What size ski poles should be. How to choose skis for height and weight: ideal equipment for winter walks

- second necessary element after skis in the equipment of each amateur (“mountain” or) type of skiing. The choice of sticks must be approached responsibly. You need to pay attention to the material used to manufacture the product. Sticks should be suitable for height, weight and functionality. It is worth remembering that there are 3 types of skis with different characteristics.

The key parameter in the choice will be the length of the sticks. If they are too long, the arms are raised higher than usual and then there will not be the necessary push when entering the turn. If they are too short, this will deprive the skier of support during the turn, as he will have to lean lower. Therefore, you need to carefully consider the selection and correctly calculate the correct length.

How to calculate the effective length

When choosing skis, it is advisable to take boots with you, because if you stand on them, your height increases by a couple of centimeters. The height from the foot to the index finger is called effective.

There are two options for calculating the length:

1. Mathematical. The formula depends on the type of equipment: for the ski option, a person's height is multiplied by 0.7, for the classics by 0.83 and 0.88.
2. Elbow. To do this, turn the stick over. The angle of the arm bent at the elbow should be straight. If so, then the length is correct. If in doubt, it is better to take a longer one, you can always shorten it.

When it comes to the question of which skis to choose, first determine the type of riding in which they will be used. The size is selected according to the person's height.

How should the stick be held in the hand?

It is very important for a skier that the stick is comfortable to hold in his hands. Handles are most often made of rubber and plastic.

Lanyard - a loop for holding a stick. He should dress quickly and easily and not create any discomfort.

You can find 2 types of lanyards:

• the usual loop, which can be easily removed, is used by biathletes, lovers of freeride and curved tracks;
• The “trap” is worn longer and more difficult, but its undoubted advantage is greater strength.

Sticks are selected individually. It is important that it is comfortable to hold. The speed of riding, descending from the mountain increases when the skier actively and confidently uses poles. The track of the track will also testify to the correctness of the choice.

Characteristics influencing the choice

When choosing a product, you need to pay attention to the following characteristics:

• material;
• features of the handle, snow rings and lanyard;
• length;
• brand.

These characteristics are important for a person who is well versed in ski equipment. For an ordinary person, the choice will be made on the basis of information from the Internet, or the advice of a sales assistant.

The material of the ski pole is a non-decisive factor when choosing.

Convenience is considered a priority. Should be comfortable to hold. The material of the handle, the width of the snow rings and the type of lanyard depend on the purpose.

Choose by type of ride

If we consider the type of riding or style of riding, the following classification would be appropriate:

1. they run with an increased diameter of the snow ring, a strong mount and a thickened shaft to reduce recoil when pushing.
2. For selected thin and light sticks made of carbon, possibly the use of fiberglass or ultra-light innovative composite alloys.
3. Freestyle poles are shorter than others. Previously, they were only titanium, now they are made from proven materials, such as bamboo. Suitable for skiing on special grounds.
4. Children's sticks.

Ski models have standard characteristics.

Material

Recently, skiing has been actively developing. For the manufacture of modern ski uniforms, the following materials are used:

1. Carbon. The price depends on the amount of impurities that are added to the carbon.
2. Fiberglass. Suitable for experienced skiers. Such models are thin, but at the same time durable. They are expensive items.
3. Composite materials. It's an alloy various materials, which may include aluminium, carbon, graphite and some resins. They are lightweight, non-fragile, have good cushioning.
4. Aluminum. The most reliable and low budget option. The only negative is the weight of the product, but the clamp in them is strong. Used by beginner skiers.
5. Bamboo sticks have reappeared on the market, which are used for running.
6. Titanium is rarely used today, being replaced by more modern materials.

When choosing products, you need to consider for what type of skiing they will be used. Based on this, equipment is selected. The main thing is to choose the right length to use them comfortably. You can even choose the size of equipment for the whole family.

Most people still think about which ones are better, but with ski poles everything is a little different. Many people think that any will do, it would only be something to rely on and something to push off from. For children, sticks are often bought longer than necessary, so to speak, "for growth." And this is a big mistake. The choice of ski poles must be approached no less demanding.
What exactly is a stick made of? From the shaft, handle, hand loop, foot and tip.

