Ski Poles Styles

Ski*go has the range of poles for all Nordic skiers. From recreational and fitness skiers to club and World Cup racers.

We sponsor many young athletes across Canada with Ski*go Racing poles.

• Touring
  A lightweight pole for recreational skiers. This 100% fibreglass pole is a sturdy pole ideal for the occasional skier. It comes with a standard grip and strap. The basket is as shown. Colour: Black and silver finish. Available in lengths 80-155cm in 5cm increments.
  Special Note for shops: Handles can be removed by heat. Please read our handle removal recommendations below (thanks!).
• XC
  Designed for fitness skiers and recreational skiers looking for more performance. This pole is 10% carbonfibre and 90% fibreglass to provide a significant improvement in pole stiffness and lightness versus the Touring pole. Comes with the racing strap to provide great connection and control. Extremely durable. Colour: White finish. Available in lengths 110-160cm in 5cm increments, plus freelength.
• Vasa
  Designed for the active skier, bigger youth skiers, young racers and recreational/fitness skaters. This pole is 50% carbonfibre and 50% fibreglass. It comes with the cork handle and race strap. The basket is designed to help release snow after a solid plant. It is a very durable and still pole in its class that easily outdoes its rivals. Colour: Blue graphics. Available in lengths 130-170cm in 5cm increments, plus freelength.
• Roller
  *NEW* A ski pole specifically designed for roller skiing. This pole is 80% Carbonfibre to provide a strong, stiff pole that is light yet very durable for roller skiing. The shaft of this pole is specially coating with a highly reflective material so the roller skier has maximum visability. A good companion is the special Ski*go roller ski safety vest. Comes with racing strap, cork handle and roller tips instead of snow baskets. Available in lengths 120-170cm in 5cm increments. New item availability: Now.
• Elit
  A racing pole that is rivaled only by the Ski*go Racing poles. This 100% carbonfibre pole is very light and very stiff. It comes with the cork racing handle and racing strap. The basket is excellent on soft and hard tracks. The smooth swing weight provides great control when skiing diagonal and/or with skating techniques. Colour: Silver finish. Available in lengths 130-170cm in 5cm incrments, plus freelength.
• Racing
  The 2009/10 Racing pole comes with significant design advancements. Designed for the serious racers of all ages. This 100% High Modulus (HM) carbonfiber pole ranks among the very lightest and very stiffest poles on the market. With the full cork racing handle and racing strap you are assured of solid control throughout the plant and recovery. It has an amazing swing that can only be described as "sweet"! Comes with the Racing basket that minimizes drag through the air during recover and drag through loose snow on the track surface. Most often repeated quote by skiers using this pole: "I can't believe how light and stiff it is!". Colour: Orange graphics with black/white highlights. Available in lengths 130-170cm in 5cm increments, plus freelength.
  Special Note: DO NOT use hot air gun on Racing poles. Excessive heat from the air gun will cause pole failure later. Remove handles and baskets with steam or hot water only. Please read our handle and basket removal recommendations below (thanks!).

Freelength kits come with a shaft at maximum length with basket attached plus handle and strap free from the shaft. All poles 16mm diameter at handle connection.

Ski*go poles: Racing, Elit, Vasa, XC and Touring. Click photo for a larger image.

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Spare Parts

You can obtain replacement parts for all poles. Your local ski retailer will already carry extra handles, straps and baskets from Ski*go or can obtain them quickly and easily. Ferrules (roller tips) are also available for all poles.

Handles

Starting in 2009/10 there are three handle styles available. All three handles are interchangeable with all Ski*go poles. Plug removal can be aided with a small screwdriver through the plug access slots at the sides. Replacement handle kits come with 2 handles and 2 matching plugs. 16mm internal diameter with 88mm depth.

• The Racing handle has a 100% cork wrap completely around the handle.
• The Elit handle has a 100% pressed cork wrapped completely around the handle.
• The Vasa handle (also used with the XC pole) is 100% pressed cork wrapped 75% around the handle leaving a plastic pillar at the rear for easy shop adjustments.

