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No Poles?

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ilikedolphins
Posts: 129 - Karma: 120
This has probably already been discussed a million times, but i couldnt find any threads about it with the searchbar:

What are your experiences with skiing park without poles? Did it help you progress/ make you progress slower/ not have an influence at all?


Dec 30 2012 1:33PM
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Thadius.Castle
Posts: 1436 - Karma: 250
Not really gear talk, more of a ski gabber thread, but poles just help with balance and if it's a really flat setup, then speed. Also thy are a kind of state of mind thing.
Dec 30 2012 1:52PM
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Stose
Posts: 7109 - Karma: 4,123
poles definitely don't help you progress faster or slow you down. I will never ski without them because i think it looks and feels retarded.
Dec 30 2012 8:53PM
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Mag
Posts: 8155 - Karma: 14,809
Yeah they do in some cases, but you can easily learn to live without them. I love having poles but I have so much shit to carry when I ski I usually just don't bother anymore.
Dec 30 2012 9:11PM
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KillaSteeze
Posts: 3329 - Karma: 351
I love skiing without poles cuz it feels amazing but I know I just look like a retard without them
Dec 30 2012 10:51PM
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rozboon
Posts: 1642 - Karma: 868
It feels retarded but it's a useful skill to have... if you're filming a follow or something you can't really use poles. Also hitting airbags, I'm yet to find one that would allow poles, for obvious reasons.

I don't know what to do with my hands though. Anywhere you put them feels really weird... you can pretend you have poles which feels more natural but you look ridiculous.

Dec 31 2012 12:36AM
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ianj
Posts: 536 - Karma: 167
I was pole-less for a few weeks at the beginning of the season and now that I have poles again, I don't want to ski without them (unless filming). It just feels so much more natural to me and I felt ridiculous without them. As said above it is a nice skill to have, and when I'm running film I don't use them, but in the park as well as the rest of the mountain, I use poles now. To each his own though. Try it out, maybe you'll like it.
Dec 31 2012 1:08AM
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Lick
Posts: 1927 - Karma: 518
Two days ago I was thirsty and my friends were camping the park so I rode in without poles to grab a bunch of Gatorades because I was thirsty. I rode up the chair and as I'm coming down I turn (I used to race) and I was going to pivot around my pole, but I didn't have my poles. Wen't down and twisted my ankle (later found out I sprained it) and haven't skied for 4 days now. Pisses me off now that I think about it again.

haha, also, it was right under the lift so it was super embarrassing.
Dec 31 2012 1:23AM
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Gameday
Posts: 274 - Karma: 89
I love park and switch riding without poles unless as said you have a flat set up but when I'm out of the park and skiing forwards I like them because idk where to put my hands and it feels weird
Dec 31 2012 10:55AM
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Mag
Posts: 8155 - Karma: 14,809
at first I hated proper skiing without poles, but it really makes you think about how you use your arms, and I realised I definitely wasn't leaning far enough forward, within a couple days I was a SIGNIFICANTLY better skier.
Dec 31 2012 11:07AM
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Gameday
Posts: 274 - Karma: 89
So what do you do with your hands?
Dec 31 2012 5:25PM
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Mag
Posts: 8155 - Karma: 14,809
Idk, just sorta hold them there, but it's not what your hands are doing, it's that they're at the right position. I often see people just dragging there poles along the ground with their hands back and there whole body back, this prevented it for me.
Dec 31 2012 5:30PM
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SamLegierski
Posts: 45 - Karma: 20
To pole or not to pole? well lately ive been leaning towards not using them because it is a pain in the ass to bring them up a tow rope
Dec 31 2012 9:43PM
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TACO-DOG.exe
Posts: 11988 - Karma: 12,261
rails: always use poles. always

mellow jumps:use poles

jumps with new spins or grabs: no poles.
Dec 31 2012 10:49PM
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
I really thought this might be a thread either about what no poles to use, or introducing a new cleverly named brand of ski poles.
Jan 1 2013 12:56PM
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Bumblesteeze
Posts: 3092 - Karma: 748
For some reason when I ski without poles I tend to ride in the backseat.
Jan 1 2013 1:27PM
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LarryPowers
Posts: 332 - Karma: 138
I think riding without poles is pretty fun. I usually ride with poles but sometimes I just leave them to the lifts and do couple runs without. I feel that I can tweak grabs more when I don't have poles.
Jan 1 2013 3:05PM
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Flyingnugget
Posts: 487 - Karma: 221
I need poles to push myself around lift lines
Jan 1 2013 4:13PM
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booniemon
Posts: 328 - Karma: 1,056
what u gotta do is cut ur poles ALLLLL the way down to the handles, then just hold the handles.
Jan 1 2013 6:31PM
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wreck.yoself
Posts: 656 - Karma: 46
this, only reason I use them really
feels like they're in the way most of the time
Jan 1 2013 6:36PM
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J-T
Posts: 269 - Karma: 697
This
Jan 1 2013 8:33PM
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cookiemonster69
Posts: 47 - Karma: 531
I do not find a use for poles in the park. I find that they make it harder to grab and like having my hands free. In the backcountry though you need them for balance and better stability. In urban you may need them if you have to get speed on flat ground.
Jan 1 2013 9:30PM
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Clark_Griswold
Posts: 1283 - Karma: 49
This for sure. I broke my poles today on vacation in keystone so I just rode without. It felt awkward at first and lift lines felt weird but now I think I'll just stick with my poles in the pow and leave em at home all the other times
Jan 2 2013 8:34PM
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Stickity
Posts: 7750 - Karma: 769
i'm not using poles this season and i definitely prefer it. i never knew what to do with my poles in the first place so it felt awkward carrying them around and made rope tows a pain in the ass. i also don't have to worry about jamming my thumbs, spearing myself on them, or picking them up after falling. i also focus on style more and try to stay more in control
Jan 3 2013 12:04AM
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arturkaikll
Posts: 105 - Karma: 35
I think I'm going no pole also. Poles get way too much stuck while grabs etc.
Jan 6 2013 2:00PM
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cwphoto
Posts: 2332 - Karma: 780
i prefer no poles. if i use them my balance is really off when i hit jumps
Jan 6 2013 8:26PM
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SwagtasticWalrus
Posts: 1268 - Karma: 184
No poles, no problem. Ha jk I love poles.
Stupid thread though. No offense.
Jan 7 2013 1:23AM
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VersaceCockring
Posts: 366 - Karma: 638
The wind-drag on poles is a real problem dude.
Jan 7 2013 1:34AM
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Mag
Posts: 8155 - Karma: 14,809
Lol
Jan 7 2013 5:46AM
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90053
Posts: 2565 - Karma: 3,728
really enjoy skiing without poles, obviously you can't charge steep lines with them, but you feel more free and it really develops your balance. I just old my arms semi loose occasionally dragging them if i'm in pow. i had real probems with my thumb (fractured dislocation) so was forced to go without for awhile. definitely helps prevent some injuries especially when trying new tricks
Jan 9 2013 9:37AM
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