Choice of ski poles

Shaft
It is very important what material the sticks are made of. Ideally, it should be lightweight and durable. Most the best option if the shaft of ski poles is made of carbon or fiberglass. But the fact is that such sticks are more expensive than the others, so they are mainly used by professional athletes. For an amateur, aluminum alloy sticks are suitable, they are quite light and durable.
The shape of the shaft can be narrowed down, due to which the center of gravity of the stick shifts upwards, which makes the stick itself more stable. But again, such sticks are mainly intended for athletes and, of course, are more expensive. Therefore, initially a cylindrical stick is also quite suitable.
The length of ski poles is determined as follows: for skiing in the "classic" style, this is a person's height minus 25-30 cm, and for "skating" - minus 15-20 cm. child.

Selection of ski poles for an adult

Skier Height (cm)	Stick size (cm)
	Classic	Skate
150	120	130
155	125	135
160	130	140
165	135	145
170	140	150
175	145	155
180	150	160
185	155	165
190	160	170
195	165	175

Selection of ski poles for a child

Child height (cm)	Stick size (cm)	Child's age (years)
100	75	3
110	80	4
115	85	5
120	90	6
125	95	7
130	100	8
135	105	9
140	110	10
145	115	11

Pens
As for the handles, they are also made of different materials. They can be cork, plastic, leather, etc. As a rule, handles on ski poles for amateurs are made of plastic, while handles on poles for professional racers are tried to be made of non-slip materials. It is important that the hand is comfortable on the handle. For this purpose, the upper surface of the handle is made large so that the skier can lean on the stick from above, or the stick and the handle itself are slightly bent forward. The handle may be anatomically shaped, i.e. with finger grooves. And in the lower part of the handle there is often a small ledge that takes some of the load off the hand.

Loops for the hand
Loops (also called lanyards) are made of leather or synthetic fabric. Sometimes they come with a buckle to fit the loop to the athlete's arm. It is worth paying attention to the fact that when moving, the hand should rest on the loop, and not on the handle.

foot
The foot (support ring) is a ring worn on the lower part of the shaft (5-7 cm from the end of the tip) so that the ski does not fall into the snow. Usually they are made of plastic, but there are also leather and wooden ones.
It is wrong to buy sticks with small paws! MirSovetov recommends focusing on snow cover: from 40-50 mm (for dense snow) to 100-120 (for deep and loose). Universal diameter - 60-80 mm.

Tip
The tips are made of hard alloys or metal - you should be careful with them, as there is a risk of injury. For safety reasons, the tips of children's ski poles are produced without the use of metal. The shape of the tips are: conical (rare now), reverse cone - the most common and safest design, “toothed crown” (sticks with such tips are convenient on icy slopes).

ski equipment cost

And the last question regarding skis. How much is this pleasure?
As has been said more than once above, you should not chase obvious cheapness - buy skis in hypermarkets, purchase kits for cheap from strangers. Do not forget that it depends on what decision you make whether you like skiing, whether you get positive emotions.
When you first buy, it would be ideal to contact a consultant in a sporting goods store, or enlist the help of an instructor. The choice of models and skis, and boots, and other equipment is extremely large, and the price range also makes you confused when buying.
Approximate cost of ski equipment: ten to fifteen thousand for a set of new equipment for beginners. Skis cost 4000-4500 rubles, bindings a little more than 2000 rubles, boots - about 4000, poles will cost you about 700 rubles on average.

For all the seemingly small importance of the sticks, they existed in skiing ah always. At the very beginning of the history of alpine skiing, skiers descended from the mountains with an alpenstock, which served to control the balance and change the trajectory of the descent. Over time, the long pole was transformed into two shorter ski poles.

Sticks have their own functions and purposes. They are needed to facilitate the implementation of turns, maintaining and maintaining balance during the descent. Ski poles will help when moving on gentle areas or when maneuvering near the lift. When passing sports tracks, sticks are used for starting acceleration, blocking the gate poles. They help to maintain balance and give additional confidence in difficult situations on a steep slope, mounds, indispensable for off-piste skiing. With their help, it is easier to unfasten the fasteners, get up after a fall, etc.

You may not worry too much about ski poles and sticking techniques when you rent poles, but when you buy your own poles, there is a problem of choice. Let's try to figure out how to choose the right poles for skiing.

Anatomy of ski poles

The ski pole consists of a handle to hold, a tip to prick, a ring to prevent the pole from falling into soft snow, a lanyard and a rod to combine everything into one. Although nothing fundamentally new in the design of ski poles is to be expected, the development of design and technology in this area continues.

Sticks are available in various lengths, elasticity and strength, with various bends and different ring diameters.

First of all, you need to choose the right sticks for the length, this is the key to a safe ride and correct technique skating.

ski pole length

The length of the stick is selected according to the height of the skier and is usually a little less than 3/4 of their own height. For children, the length of the sticks ranges from 70 to 105 cm, for adults - from 110 cm to 145 cm, in 5 cm increments.

