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I am done with ski poles

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HHB
Posts: 683 - Karma: 14
So here is the situation

I suck at skiing with poles, They just get in the way, cant grab my skis on jumps, pointless on rails I just end up bending the shit out of them when I fall. When I ski trees I prefer not to use them, I feel more confident and free without them. There really only useful on urbans to get speed.

So hate on me all you want, but I am done with them! Anybody else the same?
Jan 29 2009 12:16AM
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hewy
Posts: 1355 - Karma: 205
can i have yours then, mine got stolen
Jan 29 2009 12:17AM
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vzdz
Posts: 782 - Karma: 87
pretty cool i guessssssss
Jan 29 2009 12:19AM
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ScuffDUFF
Posts: 2027 - Karma: 143
i love riden park with no poles but i always keep them close cuz i like to have them when im skiing pow  or steeps on my EPs
Jan 29 2009 12:19AM
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Hack.The.Pow.
Posts: 1294 - Karma: 25
yeah dude you always have to have them for steeps!
Jan 29 2009 12:20AM
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gh0s7_r1d3r
Posts: 160 - Karma: 19
^ full agreement here...I just bring poles and leave them at the bottom of the park so when I wanna go ski some steeps I still have them
Jan 29 2009 12:25AM
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Karcher
Posts: 3788 - Karma: 1,934
whenever i do that they get stolen
Jan 29 2009 12:27AM
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sirskizalot
Posts: 4370 - Karma: 161
i like my poles.
Jan 29 2009 12:28AM
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MACAQUE
Posts: 2811 - Karma: 696
leave 'em at the ski patrol building.
Jan 29 2009 12:30AM
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K2skipunk
Posts: 2837 - Karma: 111
If theres no pow, I never have poles. Unless I'm doin' a badass bump run.
Jan 29 2009 12:30AM
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Shpadoinkle
Posts: 10437 - Karma: 84
I used poles for the first time today in at least 2 months. I went through the trees today and really needed them.
Jan 29 2009 12:33AM
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cboll
Posts: 362 - Karma: 3,440
i started using no poles on my practice rail solely because my friend has mine right now, and it feels good and like I have a lot of control, but I also just look awful... i think no poles just doesn't look good personally.
Jan 29 2009 12:53AM
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Happy.
Posts: 1248 - Karma: 9
Ever since I saw Ahmet eat his pole in Real Time I havent been able to ski park with them. I usually just drop them beside a tree at the bottom of the park, noone wants my poles anyways.
Jan 29 2009 1:12AM
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spotter487
Posts: 462 - Karma: 12
sorry dude, but no poles would definitely throw me off in the bump and when carving hard on some groomers.
Jan 29 2009 1:18AM
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cfox
Posts: 2286 - Karma: 38
fuck poles
Jan 29 2009 1:23AM
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~~JEFF~~
Posts: 1045 - Karma: 301
werd, thats how I am.
Jan 29 2009 1:30AM
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Ben.
Posts: 21463 - Karma: 683
i can ride without em in the park, but everywhere else it just feels too weird, and i feel too uncoordinated
Jan 29 2009 1:39AM
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S.Anderson
Posts: 369 - Karma: 18
i feeel you man i ahve so much more control without them i only use them when i need to get speed for something
Jan 29 2009 1:40AM
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eheath
Posts: 61603 - Karma: 123,089
I never ski park with poles anymore, but just park.
Jan 29 2009 1:41AM
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dozerr
Posts: 4007 - Karma: 403
as long as you hold your hands together behind your back its fineeeeeeeeee
Jan 29 2009 2:33AM
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
Poles are essential for tight spots and precision. But without them is so much more fun and relaxed. I rock both.
Jan 29 2009 2:34AM
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cfox
Posts: 2286 - Karma: 38
actually i ski everywhere without poles in the deep pow too just so much more fun once you get the hang of it..
Jan 29 2009 2:37AM
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AEROPLAEHN
Posts: 1353 - Karma: 192
so ive been skiing with and without poles about 50/50 this season, ive rocked poles and no poles on both pow days and shitty days, but skiing no poles is helping me and its a ton of fun.. the only time i hate having no poles is for charging in tree lines and gnar shit.  but the more ive skiied with no poles in gnar stuff the better im getting at it, i enjoy it so i dont give a fuck what people think.

