Nordic poles

Shopping guide for men's cross country ski poles:

Do you want to buy new ski poles, but don't know how to go about it? At Glisshop we have a large range of cross country ski poles and accessories for you. Whether in carbon fibre, composite, or aluminium, it's up to you to choose!

How should you choose a cross country ski pole according to its practicality level?

In cross country skiing, the pole allows you to transfer the energy created by your arms when pushing forward and allows you to advance. For beginner skiers, the poles also help you to keep your balance. No skier has exactly the same needs, and we understand that very well, so that's why we've created 3 categories to allow you to navigate through this very large choice.

The category "Recreational" shows cross country ski poles, most often made of aluminium and with an affordable price. They have the advantage of being very robust, which cannot be ignored when you're a beginner and still finding your feet. They perfectly resist the torsion generated when all of the skier's weight rests on them. They are strongly recommended for skiers who are just beginning or who only ski from time to time. Regular skiers will find what they're looking for in the ski pole category "Sports". Resistant whilst offering very high quality of momentum, and often equipped with top of the range accessories, these cross country ski poles allow you to have a high performance tool in your hands for maximum pleasure whilst remaining relatively robust.

The Race/Expert category enters us into the sphere of lightness and performance. Made of 100% carbon fibre, they are ultra light and give exceptional swing. Carbon fibre is used due to its very rigid quality which allows you to reduce the loss of energy when pushing forward. However, it's necessary to take care of them, particularly during transport, as they are very fragile. If you decide to purchase some, it could also be useful to select a ski pole cover.

What cross country ski pole size should you choose?

It shouldn't be a secret for anyone that cross country skiing is done with two very different techniques, classic or skate. And each technique has it's own equipment. In terms of ski poles, the difference is made with the size.

- For classic skiing, the pole size should be 30 cm shorter than the skier. So visually it should reach around shoulder level. And for the more exact amongst you who want a ski pole that fits to the millimetre, all you have to do is multiply your height by 0.83.

- In skate skiing, the pole is slightly bigger. It must be around 20 centimetres shorter than the skier and reach around chin level. For the precise size, multiply your height by 0.89.

And in terms of ski pole accessories, what is there?

There is a multitude of accessories for cross country ski poles and Glisshop stocks all of the necessary equipment for dealing with broken kit or different activities.

- Straps: skiers generally prefer the straps provided with the ski poles as they're very ergonomic and comfortable, and allow efficient energy transfer. However, for biathletes we have biathlon straps. They can be removed more quickly when approaching the shooting, which is very useful in order to be able to continue to lean on the ski poles for as long as possible.

- Tips for roller skiing: roller skiing requires specific tips which are more resistant in order to grip the tarmac over a long time.

- Cross country ski pole covers: these are very useful when travelling to avoid damage to the sticks, as well as for easily transporting several poles.

- You will also find spare grips and baskets in case you need to replace any.