By: randosteve|Posted on: December 31, 2008|Posted in: Gear | 2 comments

If you backcountry ski, there is no doubt that you know the benefits of having adjustable ski poles.  Whether they help you kung-fu turn down the steepest slope, meadow skip through your favorite open snowfield, or break trail through the deepest powder on the flats, adjustable ski poles are a backcountry skiers best friend (behind skis and skins of course)!

The following picture illustrates the different lengths I like to set my adjustable ski poles at…and for what purpose. Your specific preferred lengths may vary dependent on your height. For reference, remember…I’m 5′ 8.99″ tall.  Ladies…maybe subtract 10-15cm?

backcountry skiing adjustable ski pole lengths
If you poach this photo on the web…
please link back to this post. Thanks!

I used to adjust my poles two different heights for uphill skinning, one short (uphill pole) and one long (downhill pole), switching them between hands or adjusting lengths at every switchback.  But that got to be a PITA.  Also, with today’s big fat skis, you can skin straight up steeper slopes…which I am a fan of…making two different pole lengths kinda worthless.