Although the optimal length of the sticks also depends on the proportions specific person, on the ratio of the size of the torso and legs, on the length of the arms.

How to choose the length of the sticks in the store

For a more accurate choice of poles, put on ski boots (or take into account the height of their soles) and, standing on a flat, hard surface, turn the pole upside down. The stick must be rested on the floor, leaving it slightly forward.

Stand up straight with your knees slightly bent. If you grab the stick with your hand under the ring (hand parallel to the floor), the angle between shoulder and forearm should be about 90°.

The safe riding technique allows for scatter - the length of the sticks can be three to five centimeters more or less than the selected value. Experienced skiers recommend taking poles a little (5-7 centimeters) longer. This approach is explained by the fact that the stick, when skiing, sinks a few centimeters into the snow. Next, you can start fitting the sticks by shortening them by 1-1.5 cm.

With the correct length of ski poles, the skier should have no problem bringing the pole forward for a thrust, while feeling the pole “hook” the slope and help the body move forward over the skis. When choosing ski poles for children, the spread is only allowed upwards, if it is not planned to change the poles every season.

For ski touring, ski touring, ski mountaineering, special telescopic poles are produced that can change the length. Telescopic poles can also be used in some ski disciplines.

The shape of ski poles

After choosing the length, you should pay attention to the shape of the stick. The bend of the stick under the handle serves to anticipate the injection and to create an effective support on the stick during sharp turns on the descent. The forward bend relieves tension in the forearms, makes riding safer and minimizes the chance of injury to the hand. There is another option for ensuring the safe use of sticks: some manufacturers lay a bend in the shape of the handle.

In high-speed ski disciplines, preference is given to curved sticks. Straight sticks significantly increase air resistance. The curved shape serves to remove the rings behind the body and, as a result, reduces aerodynamic drag. Some modern sticks bend in two or three planes at once. In addition, in slalom, a special protection is installed on the handle of the ski poles, with which the slalomist beats off the gate poles when passing the track.

Don't buy curved poles unless you're into downhill skiing.. With arbitrary skiing on the slopes, such nuances will be redundant and will lead to discomfort when skiing (and to unnecessary expenses).

Anatomy of ski poles

Ring ski pole prevents the pole from sinking deep into the snow. Rings have different diameters and are selected depending on the type of slope. Large diameter rings are more suitable for skiing on soft snow or virgin snow so that the poles do not fall into loose snow. When skiing on prepared trails, in the park or halfpipe, choose poles with small diameter rings, such rings will not interfere and cling to ski boots. Sports poles usually have a cone instead of a ring (with the exception of special slalom poles). Some manufacturers provide ski poles with interchangeable rings for different skiing conditions.

tip called the lower part of the stick, which is in contact with the slope. Usually tips are made of stainless alloys of various hardness. Depending on the shape, they are cone-shaped, "toothed crown" and reverse cone. AT normal conditions the most common and safest is the reverse cone tip. For an icy slope, it is preferable to choose a “toothed crown”. Cones are less common.

Kernel- the base of the ski pole. Rods can be made from materials of varying degrees of strength. The most commonly used are various aluminum alloys, titanium-based alloys, carbon (carbon fiber), fiberglass (fiberglass). The highest quality poles are made from complex combinations of metal and composite plastics.

The strength of the rod is measured in conventional units of stiffness. The higher the stiffness index, the higher the quality of aluminum and, accordingly, the strength of the ski pole. Sticks for amateurs have a hardness of 4 to 4.5 units. Expert ski poles - 5-5.5 units. Sticks with a stiffness above six units are used by athletes.

Most ski poles are made from aluminum of various strengths. Carbon sticks are lighter, but also more fragile and expensive. Athletes usually use aluminum sticks with the highest material strength. Composite poles are not used by athletes because of their fragility and low moment of inertia when blocking the poles. Some skiers prefer the rigidity of aluminum, while others like the ability of composite poles to absorb impact energy.

If you are still on initial stage skiing, you don’t have to think too much about what and how sticks are made of. It is enough that they are structurally strong and of high quality. In this case, the simplest straight aluminum sticks with a conventional handle and a tip (sting) will do.

