How to choose poles for alpine, freeride and cross-country skiing

To find out which size you need, hold the pole upside down and vertically, with your hand under the basket. Your arm should be at a 90° angle with your body.

If you are purchasing your poles online and don't have the opportunity to try them out, measure your height in centimetres and multiply it by 0.7. The result will give you an approximate of the ski pole length you need in centimetres. if you're 1.80 m tall (i.e. 180 cm), they should be approximately 126 cm long (180x0.7).

Note that when ski touring, pole length varies: you will appreciate having longer poles to help you on the ascent. Telescopic ski poles are a good solution for varying their size when climbing or descending.

Ski pole baskets are not different sizes for aesthetic reasons but for practical purposes.

• Smaller baskets are designed for downhill skiers. They are lightweight and give you greater precision.
• Medium-sized baskets are perfect for skiing on "all sorts of terrain", whether that be on the piste, the edges of the piste or light powdery snow.
• Large baskets are designed for outings in fresh, powdery (ungroomed) snow since they prevent you from sinking into the snow.
• The half-round shaped baskets are particularly suited to hiking because they make it easier to , climb uphill. The poles can be planted effectively on the slope if the gradient is steep. The half basket will help you to not sink into the snow.

There are different types of handles too. 

• Single material handles: These are very hard-wearing, but not necessarily very comfortable.
• Foam handles: These are lightweight and comfortable to use.
• Bi-material handles: With two different materials, the grip is better and has the benefits of each material.
• Handles with long grips: As the name suggests, the grip covers a larger part of the pole. This type of grip is often found on cross-country ski poles as it's particularly well suited to both ascents and descents because you can grip the pole at different heights.

At Decathlon, we offer three types of strap, depending on your skiing level.

• Simple straps: These are the most standard type of straps and are generally used for alpine skiing.
• Detachable straps: Recommended for off-piste skiing, these straps can be unclipped in the event of a fall, preventing wrist sprains.
• Integrated plastic wrist strap: it envelopes and provides support for your hand while remaining unrestrictive in the event of a fall.

The material of the pole is also an important consideration when making your choice because it influences the weight and strength of your ski poles. Aluminium is currently the most common material on the market, but components made of titanium, fibreglass or carbon are being developed more and more because of their lightweight and flexible properties. There are also lighter carbon ski pole models, which are often used for ski touring.

Like all your equipment, your poles are used for a few months of the year before being stored away until the snow returns, so they deserve to be stored in a way that will keep them in good condition. We offer several spare parts to repair them, whether they are telescopic (adjustable) ski poles or simple ski poles.

The material of the pole is also an important consideration when making your choice because it influences the weight and strength of your ski poles. Aluminium is currently the most common material on the market, but components made of titanium, fibreglass or carbon are being developed more and more because of their lightweight and flexible properties.