Skiers know that one-piece poles are the only option for skiing. And ski racers want one-piece poles that are light and yet super strong. And when it comes to Nordic walking, hiking and trekking poles, one-piece poles prove to be safer, lighter and much more durable. Cheap and flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece poles with twist-locks or flip-locks tend to rattle, vibrate and/or collapse unexpectedly.
The original poles used for hill bounding and ski walking were one-piece poles. EXEL Nordic Walking Poles were the first official "Nordic Walking Poles" based on lightweight yet durable carbon cross country ski poles. Downhill ski poles and trekking poles typically are fatter and much heavier than cross country poles. Adding twist-locks or flip-locks increases vibration and noise (rattle), adds additional weight and provides a weak spot(s) that can allow the poles to fail and/or collapse unexpectedly. I would take one-piece downhill poles over any 2-piece or 3-piece poles, but my first choice and my consistent recommendation is always for REAL Nordic Walking Poles from SWIX and EXEL lightweight, durable and user-friendly.
When EXEL launched Nordic Walking their one-piece poles utilized EXEL's advanced carbon technology and came equipped with comfortable fingerless glove type straps patented by the Salomon Ski Company. EXEL set the standard, but cheap and flimsy twist-lock and flip-lock poles from China have since flooded the market here in the USA.
I love Nordic Walking and cross country skiing because they are silent sports. I like to do my Nordic Walking and skiing in stealth mode and I couldn't tolerate the rattle, clicking and vibration coming from cheap poles from China. Many manufactures of cheap twist-lock and flip-lock poles from China often warn that their poles can not withstand the stress of skiing and other more aggressive uses. Quality one-piece Nordic walking poles can withstand the stress of skiing and hard use. SWIX and EXEL Nordic walking poles have shafts that are identical to quality cross country ski poles super strong, extremely lightweight and hassle free.
Every day at SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System we hear from new customers who had opted to purchase cheap twist-lock or flip-lock poles from other sources by mistake (or received them as gifts) and found that the twist-locks and/or flip-locks were noisy, uncooperative and annoying. New customers tell us that their original poles from EMS, REI, MC Sports, Cabala's, L.L. Bean, Dick's Sporting Goods, Sports Authority, MC Sports, Target, Wal-Mart, misc. websites, did not perform as they had hoped and ended up being returned or sent directly to the landfill. We also hear that many of these stores have floor models that are broken and won't twist-lock or flip-lock securely motivating the customer to do some research and quickly discover our honest assessment of the situation (one-piece poles are safer, lighter, more durable and much more user-friendly).
Emails from happy customers read like this about the huge improvement our one-piece poles are over their original and disappointing twist-lock or flip-lock poles from other sources:
Hi Pete,
I just want to tell you how much I love my new VIP Carbon poles. I received them this past Monday; today is Friday and I have put 26 miles on them already, mostly on asphalt but also some dirt roads, grass and a spongy-muddy high school track. The asphalt paws don't show any sign of wear, none at all! And they give great traction on all the above surfaces.
I can't believe the shock absorption and how comfortable the straps are. I'd initially bought a cheap pair of walking poles from a large discount chain store. The carbide tips wore through the rubber tips in less than 20 miles. Also, the shock absorption wasn't good - you could feel quite a vibration through the arms. Their cheap straps really don't allow one to use the straps for propulsion like your VIP's do. I can use your SWIX poles like Nordic poles are supposed to be used because they ARE Nordic poles. Wow, what a difference. The SWIX poles are like going from a bad ride to a Cadillac.
I just love them.
Lynne
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My poles arrived in great shape... size is perfect, you were right. What a relief not to hear the springs rattle from my trek poles! The lightweight and great straps are an added bonus! Love 'em.
Karla
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Pete:
As I start my fourth year of ski walking, I want to thank you for your excellent product. I started ski walking with Coleman adjustable poles which slipped and rattled, no matter what I did. Thankfully, I
found you and your fine company a few months later. I'm sure that if I had stayed with the cheapo poles I would have given up long ago.
Bill
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Hi Pete -Thanks so much for getting my order completed so promptly. The poles were delivered when I got home from work yesterday. Usually I go to a nearby park, walk 2 miles, and then go home to get the dog to walk another 2. Ski Walking has been a blessing to me! I quickly opened the box and took them with me to try them out.
I started after Christmas break,, improving eating habits using a web site called www.myfooddiary.com. It's the incentive I needed to work towards better health. I also began cross country skiing every day, doing that same 2-mile trail on my way home from work. I think I missed 1 day in the following 2 months until the snow melted in early March. I took off 25 pounds in that time, with eating well and skiing every day. Then, I was worried. How could I replace the same calorie burn in the same amount of time?
So, I went to MC Sports and bought cheap collapsible poles, $29.95. One pole developed a vibration in it which I found very annoying. That's how I found you last Saturday on Amazon. I wish I'd known about you a couple of weeks ago. I love your poles!
Thanks so much for calling me back!!
Your poles are so much more lightweight. I use them in the woods on a dirt/sand trail. I haven't had time to watch your DVD/Video. I love ski walking! I don't feel like it's hard to do, and it's not as boring as working out in some health club. I've checked my heart rate during the walk, and it's between 80-90% of maximum for my age. It takes about a half-hour to do the 2 miles, unless I have to wait too much for the dog to sniff! Using the ipod also helps the workout to go faster.
