Oregon Nordic Club Portland Chapter HOME SEARCH About ONC Membership News and Events Nordic Issues Officers & Committees TRIPS Day Trips Overnight Trips Trips Guide Resources for Trip Leaders TRAILS Mt Hood Guide Mt Hood FS Trail Report St. Helens and Mt Adams FS Trail Report Topo Maps DIRECTIONS & WEATHER Directions Weather GEAR Ski Gear What to Wear Rentals and Retailers Shop Online LINKS ONC Chapters ONC Photo Gallery Nordic Skiing Other Links Send mail to webmaster with comments about this web site.   Poles and Skins What About Poles Poles, like skis and boots, are optimized for different types of skiing and snow. Since you need different skis, boots, and bindings for each different kind of cross-country skiing, naturally you need different poles as well! Well, it's not quite that bad, basically you have: Cross-country poles, which are longer than downhill poles Downhill (Alpine) poles Telescoping poles, which are combination of cross-country and downhill Skating poles, which are even longer and very light (and expensive) There are three main parts of the pole: the handle, shaft, and basket. Cross-country Poles Fiberglass poles are the best for backcountry use. If they break, you can usually make a splint from small branches and wrap duct tape around the pole. Aluminum poles are harder to repair. The pole basket (at the pole bottom) should be either round or a hybrid between round and butterfly shape. The straps should be easily adjustable, even with gloves or mittens on. The handle should continue about an inch above where the strap comes out of the handle. Cross-country poles should extend from your armpit to the floor. (It is suggested you do this with the basket end down.) Telescoping Poles Telescoping poles are used by ski mountaineers because they can be lengthened to cross-country length for the uphill, and then shortened to Alpine length for the downhill. Telescoping poles usually have a twist grip to loosen and tighten. They are the most expensive of all poles. Some of them can also be extended and connected together for use as an avalanche probe. The twist lock type has been a little problematic for many skiers. The flick lock and oval shaft types are better and costlier. Alpine Poles If you're doing Nordic downhill with Cross-country skis on lifts, Todd recommends using Alpine ski poles. The length puts you in a better body position. It's also safer - less prone to shoulder dislocation. Nordic downhill is tough on poles. Todd recommends getting cheap poles, rather than whacking up more expensive adjustable. Alpine length poles should extend from your hand - with your forearm horizontal- to the floor. Here, you should hold the pole with the basket end up and your hand around the ski tip. Skating Poles Skating poles should reach somewhere between your lower lip and upper chin. Mark Nadel says the exact height varys depending on personal preferences. You might try renting a pair to determine your best length. They should have an "exotic-glass" shaft, butterfly baskets, and carbide tips on the bottom. Exotic-glass (Todd's term) is an epoxy resin with fiber types that are more exotic - like boron and aligned carbon. The fiber windings can be aligned to enhance the pole's strength and spring. Exotic glass is usually best, but its price relegates it to the rich or racers (who aren't necessarily rich, but that's the price of competitiveness). What About Skins Beginners don't normally need to put skins on the bottom of their skis. Because skins take time to put on and remove, they are most useful if you plan to go up hill for a half hour or more. If your climbing all day over a major pass, they're wonderful. They can also be used to prevent falls going up or downhill on "Cement" - that is, when the snow is like slippery concrete. This occurs when snow is rained upon and then freezes. Skins are long strips of stuff which are affixed to the base of the skis to aid climbing steep hills. They are usually made of nylon or polypropylene (or mohair, if you're rich) with directional "fur" that allows the ski to slide forward but not backward. The ski-side is coated with an adhesive (some brands come pre-coated, others don't) which sticks to the base of the ski, which should be fairly clean and dry and free of sticky wax. The tip of the skin has a loop which goes over the ski tip; usually there is no attachment at the tail, just the glue, but you can buy "tail-fix" kits which provide a hook for the back end of the skin. (Duct tape works too.) There is a brand called "Snake Skins" made by Voile which are made of flexible plastic, and attach with straps rather than with glue. They don't absorb water and freeze (good), but don't climb as well as "normal" skins on hard snow and have little forward glide. They are less expensive than other skins. Using skins, you can walk up amazingly steep trails. You can also leave the skins on for the downhill ski, which will slow you down considerably; this is useful when it hasn't snowed in a while and the trail has become a slick, icy chute. If you're really desperate, you could put the skins on backwards and walk, but where's the fun in that? Other hints: Make sure your skins are in good condition prior to the trip. Remove/reapply skin glue if necessary. Take a tube of skin glue on the trip in case reapplication becomes necessary. Let your skins dry out between uses by keeping them in a mesh bag inside your pack (better than a closed container). If you expect to need skins first thing in the morning (and no rain overnight), keep the skins on the skis overnight. This is because very cold skins and skis don't seem to adhere well once separated. If your skins get too wet to stick, wrapping duct tape around the skis/skins at intervals can keep you going for a while. It is dangerous to assume your skins will keep working throughout a trip. If your safety depends on them working correctly, you're in a bad situation. Equipment Introduction Boots and Binding Skis Poles and Skins 1999–2008 Portland Chapter ONC. All Rights Reserved.