Features of Modern Ski Poles - Engineering Report

The following engineering repot will explain the manufacturing and implication of modern ski poles. It will further display the individual parts and materials that make up the ski poles and explain the purposes and principles for each part.

Winter sports have adapted as the sports grow in size, and as technology improves so to do the aids for the winter athletes. Skis were originally not used with ski poles but as the skill of the sport and as recreational use increased the need for improvement was obvious. Ski poles give the athlete increased balance and propulsion and are used for alpine skiing, powder skiing, ski racing and cross-country skiing. The poles provide extra support otherwise not achievable with just hands.

The tips of the ski poles are the most important part of the pole and is the part that enters the snow, it is sharp enough to dig into the snow to create friction that can be used to propel the user forward but are short enough to remove easily and allow continuous motion. The tips are very useful in being able to propel yourself forward to increase speed, move when not on a slope and be an anchor when on a slope.

The ski poles vary in length, shapes and materials, mostly based on price and skill level. Depending on what type of skiing the pole is used for, the different type of pole needed, some have larger baskets to grip better, others are lighter for more speed, and some are bent in order to maximise strength to power ratios, regardless of this they ultimately serve a similar purpose of helping the skier to ski.

The history of the ski pole dates back to early 3623 BC and was originally purposed to help balance, brake and turn. They were also used to aid them in hunting. They were made from bamboo, and pine wood. The earliest metal ski pole was patented in 1933 and were to use a steel shaft, this was done by a man named John B. Dickson, but was later superseded by the lightweight aluminium design, by Edward L. Scott in 1959.

The ski pole has advanced from then and the most technologically advanced material used is carbon fibre, building on the lightweight strength of the aluminium poles, but come at a hefty price so the average consumer typically chooses the aluminium poles. The development of manufacturing processes that are automated have increased that rate of which the poles can be massed produced and sold. For example, the poles travel through rollers which apply pressure to precisely straighten them, this is done at a high rate and requires little human input, resulting in great accuracy and low costs.

Ski poles need to be made to last as the average skier buys one pair and only replaces them if they grow too tall for them or are looking for an upgrade. This means that ski pole manufacturers need to be appealing to the seller as they’re likely to only ever buy one pair. This means high quality rubbers for the grip, hardened aluminium for the shaft and a durable carbide tip to avoid wear.

Mechanical, along with electrical and electronic engineering qualifications are required for the different parts of the assembly process. The process in which aluminium is extracted and created can be very damaging to the environment and is a factor towards global warming. Due to aluminium not naturally occurring in the environment, its process of the ‘heroult’, uses an electric current to extract pure aluminium from alumina. This uses a large amount of electricity, and accounts for 20 to 40 percent of the cost of producing. Although aluminium companies are trying to reduce their footprint by using hydro power, and solar power, these alone wouldn’t generate enough to power the whole manufacturing process.

1. Alpine ski poles – the most popular type of ski pole, a straight shaft, comfortable handle and a standard basket. Made for the average skier
2. “powder” poles - are used in areas with more soft snow and consists of a larger snow basket, they prevent the poles from sinking into the snow.
3. Race poles – more specialised poles, often have an ergonomic shape and are made from lightweight, strong materials like carbon fibre. They are made to hug your body to reduce drag.
4. Cross country poles – are designed for hiking, trekking cross country skiing, they feature very narrow shafts and have different shaped basket to regular poles.   

Overall, there isn’t much improvement that can be made to the modern ski pole, but if there would be any it would likely be a composite material that is lighter and stronger than carbon fibre. But if a new sport was introduced using skis and ski poles, a more specific version would need to be produced to maximise performance.