Cork Handles: Racing, Elit, Vasa/XC

Baskets

This describes the baskets that come with the poles as well as the replacement kit, sold in pairs, available from your retailer.
• The touring basket has a standard 10mm attachment to the pole. The larger basket is suited to skiers looking for a wide purchase that works well in ungroomed and fresh snow. Pick is hard steel.
• The Elit basket (Vasa and XC also) has a standard 10mm attachment to the pole. This medium size basket is well suited for groomed trails. Durable in all skiing conditions including hard icy. Pick is sharpened carbon steel.
• The Racing basket is a small basket suited for groomed trails and all racing conditions. The 2009/10 basket is solidly reinforced to stand up to the most icy and hard packed conditions (Canmore is a good example). The shape and light weight aid significantly in the easy, fast swing of the Ski*go Racing poles. Pick is sharpened carbon steel. In 8mm for 2009/10 and 7mm for earlier versions.

Race basket 09/10

Pole Strap

The racing straps for 2009/10 are strong and durable. Solid velcro closure is easy to operate while wearing gloves. Fits all Ski*go handles except the Touring handle. Straps are marked "L" for left and "R" for right. Comes in sizes large, medium and small. Replacement kits contain one pair.

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Handle and Basket Replacement Technical Information

All Ski*go poles can have their handles and/or baskets removed. No permanent glue is used for either handles or baskets.

We recommend that all handles and baskets be removed by hot water (boiling is fine, but 80°-85°C is enough) or steam. This is the safest method because it will not cause damage to any part of the pole, handle or basket. NOTE: Never, never, ever, ever use a hot air gun or hair dryer on the Racing poles. Excessive heat will cause structural failure with HM carbonfiber poles.

When using new glue to attach handles and/or baskets please use dual temperature glue. This glue type is more durable and less likely to evaporate while being heated.

Perform removal and replacement operations in a warm room (20°C or warmer) to make the process easier. When attaching new handles or baskets place a small amount of glue on the pole. Remember: no hot air gun or hair dryer on Racing poles. Then heat the handle or basket instead of the glue. The handle or basket will hold enough heat to soften the glue when contact is made. This will ensure pole safety and maximize your time for adjusting the parts to align correctly.

HINT: Select a cup or glass with enough diameter for baskets and/or height for handles. Fill cup with enough water to fully submerge the part. Microwave cup, with water, for 4 minutes. Then submerge part for 30 to 40 seconds. Extract part from cup and then remove the part from pole.
Suggestion: a water bottle with the top cut off usually matches the requirements for the cup.

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Poles Selection and Handle Strap Sizing

1. Select the style of pole that suits your needs. The pole styles are described above on this web page. Stiff, stronger poles are more efficient with the energy you expend poling.
2. Select the pole length to match your size and the type of skiing you will doing with the pole. Consult the sizing chart for help.
3. With poles that come with a racing strap choose the strap size that matches your hand size (L, M, S).
4. Fit the strap to your hand. Loosen the locking plug and insert your hand into the strap. Secure the strap with the velcro strap. The velcro strap should hold the strap at the base of your palm's heel. Then tighten the main strap so the inside base of your thumb touches the handle. Now secure the main strap with the plug. Tap the plug in securely with a small hammer.

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Pole Size Selection Recommendations

Skier Height	Classic	Skating
150 cm 152 cm 155 cm 157 cm 160 cm 162 cm 165 cm 167 cm 170 cm 172 cm 175 cm 178 cm 180 cm 182 cm 185 cm 187 cm 190 cm 192 cm 195 cm 198 cm	120 cm 122 cm 125 cm 127 cm 130 cm 132 cm 135 cm 137 cm 140 cm 142 cm 145 cm 147 cm 150 cm 152 cm 155 cm 157 cm 160 cm 162 cm 165 cm 170 cm	130 cm 132 cm 135 cm 137 cm 140 cm 142 cm 145 cm 147 cm 150 cm 152 cm 155 cm 157 cm 160 cm 162 cm 165 cm 167 cm 170 cm 172 cm 175 cm 175 cm

For roller skiing we recommend you add about 2.5cm to the length, for skate and classic, because roller skis are raised from the surface. While the roller skis may be more than 2.5cm off the surface, the roller ski pole ferrule does not penetrate the surface.

These are recommendations only and there will be some variance from skier to skier based on skill level, strength and body proportions. Racers will also want to have some poles of slightly different lengths to match to different racing course profiles in order to optimize their results.