Member of the Month

JalmarKalmar
April, 2024

Online

Welcome to the Newschoolers forums! You may read the forums as a guest, however you must be a registered member to post. Register to become a member today!

What's better, straps on poles or no straps?

profile picture
bgr55
Posts: 10 - Karma: 42
The title says it all - What's better, straps on poles or no straps?
POLL
Edit Poll
Votes:

Take care when editing a poll; Options should be similar to maintain vote integrity.

More options will be added automatically as you type. You must supply a question and at least two options. No HTML is allowed.

Jul 27 2021 5:57AM
4 0
profile picture
CatdickBojangles
Posts: 6176 - Karma: 62,597
My brain tells me I must use straps or I feel like I cannot ski right. Not sure why.
Jul 27 2021 7:46AM
16 0
profile picture
sullivano*b
Posts: 1233 - Karma: 8,081
i don't use the straps ever but they look better on the poles than not on. also you can make a tripod with poles and a phone if you have straos
Jul 27 2021 9:02AM
6 0
profile picture
WoFlowz
Posts: 7722 - Karma: 63,705
Not using them when they’re there is kinda pointless IMO
Jul 27 2021 10:24AM
8 1
profile picture
MoneyMakerMike
Posts: 1254 - Karma: 5,770
Grabbing is easier with pole straps
Jul 27 2021 10:58AM
15 0
profile picture
r00kie
Posts: 5212 - Karma: 59,078
No straps but if you do use them at least wear them right so you don't wreck your thumb when you crash.
Jul 27 2021 10:58AM
9 0
profile picture
SofaKingSick
Posts: 8946 - Karma: 57,648
straps are great for when you're carrying your shit

i never wear them though, i'd rather go pick up a pole i dropped than get my arm yanked by my pole catching a tree or something
Jul 27 2021 11:20AM
15 1
profile picture
HomerPimpin
Posts: 104 - Karma: 970
MoneyMakerMikeGrabbing is easier with pole straps


I've eaten shit twice from getting my straps caught on a ski during a grab
Jul 27 2021 11:38AM
0 1
profile picture
cydwhit
Posts: 5065 - Karma: 42,823
Some guide/rich bro who got guided once is gonna come in here and rant about how any serious backcountry skier should cut all the straps off their poles immediately because they're only a liability and they're literally gonna kill you.

Pole straps make skinning a lot easier and they make me a lot less likely to lose my poles skiing inbounds. I do ski with them off when I'm in the backcountry.
Jul 27 2021 12:02PM
12 0
profile picture
BigPurpleSkiSuit
Posts: 9116 - Karma: 65,377
I always ski without straps since tomahawking is safer without metal poles attached to your body.
Jul 27 2021 12:52PM
6 0
profile picture
asparagus
Posts: 2457 - Karma: 27,863
I prefer to not be holding my poles when I fall so I’ve got no straps
Jul 27 2021 1:43PM
4 0
profile picture
colorado_frenchy
Posts: 198 - Karma: 1,329
I used to be obsessed with my straps, always had to "grab them" and feel secure before dropping or it felt off. After hurting the same wrist back to back to back within couples of weeks, I grabbed a pair of Line poles with the GrabTab and remove the straps on them.

I probably won't go back, the grab tab may seem like a gimmick but personally I find it great to provide extra support to be able to keep my hands lose on the pole as I would with straps, without the inconvenience of getting stuck.
Jul 27 2021 2:01PM
4 0
profile picture
colorado_frenchy
Posts: 198 - Karma: 1,329
colorado_frenchyI used to be obsessed with my straps, always had to "grab them" and feel secure before dropping or it felt off. After hurting the same wrist back to back to back within couples of weeks, I grabbed a pair of Line poles with the GrabTab and remove the straps on them.

I probably won't go back, the grab tab may seem like a gimmick but personally I find it great to provide extra support to be able to keep my hands lose on the pole as I would with straps, without the inconvenience of getting stuck.


BUT to answer the question, straps do look cooler IMO.
Jul 27 2021 2:04PM
2 0
profile picture
a_burger
Posts: 5206 - Karma: 20,187
scott team grips + no straps
Jul 27 2021 2:20PM
2 0
profile picture
zacgcb
Posts: 89 - Karma: 958
we have no powder in nz so losing a pile in the snow is not an issue here and after mildly spraining both wrists skiing with straps and eating shit i decided picking up poles i dropped was better than snapping my wrists
Jul 27 2021 10:16PM
3 0
profile picture
e.littt
Posts: 414 - Karma: 2,348
I used to ski with straps, then I had an incident where I crashed and the pole got caught in the snow on something and I tore my rotator cuff. So because of that I don't ski with straps anymore. I do drop my poles quite often when I go to do something like lift my goggles up since my body just assumes they are attached to me haha, but otherwise I don't particularly notice any difference while riding.
Jul 27 2021 11:17PM
3 0
profile picture
TRVP_ANGEL
Posts: 12426 - Karma: 114,647
No poles
Jul 27 2021 11:48PM
0 0
profile picture
CT_CREW
Posts: 658 - Karma: 3,439
I cut em...
Jul 28 2021 10:38AM
0 0
profile picture
ColoradoSki
Posts: 206 - Karma: 519
As someone who tried both lol I like straps a lot more. The downside is I’ve jammed my thumb a lot and sometimes really made since my arm was apart of the pole and couldn’t get away from it
Jul 28 2021 3:38PM
2 0
profile picture
DeclanSorich
Posts: 89 - Karma: 714
Detachable straps
Jul 28 2021 6:24PM
2 0
profile picture
CatdickBojangles
Posts: 6176 - Karma: 62,597
DeclanSorichDetachable straps


Still not sure why this idea hasn’t caught on more. Leki does it but it’s pretty high end stuff. Even have gloves that poles clip to.
Jul 28 2021 8:36PM
2 0
profile picture
jompcock
Posts: 1457 - Karma: 10,583
I broke my hand last year because of straps and will continue to use them
Jul 28 2021 10:14PM
2 0
profile picture
Mattbrippin
Posts: 162 - Karma: 938
I don’t use poles😎
Jul 29 2021 12:12AM
1 0
profile picture
BradFiAusNzCoCa
Posts: 6647 - Karma: 57,291
In my Avy 1 course, they said straps are a no go in backcountry. So I started skiing with my straps between my hand and poles just to see how it was. I just grab around straps and grip. Super easy for falls and I still can grab the pole strap when I need to.


I won’t go back to using straps. No way. So much easier this way.
Jul 29 2021 3:13AM
3 0
profile picture
zulis
Posts: 514 - Karma: 1,389
Definely no straps in backcountry. Few years ago double ejected on a cliff drop and went head first into powder. Naturally you lift your hands up to protect head and I got "cemented" in snow. Couldn`t move or do anything. Luckily got a homie taking pictures and he saved me.
And in the park I got one episode where while falling ski pole strap got cought around my thumb and broke it.
Jul 29 2021 6:45AM
2 0
All times are Eastern (-4)