Equipment Question

[mnflyfish]

Ok, I know poles are the last thing anyone wants to talk about but I have't bought a new pair since 1986. My current ones are slightly bent, back from really bent but I heated them up and fixed them as best as I could. They were purple, but I thought that looked like shit so I spray painted them black a few years ago. Well, duct tape and spray paint can only go so far so I'm thinking about a couple options.

Option A: Buy a cheap piece of shit/decent something or other off of Evo gear or whatever I find in our areas lost and found.

or

Option B: A BD flintlock or perhaps Leki two piece.

Looking at option B, I do one or two BC trips a year, the rest of the time I ski in-bounds(like there's any other choice) in MN. So would I look like a complete Jackass with Option B in MN? I've always wanted some adjustable poles but have never bought a pair, and I really don't want to buy both, would prefer to just replace as needed. As you see I got 21 years out of my last pair, and yet they are still going strong.

Jay

[naedward81]

why not do both. or I would take option B. Most of the skiers here in MN wouldn't even notice the poles.

[Name Redacted]

I like the cheap ass rental poles, they are free for me and seem to be pretty strong to put up with abuse from renters. I don't really need anymore than that. I do plenty of bc and sc runs and never feel the need to adjust the length of my poles, if you go twice a year you definitely won't.

[XtrPickels]

option A.
I bought flicklocks for use BC and used them one day inbounds because I can't resist new toys
Bent one, now I'm bummed

[single]

there was a deal on goode carbon fiber poles in the gear swap a while ago. Like 27 bucks. Honestly, I would say if you only tour two days a year you dont need adjustable poles. That being said, most of us here dont NEED more than 2 or 3 pairs of skis

[Crass3000]

Raid the lost and found if you have access to that. I didn't even think about one of the adjuatables bending. That would suck. BTW... This saturday will work for me.

[Garrett]

I like the cheap ass rental poles, they are free for me and seem to be pretty strong to put up with abuse from renters.

Scott rental is the best pole on the market. Just swap the grips with a nicer pair from a busted old pair of WC SLs and you are in bizness with the lightest (practically no paint), strongest, most core aluminum pole there is. And they have a better basket on them than the retail poles come with.

[KungFu Eddie]

If you want some cheapies do what everyone that has worked at a ski hill ever does. Get chummy with a patroller (beer works well) and ask if you can scrounge a couple of poles. I can pretty much garantee that they have a huge plie of assorted poles (most never make it to lost and found) that have been dropped from a chair. Find 2 the same size, spray paint and bob's your uncle.

[mnflyfish]

If you want some cheapies do what everyone that has worked at a ski hill ever does. Get chummy with a patroller (beer works well) and ask if you can scrounge a couple of poles. I can pretty much garantee that they have a huge plie of assorted poles (most never make it to lost and found) that have been dropped from a chair. Find 2 the same size, spray paint and bob's your uncle.

I am a patroller, hence the idea of checking the lost and found. As strange as it may seem, there are a pair of flint-locks right now in their. If they are still unclaimed in a week or so then...

My current poles do the job, it's just that there in their 22nd year, I can no longer change baskets due to damage, and well they look like shit. Their not as bad a one of my buddy's who still is rockin the Scott's with the funky grip that dislocated my thumb 4 times in the mid 80's but their pretty bad.

I'm actually leaning towards a pair of Leki carbon something or other. I've never bought nice poles in 30+ years of skiing and I checked the pro-form deals and it's pretty decent. I haven't found a BD proform deal, though I wish I could because I could use some additional climbing stuff. I'm in no hurry, I'm 30+ days away from a trip out west, and like I said I can no longer get the powder baskets on my current poles, so I'll have to make a decision in the next week or so.

Thanks for all the advice, think I'll just stick with regular poles, and maybe get the hook-up on those BD's in lost and found.

Jay

[Jim J]

I like the feel of composite poles. I like the flexiness when skiing bumps. I haven't bought poles in several years, but I'm sure you can find some composite poles fairly cheap. I wouldn't spend a lot of money, because they can break if you fall on them wrong.

[Meadow Skipper]

It's FLICKLOCKS, people - Not FLINTLOCKS. Sheesh.

I bought flicklocks for use BC and used them one day inbounds because I can't resist new toys
Bent one, now I'm bummed

You know that you can get a replacement bottom shaft for like $12.00?:
http://www.bdel.com/gear/spare_parts_snow.php

mnflyfish, unless you're hard on poles (which doesn't seem to be the case), I'd go with Option B, except that I think Flicklocks>Leki by an order of magnitude. Plus spare parts are easy to get and cheap.

Ignore what people may think about using adj. poles at the ski hill - it's not like you're wearing sunglasses with a helmet or a fagbag or anything like that.

[jepilot]

I've gone from using K2 4-Speed (really light) poles to almost exclusively using the BD's. I really like their swing weight and grips. Plus, if I'm going on a long-ass traverse, I kinda like the Flick-lock.

[mnflyfish]

Well, I purchased a pair of everyday Leki poles on proform, and will be picking up the BD's before my next trip. I gave up and figured if I have a quiver of skis, why not a quiver of poles. So there it is. Thanks to everyone for their advice.

Jay