Lanyard- a strap attached to the handle of the stick. The strap is needed so as not to lose the stick if it slips out of your hand. Lanyards have a length adjustment function to adjust the loop to the fullness of the forearm. The lanyard adjustment should be such that the hand feels supported from below. This position allows you to get additional support, and hence greater acceleration at the start. In addition, if you open your hand, the stick will hang on your hand in the most secure position. Sports ski poles are equipped with lanyards with a quilting function, which increases the safety of using the poles on steep slopes and at high speeds. So, as an alternative to the lanyard, LEKI has developed the Trigger system, which includes not only the handle and strap of the ski pole, but also the skier's glove. The strap is permanently attached to the glove by means of Velcro fasteners and buttons. The system can be triggered by pressing the breaker cover. There is also the possibility of unfastening in automatic mode if the skier runs into an obstacle or the stick bounces off the skier.

Handle call that part of the stick for which it is held when skiing or skiing. Handles can be made from various artificial materials- plastic, rubber, cork, neoprene, polyurethane foam or EVA. Each of the materials has its own level of grip for comfortable holding the stick in various conditions despite sweat or precipitation. Cork and neoprene are comfortable to hold even when wet. Handles made of porous materials remain "warm", which is very important in cold windy conditions.

The most optimal among experts are handles made of frost-resistant rubber, which do not slip in the hands and do not “tan” at low temperatures. Some manufacturers put a leading bend in the shape of the handle. Other firms strive to make the handle as "grip" as possible, laying the leading bend in the shape of the rod. On some models of handles brush protection can be installed. Most sports ski poles allow the installation of shields to protect the hands.

Remember that sticks are still consumable. Try it, look for your perfect match. In some cases, it may be worth waiting for the sales at the end of the season and buying ski poles at a discount. Please note that often ski poles can be selected in accordance with the design of specific skis, manufacturers think through the whole image completely.

Before you start choosing ski poles, you need to decide on the amount that you have for these purposes. It can be absolutely unequivocally stated that the more expensive the ski poles, the better they are. The more fun you will get from using them, but...

The choice of ski poles cannot be underestimated. Ski poles along with skis and ski boots are the main equipment of a skier. The entire pace of the skier's movements is set by hand. Legs work as if in pursuit. This is why the weight and balance of ski poles are so important. Progress along the track is approximately 50% dependent on hand pushes. Therefore, ski poles must be rigid in order to transmit the efforts of the skier as fully as possible. Typically, ski pole manufacturers produce a long line of models for all occasions. The most famous domestic manufacturer is the Sports Technologies Center (Balabanovo), the most famous imported ones are Swix (Norway), Fischer (Austria), Start (Finland).

Shape of ski poles.

Sports ski poles have a conical shape with a noticeable decrease in diameter from the handle to the support element (usually up to 9-10 mm). The supporting element is usually small in size, designed for prepared ski tracks. In order to speed up and facilitate the removal of the ski pole as much as possible during movement, they try to shift the balance of the ski pole as close to the handle as possible, facilitating the lower part of the ski pole.

Tourist ski poles have almost the same thickness at the handle and at the support element. This form of stick has a single purpose - maximum strength. The supporting element, made in the form of a foot or a ring of a sufficiently large size, is designed to be able to push a ski stick away from non-compacted snow or poorly prepared ski tracks.

ski pole material

Your obedient servant, in early childhood, I remember, started with bamboo sticks. These were sticks - natural. Today bamboo has been replaced aluminum, fiberglass, carbon composite and their combinations.

Aluminum ski poles, depending on the design, are light in weight, sufficiently rigid and sufficiently reliable. For amateurs, these sticks have a huge advantage: if you accidentally sit on a stick or fall unsuccessfully, the ski stick does not break. The stick is bent. That is, you can straighten it on the knee and move on. And there can be quite a lot of such bending-straightening cycles. Then the metal still gets tired and the ski pole breaks.

Fiberglass ski poles have the lowest cost. They break with a bang. When repulsed, they bend strongly (especially if you take a high size). The weight is about the same as that of inexpensive aluminum ski poles.

Composite ski poles have fiberglass and carbon composite in their composition in different proportions. Accordingly, the more the latter, the stiffer and lighter the sticks. They break about the same as fiberglass ski poles.

Carbon composite ski poles this is the height of every skier's dream. They are tough and light. Unless they also break well, but mainly from a side load or impact. Having taken these sticks in hand, it is no longer easy to give them away. Carbon composite is the main material for ski poles for sports and high sporting achievements.

Details of ski poles.

In addition to the "sticks" themselves, which we discussed above, ski poles consist of a support element (ring or foot), a handle (plastic or plastic in combination with rubber or cork) and a lanyard (braid loop or trap) or a strap, as it is commonly called in the people. These elements of ski poles also require careful consideration when buying ski poles.

