There’s a lot of unused space in a ski pole. Why not put it to use?
Char Poles, a new Salt Lake City based company, reengineered the downhill ski pole to add several simple but convenient tools without significantly changing the outside appearance of the pole.
A pair of Char Poles functions as standard ski poles. But unscrew the grips to reveal very useable phillips and flathead screwdrivers (one in each pole). The end of the grip flips up with a standard-size monopod mount, perfect for holding a GoPro or other POV camera for on-the-snow selfies.
There’s even a bottle opener on the basket.
These are pretty stout poles designed for park riding and suitable for typical inbounds days at the resort (they’re made from beefy 7075 aluminum and a little heavier than a lot of poles).
The company has plans for a lighter, extending pole for backcountry use soon.
I had the chance to play with some Char Poles at the SIA Snow Show in Denver and they seem durable, well made and functional.
The poles are available now through crowd sourcing site RocketHub. If the project is fully funded, they will be available for fall 2014 for $89.
For the price, which hits right in the midrange of downhill poles, these have some cool features that may come in handy for binding adjustments or emergency beer opening.
The poles are customizable and company reps at the SIA Snow Show said new tools (that can be purchased separately and used with poles) will be added to the lineup soon.
Got a ski pole? I need to open my beer. —Sean McCoy
