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Ski poles

when will your child need them?

Just when you’ve managed to get your child to carry his skis properly, ski poles are added in as well. Before you know it there will be bits of ski equipment strewn in his path as he struggles along.

At this point you may well be wondering what on earth those 'sticks' are for. Aside from the obvious uses to wave at his siblings and sketch pictures in the snow, of course.

What are they made from?
They’re made from metal or you might find more advanced ones made from carbon fibre. The metal has to be lightweight otherwise you child’s arms would get tired.

ski poles

The design is quite simple. There's a handle at the top that is moulded to handgrip shape. There's also an adjustable strap that your child will put over his wrist. This means that if he accidently lets go, he won’t lose it.

Towards the bottom of the pole is a plastic basket. This stops the pole from sinking down into the snow. Right at the bottom is the pointed tip – that’s the bit that’s good for drawing in the snow.

Why does my child need ski poles?

to help with his balance
to help him along flat ground by pole pushing
to start a parallel turn by pole planting
to help push himself up if he’s fallen over.

When do children start to use them?
Not until they've mastered a basic skiing technique. For beginners they detract from the all-important tasks of staying upright and combining staying upright with moving.

Once your child has a few ski vacations under his belt and has learned the basics, he’ll use them to pole plant and start a parallel turn. Once he gets proficient, he’ll settle into a rhythm of pole planting and turning. His skiing will become more stable and he’ll make steady progress downhill. On steep slopes and mogul runs (big bumps and troughs caused by lots of skiers turning), poles are invaluable to get his body in the correct position to turn.

How to select the right size
Ski equipment rental shops have a really quick and simple way to tell if they're the right size. Turn them upside down so that the top of the handle on the floor. Get your child to hold the pole in his hand just underneath the basket. The bend in his arm should form a right angle. If not, try a different size.

If you're hiring your ski equipment in resort when you arrive on your ski holidays, the poles will be included within a package of skis, boots and helmet. Prices vary between resorts, but this year we paid £48 for the package per child. If you choose to buy new, you’ll probably be looking at spending around £15 a pair. Unless you’re skiing regularly each season or taking several family ski vacations a year, it’s probably easier to hire in resort.

Even when your child isn’t skiing, ski poles have their use. You can use both poles to carry a pair of skis. Simply pop the skis together (bases facing each other) until they 'lock'. Then pass the strap of one pole over one end of the skis.

Take the other pole and do the same for the other end of the skis. Then pass each pole through the strap of the other until just past the basket. Grasp both poles in one hand and hey presto – you have an instant and neat carrying system.

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Skiing tips for families. Written by an English couple who love to ski and play in the snow with their children.

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