What distinguishes the top and second-best poles? And why they are so expensive? There can be a lot to benefit from buying the pole model just below the one used by World Cup skiers.

Buying last year’s model of the top poles is an old and well-known tip for those who want World Cup equipment at a slightly lower price. But many will also benefit from considering the models below the top poles. 

Langrenn.com spoke to Pat Lam Thorstad, poles product developer at Swix, about the differences between top and second-top-level poles. 

The poles in the tier just below the top often benefit from the same technology and principles but are made from materials that make them slightly less expensive. 

For example, Swix’s top pole, the Triac 4.0 Aero (aero-shaped pole tube), costs NOK 4.000 (about 345 euros). The Triac Giro, which is almost the same pole but with a round pole shaft, costs NOK 3.400 (about 290 euros). The following two pole models, Swix Quantum 1 and 2, cost NOK 2.799 (about 240 euros) and NOK 2.199 (about 190 euros) respectively. 

“The Triac poles are the top model, but the line just below, with the Quantum Q1 and Q2 models, are by no means bad or heavy poles. I believe that both Quantum Q1 and Quantum Q2 are good enough for competition use,” says Lam Thorstad.

Read More: How do you choose the best cross-country skiing poles?

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Why are top poles so expensive?

The top poles are made of composite material, where the material is mainly carbon. Carbon comes in several qualities. The best carbon is extremely light and stiff and is exceptionally suitable for ski poles. The best carbon is also costly. This is one of the reasons why top poles are so expensive. 

In addition, manufacturers spend a lot of resources on research and product development, which is also reflected in the price tag of the top poles. 

Lam Thorstad explains that the Triac pole is built completely differently from most poles on the market. As the model’s name suggests, the first Triac poles were triangular. The latest version is square. 

“It is considerably more expensive to make a ski pole with a cross-section other than circular. Circular cross-sections are the most common and the cheapest to produce,” says Lam Thorstad.

The poles below Swix Triac are circular and have a slightly different material composition than the very top poles and are, therefore, less expensive. But that doesn’t necessarily make them inferior poles, quite the opposite in many cases.  

In addition to a more attractive price, the second-best poles have several advantages that are often under-communicated,” says Lam Thorstad. 

He again uses the Swix pole line as a starting point and explains:

“As mentioned, Swix’s top pole, Triac 4.0 Aero, costs a recommended price of NOK 4000. Top-level skiers will, of course, use the best available, but for other skiers, Quantum Q1 and Q2 will suffice.”

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Fewer pole breaks with the second most expensive poles

Lam Thorstad starts by explaining what poles are made of and why. Most expensive ski poles are made of some form of composite material.

A composite material is a material that consists of two or more different “raw materials,” where each “raw material” makes a characteristic contribution to the properties of the composite material. Composite materials can, therefore, be very complex and can have countless variations and compositions.

The toughest ski poles are exceptionally light, stiff, and resistant. But to optimize these properties, product developers have to make compromises: Carbon as a material in the composite results in a pole that is extremely strong in the longitudinal direction of the fibers but withstands very little stress across the fibers. 

There are also many different grades of carbon, each with its unique properties, often referred to as modulus of elasticity. A high modulus of elasticity (E-modulus) means that the carbon fibers in the structure are thinner and denser, resulting in increased longitudinal strength, resilience, and brittleness. 

“The higher the E-modulus of the carbon, the more brittle it becomes, and the poles break more easily. A cut or damage across the shaft can weaken it enough to cause it to break off in normal use afterward,” says Lam Thorstad. 

This is not an unknown problem. And that’s why pole companies get goosebumps when they see skiers using their carbon poles to knock snow off their ski boots or throw them into the ski box with their skis. The skis can withstand much more than the poles, and the skis also have sharp edges and bindings that can damage the poles. 

Fiberglass can also be used as a reinforcement material in combination with carbon or on its own. 

Fiberglass is much cheaper than carbon. The disadvantage is that fiberglass is also significantly heavier than carbon. Therefore, using carbon as a reinforcement material in the top poles is expected.

Also Read: New competition pole with a revolutionary handle system.

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More pole for the money 

In addition to the highest possible carbon content and lowest possible weight, Swix’s most expensive poles are designed with a non-circular cross-section on the pole shaft. 

This non-circular cross-section should help reduce air resistance and weight and be as aerodynamic as possible when the skier brings the pole back to a new poling. The balance point must be adjusted so that the pole has an optimal pendulum, or swing feel, for the skier. 

When pole companies succeed, the pole will feel like it is coming forward again and falling back into the hand almost by itself.  

These design principles are also the basis for poles at the level below the World Cup models. But by reducing the carbon slightly in favor of other reinforcement materials or using a slightly cheaper quality carbon (e-module), the pole becomes both stronger against impact and more affordable without significantly compromising the properties or feel. 

“When we make lower-level poles, the materials are the limiting factor. But we always work to get the most out of the materials so that the poles are as close as possible to the top model. It doesn’t always require major changes in composition, but they can still make quite a big difference to the price and strength of the pole,” says Lam Thorstad.

The juniors are the winners. 

Lam Thorstad also points out that Swix puts a lot of resources into developing poles for junior skiers and that these are excellent poles for the price.

“Children and young people deserve good equipment, and it’s important for the enjoyment of skiing and development. They also see what the heroes on TV use and want the same for themselves,” he says.  

“Objectively speaking, a junior pole is necessarily shorter than an adult pole. To make a top pole for junior skiers, you could build a scaled-down version of the top poles for adults. However, this would result in a much more expensive pole than most adults are willing to pay for a pole for growing children and young people.” 

“Since junior poles weigh less anyway because they are shorter, one of the criteria is solved. We can use slightly cheaper materials and still get a very light pole with very good properties without being too expensive,” says Lam Thorstad. 

In addition, junior poles built the same way as top adult poles would not meet the durability requirements of children and young people, as the growing generation often gives the equipment rougher treatment than elite skiers, both on and off the ski slopes. 

He also points out that junior poles are not exclusive to the heroes of tomorrow. 

“If you’re a small adult skier who can find poles of the right length in the junior range, it can be a bargain. The best junior poles from Swix, the Triac 4.0 Aero Jr, are at least equivalent to a Quantum Q2,” says Lam Thorstad. 

The Swix Triac 4.0 Aero Jr costs NOK 1,499 (about 130 euros). Swix also makes a simpler version of the Triac pole for children and juniors. This costs NOK 699 (recommended retail price) (about 60 euros) and comes with the racing graphics of the Triac but is built from other composite materials. 

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