Rostovka ski poles.

The choice of ski poles by size in the common people: classical- under the armpit, skating- on the earlobe. Scientifically, you can use the recommended company Fischer table, although this table is not a dogma.

Man's height	Skate	Classic	Tourist

From my rich life experience, I would like to add that it is quite possible to take ski poles longer than the table ones:

• for younger children school age(since they usually do not push with sticks to the full amplitude);
• when driving mainly on flat areas;
• with frequent ailments in the lumbar back;
• with uncertain ski holding (recoil), during the application of the classic move.

However, it is important not to overdo it with a long pole, because the higher the ski poles, the higher the hands are raised, and it is more difficult for the heart to supply them with warm blood, respectively, the hands freeze more.

In addition to the above, I strongly advise you to pay attention to ski gloves. Ski gloves are not a trifle at all, but an interface between your hands and ski poles. And if you didn’t have special ski gloves, I strongly advise you to buy them. Your hands will not sweat in them, the outer side of the hand will not freeze and be blown by winter winds, and the inner side will tenaciously hold the handle of the ski pole. God is in the details.

P/S When buying complete set skis in our online store site adjustment to the length of ski poles is free of charge. In all other cases, you can fit ski poles in Ryazan at: st. Gagarina, d. 78, H2.

The cost of fitting ski poles with a plastic or rubber handle along the length is 70 rubles. The cost of fitting ski poles with a cork handle in length is 120 rubles.

Skiing is one of the most popular sports in winter period. But before those who have just decided to try to ride, a natural question arises - how to choose skis and sticks? You need to select them according to your height.

To begin with, let's still decide what exactly you want to do - cross-country running or learning to go down the mountains? Sports are far from the same, they are very different from each other, and the parameters for choosing sports ammunition in them are also, respectively, different.

In skiing, there are several ways to go, for each of which there are separate types of racing skis. First of all, these are classic icon methods. Also, in sports shops you can find walking skis for ordinary outdoor enthusiasts. Now, let's figure out how to choose them according to your height.

If you are seriously planning this sport, then skis for classic and skating are at your service. The main rule of their choice is something like this: if the main way of running is classic, then the skis should be 20-30 centimeters higher than your height. For ridge method this figure is about two times lower. As for walking skis, their size should be 15-20 centimeters more than your height. However, so that you do not get too confused in the measurements, we provide a table with all the necessary values.

Table for selecting the length of skis

What about zhepalki? For them, too, there is a separate classification, according to which they should be selected. Sticks for the classic move should be 25-30 centimeters shorter than your height. For skating, sticks are selected that are 15-20 centimeters smaller than the athlete.

Table for the selection of the length of the sticks

Skier Height
(cm) Stick length for
classic stroke (cm) Length of poles for
skating (cm)150 120-125 130-135 155 125-130 135-140 160 130-135 140-145 165 135-140 145-150 170 140-145 150-155 175 145-150 155-160 180 150-155 160-165 185 155-160 165-170 190 160-165 170-175 195 165 175

If you are going to put a child on skis, then it is worth remembering that the technique was selected in this case somewhat different from the standard. The determining role in the choice of sports equipment for children weighing up to 40 kilograms is not height, as in adults, but weight. If your child weighs from 10 to 20 kilograms, then skis with a height of 70-80 centimeters are suitable for him. For guys in the weight category from 20 to 30 kilograms, skis 90 centimeters long are optimal. For children weighing from 30 to 40 kilograms, you should buy meter skis. As for the sticks, everything here is like in adults - they should be 25-30 centimeters smaller than the height of the child.

Speaking of mountain skiing, we note that their selection depends not only on your height and weight indicators, but also on the conditions in which you are going to use them. For non-professionals, manufacturers divide skis into three categories: carving, which is divided into fan-carving (allowing you to enter the turn almost lying down) and autocarv (they have a lightweight steering system), freeride and universal. Karving designed for those who ride on prepared slopes. For those who like to ride in rough mountainous terrain, we advise you to take freeride skis. However, skiing on them is practically inaccessible to beginners due to their complexity. The so-called universal skis that you can ride almost anywhere.

Table for the selection of alpine skiing

Recently, in our country, there have been ample opportunities for children to practice skiing. Naturally, the child also needs a careful selection of equipment according to his height and weight. Note that children's skis are from 70 to 120 centimeters in size. As a rule, unlike adults, they have a simplified design, without control amplifiers and other things. Below we give an approximate table of selection of mountain skis for children.