oh an i love doing sommersaults, butters and handdrags an shit with no poles, its so fun.
Jan 29 2009 2:39AM
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Thenowhereman42
Posts: 5682 - Karma: 65
No poles looks awkward I think, makes you look like a 5 year old who's just learning.  Plus even on rails I think they help me balance.  And lift lines are a little less convenient.
Jan 29 2009 2:43AM
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AEROPLAEHN
Posts: 1353 - Karma: 192
eh honestly i dont care how it looks  -i have fun with or without poles, an lift lines arent a problem at alll.
Jan 29 2009 3:16AM
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NickMartini
Posts: 7761 - Karma: 8,356
poles are part of skiing not only in the park, they should be used when your skiing
Jan 29 2009 3:17AM
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N_well23
Posts: 279 - Karma: 36
why?
Jan 29 2009 3:56AM
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-JaH-
Posts: 22 - Karma: 10
feels kinda weird for me to ski without poles... maybe I could on park, but definitely not for pow or trees...
Jan 29 2009 4:15AM
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XtRemE11
Posts: 5680 - Karma: 246
not really..
Jan 29 2009 4:31AM
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scandy101
Posts: 460 - Karma: 19
yeah fuck that, thats the type of shit i get from uptight racer fags.
Jan 29 2009 4:39AM
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cal*
Posts: 236 - Karma: 460

i think its stezzzze to have no poles BIIIG mittons and FAAAAAT  skisya mooon

Jan 29 2009 4:40AM
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wh@t
Posts: 6204 - Karma: 51
yes really. if you dont know how to ski correctly and weight the front of your boots and you drop your poles your shin bang problems can get much worse. poles help you learn to keep your weight forward.

this doesnt apply to everyone. people can ski backseat with poles or without them.
Jan 29 2009 4:44AM
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XtRemE11
Posts: 5680 - Karma: 246
im assuming pretty much everyone on this site has the basics of skiing down pretty well, so i think most of us can handle it pretty well, when i dropped my poles for the first time it took maybe 2 runs and i had it down.
hell one of my friends learned to ski last year without poles, now he's got 5's switchups, 270's on and off, and he can ski steeps pretty well too, and he's never touched a pair of poles.

if you guys wanna talk about having the correct form, racing, moguls, and aerials are more the sport for you, this is freestyle skiing, you can ski however the hell you want.
Jan 29 2009 4:53AM
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wh@t
Posts: 6204 - Karma: 51
so im gonna go ahead and assume because thats so hot right now that your friend learned all that stuff just because he learned to ski without poles? or are you saying that you dont need poles to be a good skier? the first one is ridiculous because im sure if he had poles, he would learn all of that anyway, it doesnt matter if he has poles or not. as for the second, i agree with you, you dont. but making an example of your friend learned all these radical new maneuvers without poles is pointless because, having poles or not having poles doesnt matter right?

secondly, i come from a racing and bump skiing background. my form is good i like to think, and i take pride in that. saying that that i need to go back to that if i care about form is dumb because there is a huge amount of "form" in freesking. looking like youre in control and not landing ridiculously backseat requires good form. period. there are many skiers that learned to ski in the park that are excellent skiers outside of it, and then there are many skiers who learned in the park that are absolutely abismal outside of it. you CAN ski however you want, but you can also get shinbang, and a host of much more serious injuries from doing so.

