top of the line SWIX poles: what's the big deal?

I've always been an Exel person. But since the straps on my 2000 Exel
Avantis are almost destroyed, and I can't locate a replacement in the
US, I got myself a pair of Swix CT1 (the blue ones, used to be top of
the line in 2005-06).

Swix seems to be smarter than Exel in terms of back-compatibility of
their parts. But, boy, are the CT1s heavy! Perhaps it's not the weight
per se, but the swing weight. Does not feel like a $250 pole at all.
Jenex's composite poles feel just the same.

I did not expect such a drastic difference. I haven't tried the FORCEs
though - how good are those? Not that I am buying them, just curious.

Per Dick Fultz at the Cross Country Ski Shop in an article on the poles
( http://www.nordicskiracer.com/cgi-bi...asp?NewsID=576
):

"First, the poles are about the same weight as the CT1 - but the swing
weight is very different. The tip end of the pole is much lighter,
letting the pole swing noticeably easier. It's almost like it's not
there.

Second, these poles are stiff - very stiff. In hard snow, Dick says it
feels like you're rollerskiing on pavement! Stiff poles mean more power
transmitted to the snow."

Mike

On Dec 26, 1:34 pm, "NordicSkiRacer"
weight is very different. The tip end of the pole is much lighter,
letting the pole swing noticeably easier. It's almost like it's not
there.

Second, these poles are stiff - very stiff. In hard snow, Dick says it
feels like you're rollerskiing on pavement! Stiff poles mean more power
transmitted to the snow."

Mike

looks like my two-years-old Exel C1 poles specifs....

Laurent.

Anyone seen a WC skier using Force 10 Swix poles? Swing weight (feel)
and actual weight can be deceptive. If anyone has an old Trax magazine
with the weight figures, they can look up the announced shaft (or
total) figures for the Avanti. Infinity poles are lighter, stiffer and
less expensive than Swix, and their durability has improved over the
years. They can also take other straps. I prefer the Swix.

rm

"NordicSkiRacer" wrote:

Per Dick Fultz at the Cross Country Ski Shop in an article on the poles
( http://www.nordicskiracer.com/cgi-bi...asp?NewsID=576
):

"First, the poles are about the same weight as the CT1 - but the swing
weight is very different. The tip end of the pole is much lighter,
letting the pole swing noticeably easier. It's almost like it's not
there.

Second, these poles are stiff - very stiff. In hard snow, Dick says it
feels like you're rollerskiing on pavement! Stiff poles mean more power
transmitted to the snow."

Mike

I can answer my own question. On the Swix site, a photo shows Katerine
Neumannova with a Force 10 after a race. Looking at the Oly videos
from last year, there are lots of Swix poles but she is the only one
using the Force 10. That was classic. I didn't check skate. In the past
year more have started using One Way.



wrote:

Anyone seen a WC skier using Force 10 Swix poles? Swing weight (feel)
and actual weight can be deceptive. If anyone has an old Trax magazine
with the weight figures, they can look up the announced shaft (or
total) figures for the Avanti. Infinity poles are lighter, stiffer and
less expensive than Swix, and their durability has improved over the
years. They can also take other straps. I prefer the Swix.

rm

"NordicSkiRacer" wrote:

Per Dick Fultz at the Cross Country Ski Shop in an article on the poles
( http://www.nordicskiracer.com/cgi-bi...asp?NewsID=576
):

"First, the poles are about the same weight as the CT1 - but the swing
weight is very different. The tip end of the pole is much lighter,
letting the pole swing noticeably easier. It's almost like it's not
there.

Second, these poles are stiff - very stiff. In hard snow, Dick says it
feels like you're rollerskiing on pavement! Stiff poles mean more power
transmitted to the snow."

Mike

"First, the poles are about the same weight as the CT1 - but the swing
weight is very different. The tip end of the pole is much lighter,
letting the pole swing noticeably easier. It's almost like it's not
there.

I would be come a SWIX fan is they put the above this way "the swing
weight of our CT1s sucked, we admit it. But we are chahnging!"

Second, these poles are stiff - very stiff. In hard snow, Dick says it
feels like you're rollerskiing on pavement! Stiff poles mean more power

I don't know, ski shop people just want you to buy new stuff. I have to
dig up what they were saying in 2005 about the CT1s.

I have a little Swix pamphlet from 1998 and the 1998 "Star" pole is
actually lighter and slightly stronger than the 2006 CT1. The CT1 is
significantly stiffer though. Maybe somewhere along the way Swix
decided that being stiff was more important than being light.