Anyway, thanks for the great service, and thanks for the poles!
Gail p.s. I'm currently down 37 pounds.
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I bought the Nordic Ski Walking poles and love them. My friends whose poles are always collapsing are envious.
Barbara
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Hello,
Thanks for your prompt email! I also had a knee injury which caused me to
quit running also. I gained weight, but just got back out and started walking this summer. I added miles and found I could walk very well with a knee brace on. Suddenly, I started walking better w/o limping. I bought some of the cheap adjustable walking poles from Walmart, but then found out about your real Nordic walking poles.
I am a marketing professor, so word of mouth will guide new customers to you! THanks so much for the information. I love my poles.
Glenna
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Pete,
I really have enjoyed my poles and not having to worry about them collapsing. More and more people are stopping me and asking me about them and the advantages. I could do an informercial! I dropped off one of my last brochures to a woman today who saw me walking on Saturday and asked me about them. Our new minor league ballpark opened yesterday, so I had my poles and was walking and a woman asked me about them. I didn't have a brochure, but I gave her your e-mail address and she wrote it down. I tell everyone the price is great and the poles are very sturdy. I've put a lot of miles on them. People who know a little more about the poles are very impressed with the quality of the tips, especially the boot-shaped tips..they have told me that they can't find the quality of rubber tips like the ones you have. So, hopefully, more people will be using them and enjoying them as much as I do. I'm getting physical therapy but I know I couldn't walk the distances I do if I didn't hav e your Nordic ski walking poles.
thanks again, you have been very kind to me and to my family,
jan
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I've been researching ski walking. I usually walk my farm with my two dogs. I bought a pair of adjustable poles about a month ago. I'm researching because I was immediately impressed with my physical
response to using the poles while walking. I usually come back from a walk with a sore right hip. Since I've been using the poles I have no pain. Also the poles help me balance on uneven terrain. My only
problem is that my poles are adjustable and the tip got caught in a slat on a wooden bridge. I couldn't adjust it and walked with only one pole - what a pain in the bum. Now I see your poles and I wish I had done my research sooner before buying the adjustable poles.
Paula
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Pete
Thanks for your quick response to my email! I am going to return my twist-locking poles on Thursday and then I will call and order a one-piece pair from you. Thank you too for the info that you sent along for me to read. I understand why my adjustable length poles would not be good for me to use.
Talk to you soon,
Jerri
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Wow, do I ever love these poles! They got here on Friday and I've been out every day... walking twice as far as I would have otherwise and feeling so much more balanced when I'm finished... where have you been all my life?! I'd been trying to use my regular ski poles and they were just too heavy.
Great job, great poles! Thanks so much!
Regards,
Jeane
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Pete,
I am super pleased with your one-piece poles. I read your comments about "adjustable" poles and you are so right! I purchased a pair of adjustable walking poles less than a month ago from a large retail chain store.
The adjustables would not stay locked! Have a good day. Marilynn
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Hi Pete
Before I got the poles I ordered from you I had two Nordic walking lessons with adjustable poles. While I enjoyed myself, the experience affirmed that I had made the best choice by purchasing lighter, non-adjustable poles because I have arthritis in my hands and wasn't able to adjust the adjustable poles myself, and the weight of the poles was quickly tiring. I'm so happy I ordered poles from you. I love the grip / strap, and overall lightness of the poles. Thanks again, Beverly
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We have received feedback from hundreds of individuals that had problems with the cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece twist-lock and flip-lock poles that they didn't get from us. Every day we receive happy customer feedback from current customers in regard to the quality or our hassle-free SWIX and EXEL one-piece poles. Our 100% positive customer satisfaction ratings indicate that we are doing something right by promoting user-friendly one-piece poles that are sized correctly to each individual's height and backed with a Perfect Length Guarantee. It would be impossible for us to maintain such high customer satisfaction ratings if we promoted twist-lock and/or flip-lock poles.
When looking for Nordic Walking Poles here are some questions you should ask the seller:
1. Are these poles made in China?
* don't get scammed by cheap/flimsy 2-piece and 3-piece poles. If the retailer doesn't know where the poles are made assume they are the cheap twist-lock and/or flip-lock poles from China with consistently poor satisfaction ratings.
2. Are these poles equipped with Salomon Patented Nordic Walking Straps?
* You can't beat the comfortable and patented Nordic Walking Straps from the Salomon Ski Company. During the 2010 Winter Olympics all of the athletes in the Nordic events used racing poles equipped with this type of effective fingerless glove type straps patented by the Salomon Ski Company.
3. Do you carry replacement tips should I misplace one or wear them out?
* many of the cheap Nordic Walking Poles from China do not have replacement parts available. A reputable retailer will size you into the correct length poles and always have a stash of rubber Nordic Walking Tips/Paws on hand to assist customers.
4. How many different lengths of poles do you carry?
* seniors and individuals with balance issues should never get conned into cheap 2-piece or 3-piece twist-lock or flip-lock collapsible poles that tend to rattle, vibrate excessively and/or collapse unexpectedly. Demand quality one-piece poles that are sized correctly.
At the American Nordic Walking System and WWW.SKIWALKING.COM we carry 14 different lengths of REAL Nordic Poles and we can custom build poles for those over 6' 6" at no extra charge ensuring a perfect fit that is backed up by a Perfect Length Guarantee!
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