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Are poles stupid?

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PZNT
Posts: 21 - Karma: 11
Since I was three, I've skied with poles everyday of my life, planting and all that stuff. When Gorilla Steeze became the cool way to ski, I pretty much just started dragging them around on the ground, and every now and then if I got bored I would stab someone with one. I broke my shoulder just before thanksgiving this year, and so had to ski without poles. It was awesome, my skiing was more relaxed, probably looked more relaxed, and I actually felt more balanced despite not being able to lift one arm. I know a few pros have dropped the hand sticks but was wondering how real people feel about them. Specifically, in the park where turning is pretty much a thing of the past, are poles just silly? Aerialists, as penciled out and robot like as they are don't use poles, and they do way more technical tricks than most park/pipe riders. Do we generally use poles as tools to help us remember where our hands should be and how our weight should be distributed (like the tea tray lesson we all learned as kids), or do they actually serve a purpose in and of themselves. Just some thoughts. peace
Dec 18 2006 3:24PM
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MLB
Posts: 4462 - Karma: 298
nah....i guess style for you is arms flailing everywhere.....but everybody has their thing. I think it looks like shit...honestly, and when i tryed it i hated it. I had no balence, my stability in the air went to shit, i was just rolling the windows down everywhere.
Dec 18 2006 3:30PM
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waynewong
Posts: 1359 - Karma: 23
If you come from a technical ski racing background then no-poles is tough to pull of with any style -

If your lucky enough to come from a solid snowboarding background then you know how to control your body without poles - It takes style, and great balance/control to look good with no-poles - But it can be done

But to answer you original post "Are poles stupid" - I do not believe poles have the baility to be smart or stupid, they simply are themselves -

