properties and advantages and are therefore suitable for different purposes depending on your preferences. We tell you more below:

  • Fibreglass
  • Aluminium
  • Composite
  • Carbon fibre

Fibreglass - The lightest rods are made of fibreglass. However, they often have a poor balance and are therefore better suited to the enthusiast than the exerciser.

Aluminium - If you want a durable pole, choose an aluminium one. Unfortunately, they can be perceived as somewhat heavy and are therefore not the most optimal choice for the cross-country skier. However, they are all the more suitable for downhill skiing.

Composite - Composite poles are a mixture of fibreglass and carbon fibre. This is a good choice for most types of riders - both cross-country and downhill!

Carbon fibre - If you want the best ski pole, choose a carbon fibre one. No pole is as stiff and strong as the carbon fibre one. Perfect for the athlete!

The model or material that suits you best simply depends on your taste and, of course, the type of skiing you do. Something else that is also crucial is the length of the ski pole.

How to choose the length of the ski pole

Choosing the right length of ski pole can be tricky, but it's also very important. Not only to get the most out of your skiing, but also to avoid the risk of poor posture, which could jeopardise your safety.

But how do you know what the ideal length is? The answer to that question is not simple, as it depends a lot on your height and preferences. Therefore, we can only share general recommendations.

The length of ski poles obviously varies depending on the type of skiing you do. We tell you more below:

Poles for downhill skiing

An alpine, slalom or downhill ski pole should be of different lengths depending on whether you're going downhill, off-piste or freestyle. However, you can use the same method to find a general length for your ski pole:

  1. Stand with your back straight
  2. Angle your arms at 90 degrees
  3. Measure the distance between your hand and the floor - add about 5cm (the height of the boot)

Alpine skiing Using the method above, you will have a general length for your rod

Off-piste If you ski a lot off-piste, you can choose a slightly shorter pole

Freestyle Choose a slightly longer pole than the one for alpine skiing

Poles for cross-country skiing

The length of ski poles for classic skiing is generally slightly shorter than the pole for skate/freestyle. A tip might be to start from the general length but then test it out. Even a few centimetres can make a big difference.

Classical skiing - The length of the ski poles should be about 30 cm shorter than your body height.

Skate/freestyle - The length of the ski poles should be about 20 cm shorter than your body height.

For juniors, we recommend a rod that is slightly shorter than the recommendations above.

In conclusion

There you have it! Our top tips for everything related to ski poles, length and materials. Still not sure? Then choose a slightly longer pole and saw it off as needed. Of course, we always recommend testing your poles before you decide on a pair. Only then will you know if they feel good in your hand, in terms of length and weight.

You do know that you can do just that in our ski shed? There you also have the opportunity to hire all equipment for your skiing holiday!