Ski and Snowboard

Snowboarders get a helping hand with the Snowboard Pole

Anyone who snowboards will recognise the annoyance of finding themselves on a long, flat section and having to scoot/hop/walk. Meanwhile boarder-friendly skiers will be familiar with dragging their one-planked chums along the flat with a ski pole, which can get mighty tiring on the biceps.

Well, frustrated boarders and aching skiers, your dreams may well be realised in a new invention, the Snowboard Pole.

The pole sits across your feet – attached to the boots – until you reach a flat section when you detatch it and extend it before using it with a punting motion to push yourself along the flat. Once you reach a steeper gradient you retract the pole, reach down, fix it back on to your boots and away you go.  The pole does not prevent the snowboard flexing when it is stored as one of the boot securings has rubber grips which allow flex.

The pole can also be used to control speed through lift queues meaning snowboarders can keep both feet in their bindings when approaching a chairlift saving precious on-slope minutes.

Snowboard Pole creator, Rob Tillen, believes the pole can give you an extra hour snowboarding each day if used correctly. To check it out for yourself, watch the video below.

Like it or loathe it? Have your say on our Facebook page.