Gear selection tends to be an afterthought, but many people must have experienced that the impact of ski poles on skiing performance is by no means small. Small details such as weight, swing balance, length, and grip feel are important. In the backcountry where nature is the field, it is used in a completely different way from the slope, such as assisting climbing. What kind of pole is good? If you don't have enough expertise, it's not easy to choose a pole that says, "This is it!" That's where the pro shop can help. Advice that integrates a wealth of accumulated knowledge and voices from users to compare and evaluate products from multiple perspectives is persuasive. In the 2023-24 season, we would like to introduce the recommended poles for the 2023-24 season, which are highly evaluated by the highly selective pro shop staff.
INDEX
Recommended ski poles for the 2023-2024 season
SINANO ｜FAST BC Carbon
The best cost performance backcountry pole with excellent swing balance and light weight
The characteristic T-shaped grip is designed so that the middle finger, ring finger, and pinky finger can be firmly gripped from above, making it easy to apply a load and not to lose the operability of the pole. In addition, it is also designed to make it easy to put a load on the palm. A hard material is used for the tip of the grip, making the operation of the climbing support comfortable. The combination of ultra-lightweight aluminum and carbon and the design that the center of gravity is at hand make it a backcountry pole with a good swing balance and the best cost performance!
Ultra-lightweight pole manufactured by tensile strength drawing of high-strength aluminum.
A model that achieves the best balance between surface hardness and surface hardness by applying shot processing (sandblasting) processing to the seamless aluminum shaft surface. It can be customized with three colors of powder rings, three colors of natural leather straps, and even hand bending. Since only one pole craftsman is making it, it is rare that the number is limited. In the 2023-2024 season, titanium may or may not come out !? Here are his thoughts: “The skiers, telemarkers, snowboarders, mountain ski racers, trail runners, hikers, walkers, and even alpinists who have met him in various fields have said, 'Oh! You're a freak! I want to make a pole that you can say.
It is the Paul brand that started with such a feeling. Makers are players. The player is the creator. This pole was made with the smiles of the people who use it in mind.” Last season, when I went skiing privately in front of Hakuba Norikura inn "Chamingo", a stranger called out to me in the pouring rain. there was.
KANG is made from environmentally friendly materials such as flax, bamboo and recyclable aluminum. The FLAX ALL-MOUNTAIN I chose this time uses 100% flax. The previous model used 30% carbon, but by using 100% flax as a material, it further reduces CO2 emissions and is more environmentally friendly. KANG Pole is also recommended for its rich color variations in each model, and the sophisticated Scandinavian design. We are allowed to play in nature, so when choosing the tools we use, we want to choose things that can contribute to the environment as much as possible.
Reviewer Shugakuso Hokudai Store Staff / Climbing and Ski Manager - Mr. Minoru Kojiguchi
LEKI | HELICON LITE
Equipped with a safety system that allows you to release the pole from your hand in the event of an accidental fall.
LEKI is a long-established stock manufacturer, but I personally feel that the "goodness" of backcountry poles has not yet penetrated in Japan.
However, if you look at it globally, you can see that it is trusted by athletes who run around the mountains, such as Marcus Custon, which I love. The model to be introduced this time is the "HELICON LITE", which corresponds to the middle class in the lineup. Equipped with a safety system that allows you to release the pole from your hand in the event of an accidental fall. In the backcountry, when an unexpected fall occurs, it is very important to release the pole from the body from the viewpoint of reducing injury to yourself. Rekistock has various models, and although the shape is different, there are many models equipped with a release system. The grip is also equipped with a sub-grip, making it easy to use even for entry users.
Cospa is the strongest and it is in good condition. Recommended for those who only ski powder and BC school!
PADDLE CLUB original pole ￥17,600
◆ Official HP／https://www.paddleclub.net/
This PADDLE CLUB original pole is exactly "simple is the best", not intended to advertise our products at all.
It is a telescopic pole that can be adjusted from 95 to 125 cm, and is manufactured by SHINANO, a manufacturer specializing in poles. Aluminum is used for the upper part and carbon is used for the lower part, and the lever type lock is tightened by pressure. The cost performance is also the best, and it is in good condition. The shape of the grip is a rectangular parallelepiped with a directional grip shape, which is familiar, and the position of the lock lever is exquisite, and the swing balance is outstanding. Even if it becomes loose, it can be tightened with coins, so it is easy to use and trouble free. It's been my favorite grip since I was a student, and I use all the models that have it. The ring is also a screw type, so it can be changed to a powder ring. Recommended for those who only ski in powder and BC (backcountry) skiers.
Reviewer PADDLE CLUB Staff / Koji Kato
FACTION ｜Prodigy
I am also happy with the affordable price. For aggressive freestyle skiers
Prodigy poles are made from lightweight aluminum with adjustable straps and rubber grips. Choose from 5 color variations for aggressive freestyle skiers! I think that it realizes high reliability and affordable price.
This model is a remake of the popular "SONIC R1 DEMO" for basic skiing and slope skiing.
Changed the grip to a multi-handle that is easy to use even in the backcountry. A telescopic pole that uses lightweight and durable carbon shafts for the upper and lower stages. The ring is also changed to a 75mm wide basket. The impression that I used at first is very light. This is the biggest advantage. However, since the shaft diameter is not extremely thin, there is not much "shake" of the shaft during stock work, and it is difficult to feel stress. Powder ring also feels like it's hard to feel air resistance. Unexpectedly, the powder ring creates air resistance when the stock is shaken depending on its shape and mass, making it feel heavy. The multi-handle grip isn't too big, so it's easy to use even for users with small hands. It's a little pricey, but if you think about using it for a long time, I think it's a gem that's not expensive at all!
A cost-effective aluminum pole for powder lovers. It is a single pole with a powder ring from the beginning. If you want to slide down the powder with the lift spin, you don't have to stretch it, so you can use it without worrying about it. The design is truly ARMADA, so please check it out.