i dont hate no poles. this argument is so old and stupid. we all have our likes and dilikes, opinions and disagreements. i ski with tight pants, you ski without poles. what the fuck ever. im done arguing this forever.
Jan 29 2009 5:29AM
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LIL_WAT
Posts: 1900 - Karma: 475
i love my poles. i only dont use them when on my backyard setup
Jan 29 2009 6:12AM
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KravtZ
Posts: 6637 - Karma: 2,629
^^^to the guy two above me i agree with u 100% i was skiing last weekend and saw a guy twin tips, no pole, huge tall tees looked pretty homeless lol but he was kkillin it in the park and i saw him on a regular run and he was HORENDOUS absolutly horrible at sking people should learn how to actually ski good if they can and make a proper carve, etc
Jan 29 2009 7:57AM
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TheBigD
Posts: 250 - Karma: 10
going to back this up,
I do park runs with and without poles, yeah if i feel like handplanting or really grabbing a grab then i'll drop them. BUT skiing with poles promotes a proper stance and technic, it's so much easier to cruise groomers doing gs turns with poles and if you go in the woods and hit a flat you're a useless as a snowboarder...
but, whatever floats your boat
Jan 29 2009 8:04AM
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Abes2009
Posts: 1144 - Karma: 58
amen. i just had the same epiphone like 2 days ago
Jan 29 2009 8:21AM
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thephamily
Posts: 54 - Karma: 10
I love it when I break one pole and then have to ski the rest of the day with one pole.  One pole steez!
Jan 29 2009 8:52AM
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Aaaron.
Posts: 11817 - Karma: 903
truth.
it is impossible to have style without poles.
only pros can do it.
Jan 29 2009 8:53AM
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wheres_my_snow
Posts: 473 - Karma: 11
i like haveing them to unclip gapers with
Jan 29 2009 9:00AM
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wh@t
Posts: 6204 - Karma: 51
Click for larger image
Jan 29 2009 9:12AM
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Maximumsushi
Posts: 7837 - Karma: 3,351
I only really use poles when I'm skiing pow and in the trees. Other than that, I'm going sans poles. I find it incredibly hard to ski pow properly without poles and have huge respect for guys like Andy and Pep who kill it in the pow, without a pair of sticks in their hands.

As for groomers, what do you guys do when you're skiing switch with poles? They point downhill and you can't really use them. I think poles look really awkward when skiing switch, to tell the truth. It's a ton of fun to ski groomers without poles so you can use your hands to do hand drags, hand plants, sommersaults and other slope stunts.


Now my view on poles.

I think poles are kind of retarded when jumping. Grabs are way easier without poles. Poles get in the way sometimes when landing and can be dangerous. They're kind of pointless when hitting park rails. They're so light that they don't "add balance" like some people claim. You can just use your arms for that, but it's going to look far better to keep everything compact anyway. It probably feels awkward for the first few laps or days going sans poles but I definitely recommend it. Tons of fun.

I'm probably in the minority in thinking that park skiing looks better without poles. That's not going to change anytime soon either. Sticks are the status quo. It's basically impossible for an up-and-coming skier to make it if they're going sans poles. Magazines essentially refuse to publish photos of pole-less skiers unless the rider's name is Pep Fujas or Andy Mahre (these two made a big name for themselves before going pole-less). The same goes with video segments. It's a shame Tom Wallisch more or less was forced to pick up poles when he started filming for bigger companies and blowing up. I'd assume a large part of this mentality comes from endorsement money but I can't say exactly what keeps this myopic view on skiing going. I suppose this is tied to "freeskiing" finally creating some sort of cohesive identity for the sport and this identity just so happens to include poles.



Jan 29 2009 9:28AM
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wh@t
Posts: 6204 - Karma: 51
boom!
Jan 29 2009 10:05AM
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wh@t
Posts: 6204 - Karma: 51
ehhhhh, be very careful with that phrase.
Jan 29 2009 10:14AM
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Powdered_Donuts
Posts: 2180 - Karma: 187
dropped mine the first day this year and i dont even know where they are now 'nor do i really care. my hill doesnt have the steep terrain or deep enough snow to justify needing them. my cousin, who usually doesnt use them either, asked me to hold his for a run and it felt so wierd i didnt know what to do with them it seemed lol. i was like take these things back, please!
Jan 29 2009 10:15AM
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Malcolm
Posts: 15951 - Karma: 9,451
damn perfect post mang. i dont really use poles in park anymore because its easier to grab plus i keep havving to adjust the straps
Jan 29 2009 10:40AM
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N_well23
Posts: 279 - Karma: 36
what he said. Damn you coverd everything in that post. When I ski groomers I usually ski switch and you are right, skiing switch with poles sucks.
Jan 29 2009 12:03PM
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