Excel Black Feather and Madshus Ski Poles Bent Handle?

Has anyone heard if the bent shafts on the Excel Black Feather and
Madshus ski poles are just gimicks? Excel claims it put the hand and
arm in a much more natural postion during poling. Moreover this allows
better recovery and lower heart rates. It remind me of Swix's claims
of their canoe paddle grip in the 80's. Don't see any of those
anymore.

Originally Posted by ADK Skier

Has anyone heard if the bent shafts on the Excel Black Feather and
Madshus ski poles are just gimicks? Excel claims it put the hand and
arm in a much more natural postion during poling. Moreover this allows
better recovery and lower heart rates. It remind me of Swix's claims
of their canoe paddle grip in the 80's. Don't see any of those
anymore.

I can't find any comment's on any of the non-broomstick type poles either.

From my time fitting bicycles, to customers and myself as a racer, I've learned that nothing about human ergomics revolves around perfect circles or straight lines. When holding imagina poles, focusing on maximum power transfer, few of us will see their forearms moving nice and straight along their bodies.
Most will notice that the natural motion actually see the hands meeting in front at +/- chin height, moving out and back through the arm stroke.
Also, then holding a pole halfway, focusing on ergonomics, poles will point way out at the back. "Beginners" technique comes from that, imporfect pole ergonomics.

In sports, the trendsetters actually being the most orthodox of all athletes, it takes them many decades to get a bend of even 1º more or less into the product standards. Look at MTB handlebars. Somone once used a piece of straight tubing for it. Then added 3º sweep. 30 years later, it's still considered the world standard in MTB XC handlebars. Optimum is actually in the 25-50º sweep range. And yes, your wrists will know when you fit such handlebars. To such an extent, you will not be able to go back to the broomstick bars. They'll feel wrong.

Unfortunately I do not own "bent" poles yet (planning on developping my own), but I can say with certainty that if a bend somewhat meets your body geomtry half way, it will make a big difference. Not for speed (ergonomics don't work that way), but for endurance and technique for sure.

In a shop I held the Swix Force poles. Especially the angled-in grips worked for me. Instantly my pole tips stayed closer in. And my wrists were happier.
The forward bend in the grips serves another hugely important purpose, which I won't discuss at this time.

And there's SO much more to be had where that came from. Now to find someone who can produce pole grips per my design.