thanks for the 1st hand experience (get it )
Minor Considerations:
Breakaway straps for trees/BC skiing too.
Most important attributes:
They HAVE to match the color of the skis you use them with,
Well this makes sense. As I recall your boots were $45? Usually boots should be more than poles.All in all, $50+ dollars for poles is a difficult sell to me. Especially when my high utility features are now gone. I see a stick, albeit a very durable stick with a little plastic or hard rubber grip and cheap strap, maybe a nice basket. Adjustable ones add some utility.. but selling me "swing weight" ain't gonna fly. I have so many different kinds of poles, other than length after the third turn they all feel the same to me when it comes to timing and swing. Heck bigger/thinner gloves have more of a weight difference than poles do..
Give me a barrel of $5.00 thrift store poles in good lengths for different functions and color choices to match the rest of my gear like jackets and pants also nice to match in addition to performance, style is a plus with gear for me..
Well this makes sense. As I recall your boots were $45? Usually boots should be more than poles.
I have a pair of Black Diamond carbon adjustables that are almost my favorite poles. They are both light and simple, great swing weight. I have a pair of LEKI hiking poles, also carbon and adjustable, that are the biggest PITA of my life. (ok that was hyperbolic) And I don't really like that LEKI glove-pole thing ....
As far as short vs. long, it's a lot easier to cut down poles that are too long than it is to make short ones longer.
Aaannnd, adjustable poles are not, by any stretch, all heavy and clunky. Check Black Diamond and DPS Carbon ones out. My DPS poles are fabulous:
http://www.dpsskis.com/en/nori-pole-355.html
http://blackdiamondequipment.com/en_US/ski-poles/razor-carbon-pro-BD111553_cfg.html
When their less than 7 they do........ Apparently 7 year olds that race don't have this prob but all the rest are jamming it in their eyes on a regular basis.(Never seen it, but did have a 10 yr old give herself a bloody nose from planting)
.......
Agree pretty much with the length thing, though 48 inch down to 46 inch is not "a tad shorter".@Monique @Tony S @Ron @James
As of November, we do offer adjustable straps which become large enough for XL mittens. We are also no longer using hemp, all straps are made from recycled polyester which holds its shape better, is more durable, and very resistant to moisture.
@James - As far as straps vs. no straps vs. adjustable it's all personal preference! Personally, I only use straps in the race course. For safety reasons, the exception to anyone's preference (and because I personally don't enjoy asphyxiation) is when skiing deep snow, especially in the trees. If you fall into a tree well (which is a REAL fatal hazard here in Steamboat), you need your hands to be free so that you can create a space to breathe around your face. If you are stuck in a tree well or a small slide with your hands strapped to your poles you probably won't be able to move your hands to create a breathable space.
For my 2 cents on length: http://www.grasssticks.com/size-chart/