Pole poll

Posts: 6336 - Karma: 57,097

Jul 26 2014 5:22PM

I've never really used poles in the park but I'm going to give it a go, as an experiment. I've never had skiers thumb (obviously) and don't fancy it, do you guys cut the straps on your poles? Does that prevent skiers thumb?

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profa_212

Posts: 8657 - Karma: 32,869

Jul 26 2014 5:52PM

I don't think that's what causes skiers thumb, but I still cut the straps off anyways. I find them quite annoying and never use them in the park. Pow poles though, you Definately need straps.

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Espen519

Posts: 552 - Karma: 969

Jul 26 2014 5:55PM

Mine have straps, but never use straps in park. It's nice to have when doing anything else though, pow especially. It sucks losing a pole part way up and having to crawl up steep pow trying to save a pole

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MLJ

Posts: 1849 - Karma: 3,649

Jul 27 2014 7:18PM

Profahoben_212I don't think that's what causes skiers thumb, but I still cut the straps off anyways. I find them quite annoying and never use them in the park. Pow poles though, you Definately need straps.

Espen519Mine have straps, but never use straps in park. It's nice to have when doing anything else though, pow especially. It sucks losing a pole part way up and having to crawl up steep pow trying to save a pole

Hmm, usually I do the opposite. In pow it is generally conceded that having straps makes it more dangerous, because of catching poles in avalanches etc.

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profa_212

Posts: 8657 - Karma: 32,869

Jul 28 2014 3:42AM

MLJHmm, usually I do the opposite. In pow it is generally conceded that having straps makes it more dangerous, because of catching poles in avalanches etc.

I live in South Dakota, and do not have that issue at all. But I do see how that could be a problem in the Backcountry.

I hate losing poles in powder because it take so long to find/hike to go get them.

In the park I can spot them right away and the hike is easy peasy...... So, no straps for my park poles.

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LC.

Posts: 5952 - Karma: 2,423

Jul 28 2014 11:18AM

Straps all the time except in trees, including in "avalanche terrain"; works for me.

Hold your straps properly and you're much less likely to injure your thumbs; up through the strap not down.

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OregonDead

Posts: 6801 - Karma: 23,597

Jul 28 2014 7:00PM

I like being able to jettison my poles on short notice. I don't bother cutting off the straps because sometimes they do make it easier to get my pole back. In deep snow sometimes the strap seems to float up to the top. Also, sometimes I can hook the strap and pick up one pole with the other.

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.MASSHOLE.

Posts: 7408 - Karma: 11,040

Jul 28 2014 8:30PM

BoaxStraps all the time except in trees, including in "avalanche terrain"; works for me.

Hold your straps properly and you're much less likely to injure your thumbs; up through the strap not down.

This is what I do as well. Only in the trees do I forgo pole straps, I don't really want to dislocate my shoulders by having a pole get caught.

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