Ski poles can be a bit of a point of contention. There are those who spend hundreds of dollars on the metal sticks, looking for high quality extendable poles with large grips and interchangeable baskets, and there are those who’ll buy the first $25 pair of poles that happen to be the right length.
Personally, I’m one of the individuals who’s spent a decent chunk of change on a pair of poles, looking for something that would be easy to travel with and good in the backcountry. The poles I used before getting my current ones, though, were $13 at my local ski sale, and they worked fine. I have a buddy who relies on the poles he found in the garbage at the bottom of Saint Mary’s Glacier in Colorado, and he seems to love those.
There isn’t exactly one right answer, though. Cheap poles can be great, but so can backcountry ski poles. Both options are great for different things, but can handle just about any form of skiing needed.
If you’re in the market for new poles and you’re stuck, trying to decide whether or not to get the nice, expensive backcountry ski poles or a pair of beater poles, let this video by Extra Mediocre help you out.
Image Credit: Extra Mediocre via YouTube