Dec 18 2006 3:42PM
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Skipig25
Posts: 10729 - Karma: 256
sometimes I ski OUTSIDE of the park. Gasp
Dec 18 2006 4:09PM
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skiRay
Posts: 7558 - Karma: 926
no
Dec 18 2006 6:08PM
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Sewardo
Posts: 1404 - Karma: 29
Honestly....I skiied no poles last year and now that I look back on it all I can see is a big wanka...lol...but I would have to say poles are easier to pull off the style with and with no poles people look almost out of place
Dec 18 2006 6:12PM
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invader98
Posts: 404 - Karma: 11
poles are good so you dont have to sometimes do the wonderful duck walk to get places
Dec 18 2006 8:32PM
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SkiMN
Posts: 4005 - Karma: 38
That pretty much nailed it. I learned with em, and I need em, I use em a lot. I saw a snowboarder ski once and you could tell he didnt really need them at all, they just sat there and chilled.
Dec 18 2006 8:39PM
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FERREZZ
Posts: 2234 - Karma: 19
poles are not stupid, why would you even ask that?
Dec 18 2006 8:47PM
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fouldsys
Posts: 7404 - Karma: 39
ya i skied no poles at momentum this summer after i tore the ligaments in my thumbs. its pretty fun. i recomend everyone should go a day without poles. it helped my style so much.
Dec 18 2006 8:54PM
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VT_Freeskier
Posts: 470 - Karma: 10
hey..i was wondering that too..lol..well diff is i snowboarded for like 4 yrs then just switched to freeskiing..like end of last yr..u think it is hard to get used to..i mean if u think boarders its easier maybe i should try it out..i mean i just bought some poles and I fell hard and already bent them...lmao..yea i know it happens but there kinda a waist of money..idk..let me know..ive been wondering..I think bein a boarder I might be able to pull it off..
Dec 18 2006 11:43PM
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hofferfish
Posts: 42 - Karma: 10
i can see how you dont really need poles for park where your not actually turning but, have fun trying to ski tight technical trees in sierra cement and youll realize they are vitaL. Also i hate duck walking or carrying my skis so poles make flat ground way way easier
Dec 18 2006 11:45PM
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VT_Freeskier
Posts: 470 - Karma: 10
also one other thing only think poles make grabs harder...Idk..from boardin to usin poles and tryin them i still dont get it..lol...do u guys like grab with your 2 or 3 fingers while still holdin the pole?? makes me wonder..
Dec 18 2006 11:46PM
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tjski
Posts: 5859 - Karma: 44
if you dont use poles, you dont know how to ski powder and mougles, period. just means your not that good of an all around skier.
Dec 19 2006 12:17AM
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hollygrove
Posts: 7845 - Karma: 93
Exactly.
But maybe for people who never do ski outside of park ( rest their souls) maybe it just makes sense to not use them. I dunno though.
Dec 19 2006 12:23AM
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punkrock32
Posts: 1183 - Karma: 21
you dont need poles to ski powder or moguls, you are full of shit, they help but once you get used to not having them you dont need them anymore
Dec 19 2006 3:19AM
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siversex
Posts: 1254 - Karma: 16
theyre balancing sticks. sure you could learn not to use them, but why? everyone uses poles and most people look really gay w/o them. even if you dont use them, theyve never bothered me hanging to the side.
Dec 19 2006 4:11AM
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DHogg
Posts: 3462 - Karma: 237
style with no poles isnt stylie. Dropping poles makes us more and more like boarders
Dec 19 2006 4:49AM
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tjski
Posts: 5859 - Karma: 44
no sir i am not shitting you.
Dec 19 2006 10:48AM
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dozerr
Posts: 4007 - Karma: 403
just ski with grips. no poles needed, just grips
Dec 19 2006 1:33PM
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Sean...M
Posts: 2450 - Karma: 14
skiers without poles in my opinion looks dumb. its like... having a pimped out car with no tints. you dont NEED tints, but it definably makes it more stylie. and not like those people who fly down the hill pizza style wearing jeans and their unzipped coats and hands wavin everywhere w/ no poles!
Dec 19 2006 2:06PM
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bpalmer
Posts: 2408 - Karma: 93
and boarders have better style.
Dec 19 2006 2:23PM
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=nick=
Posts: 10471 - Karma: 2,182
word. no poles is dope
Dec 19 2006 2:35PM
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BIGairVZ
Posts: 525 - Karma: 32
ridin with no poles makes it look like you're ridin on snowblades... and I hate the way snowbladers look! they're just people that don't know how to ski or snowboard..... you don't want to be associated with that do you?
Dec 19 2006 2:43PM
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=nick=
Posts: 10471 - Karma: 2,182
^ it doesnt look like snowblades if u have the right length ski
Dec 19 2006 2:44PM
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PZNT
Posts: 21 - Karma: 11
I don't understand the argument for using poles so we don't look like snowboarders. One of the reasons that I am excited about not being able to use poles this season is that I hope the 'feel' of my skiing and my style we be more like that of a board sport whether its snowboarding, surfing, wakeboarding, longboarding, whatever. All those sports look and feel smoother than skiing. Check out this thread on snowboard films being better than ski films, which I agree with. I watch fuel TV everyday, and the only time they ever show skiing is for half of an untracked episode which equals about 7 minutes of actual new footage a week. I think its stupid that they don't have more ski shows, or play them more often, but its BECAUSE skiing just doesn't look as good or is as fun to watch as other board sports, and I think that is directly related to having poles.

https://newschoolers.com/web/forums/readthread/thread_id/267526/
Dec 19 2006 6:28PM
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Rez4frederick
Posts: 4740 - Karma: 40
If you are riding park, there is no need for poles at all.  Riding switch while holding poles is gay too, alot easier without them.  Just leave your poles at the top of the mountain, and you can grab them if you need them for something.
Dec 19 2006 6:50PM
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teamsleep
Posts: 788 - Karma: 22
i use my moms poles
Dec 19 2006 7:00PM
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J.C.
Posts: 527 - Karma: 21
except when you butter.. and then come down every time on a pole and they break. ha my friend did it twice. what a noob
Dec 19 2006 7:07PM
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DeucesStreetwear
Posts: 931 - Karma: 24
dude ur a fuckin dick he was just tryin to express how he felt about the subject dont hate son dont hate.
Dec 19 2006 8:59PM
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VT_Freeskier
Posts: 470 - Karma: 10
lol wow this got far..suppirsed..anyone wanna answer my question about what i said..?? jw..i mean i think im gonna try ridin without them cuz i boarded for 3-4 yrs..lol..who knows might feel better and stuff for park..I mean if it dont feel right ill always have the poles..and the other thing is I think poles r more of a risk for us to get hurt..i fell and them poles are not to forgiving when hittin your ribs or stomach..lol..
Dec 20 2006 12:42AM
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VT_Freeskier
Posts: 470 - Karma: 10
plus i cant see how u guys grab with poles...lol
Dec 20 2006 12:43AM
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tjski
Posts: 5859 - Karma: 44
easy i have more than 2 fingers.
Dec 20 2006 12:45AM
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VT_Freeskier
Posts: 470 - Karma: 10
lol yea i know..i tried and feels wierd after ridin board and grabbin wit whole hand u know..like its hard to grab wit 2 or 3 fingers and hold poles with the rest of em...lol
Dec 20 2006 12:59AM
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tjski
Posts: 5859 - Karma: 44
i think if you dont use poles you might as well snowblade or snowboard. why would you still ski?
Dec 20 2006 1:01AM
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VT_Freeskier
Posts: 470 - Karma: 10
dont get all affensive about it..damn..just askin..i love skiin bettr..boardin bored me..
Dec 20 2006 1:09AM
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tjski
Posts: 5859 - Karma: 44
you brought this upon yourself.
Dec 20 2006 10:18AM
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VT_Freeskier
Posts: 470 - Karma: 10
lol....sorry..
Dec 20 2006 10:19AM
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fouldsys
Posts: 7404 - Karma: 39
i ski moguls and when i go in the park and stuff i ditch the poles once in a while. in my opinion be ng able to ski without poles means your a better skier because so many people rely on them for balancing and turns and things. if you can do it without them, even better. but poles are neccessary for pow and moguls, there kinda useless for jumps and rails tho, unless your pushing yourself into a rail or soemthing.
Dec 20 2006 10:23AM
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nothanks
Posts: 13551 - Karma: 31
If I'm in the park, or cruising the mountain, basically anywhere but skiing trees/pow/steeps, I've dropped the poles. I'm shooting for a 50/50 split this year. I think I might go pole-less more actually.

I love the feeling. I feel more free, I like what I can do with my body, I seem to pop higher and jump better too...
Dec 20 2006 10:35AM
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PZNT
Posts: 21 - Karma: 11
Glad to hear at least a few people are liking it
Dec 21 2006 12:05AM
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ogou0287
Posts: 603 - Karma: 47
as a ski instructor: I tell you, you dont need it. but it helps for coordinating, so if you do moguls staight line olypic way...suggest you to keep it. also if you ski a lot out of the park
Dec 21 2006 11:58AM
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DHogg
Posts: 3462 - Karma: 237
no poles was cool when a few pros were doing it but then everyone started to copy and now its just plain gay. Especially if u cant pull it off.
Dec 22 2006 10:11PM
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steezerampage
Posts: 2171 - Karma: 214
No, There is this guy named Andy, kind big in the sport, his dad was a racer, Andy skis without poles a lot, now he is gonna race some. Anyway I think skiing without poles is bad in every way.
Dec 22 2006 10:37PM
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DopeSauce
Posts: 1677 - Karma: 26
No you're stupid
Dec 23 2006 6:06AM
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feezy
Posts: 2022 - Karma: 23
if you come from technical ski racing then good style
 is hard to pull off.
Dec 23 2006 9:50AM
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punkrock32
Posts: 1183 - Karma: 21
and i expressed mine, sweet, you dont have to have poles to be great, or to ski moguls or steeps
Dec 31 2006 1:31AM
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mattster
Posts: 4120 - Karma: 41
I cant turn without them... It's like cutting off a cat's whiskers.
Dec 31 2006 1:43AM
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unchyll
Posts: 4554 - Karma: 96
If you want to look like some queer ass olympic areilist go for it...
Dec 31 2006 1:59AM
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-justice-
Posts: 1808 - Karma: 37
every time i've seen a no-poles it struck me was weird. like a "what's wrong with this picture" kinda thing. that and i've never seen a steezy no poler but that doens't mean it couldnt happen
Dec 31 2006 11:07AM
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Alex_thedroog
Posts: 3433 - Karma: 2
I used to always ski with poles and now I am kind of on and off. But at my mountain where there isn't a lot of skiers, now EVERY body skis with out them thanks to me.
Dec 31 2006 11:14AM
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