Can you open your mind? A2.16 Pro Trailer, Mountian Pole!

All the pictures are courtesy of and stolen from the various http://www.a2-16.com/ web site and links.  My apologies for the blatant theft of the photos.  I hope the bog post generates some additional sales for all involved.  I think it is a very worthy concept.

Please pardon what might first seem a duplicate of the prior post.  But I thought the original idea was worthy of  more info/study and consideration.  I first saw these unique ski poles being used by a Guide in a trip report skiing in and around the Chamonix valley.

http://epicski.onthesnow.com/t/119208/tr-chamonix-2013-edition

you can source them here:  http://www.a2-16.com/

http://www.montagneshop.com/batons-pro-trailer-original-125-cm-la-paire.html#ancre-onglets

"Necessity is the mother of invention",  Plato 400 BC

 

 

I suspect not every ones cup of tea.  But I like simple.  I really like simple if it allows you more options in the mountains.  For the most part I had ditched my wrist loops a while ago.  Seems like a hassle to take them on and off and easy enough to snag them unwantedly.   Always a hassle where to stash  your poles securely if you need to climb with both hands, use ice tools or rap.  Stashing a pole on steep terrain depends on the quality of the snow generally.  Not having a grip or a basket can make that much easier if required.  Just stick them in grip first.   Also good to check for the errant crack in the glacier, snow bridge or just the last rain layer in the snow pack with a quick poke or two.  Just having the multiple hand positions in any direction might well be the biggest advantage.  Side hill skin  tracks come to mind off hand.   Not the most obvious improvement on a ski pole but might be just the help with ski poles in the mountains most of us could use.

Offered in a 125cm and a 115cm version

I had a pair of 125cm Scott poles sitting here that I wasn't using.  Thought this would be a fun home work shop project.   Might as well see if all the ideas I mentioned previous make sense in the mountains this winter.  Or it is just another gimmick invented by those ever  pesky Chamonix Guides and Ski Instructors :-)

Needed? 
One pair of ski poles.  Length your decision.  I started with a new pair of 125cm poles and added 10cm to them.  Factory offerings ate 125cm and 115cm.  My guess is others sizes can had in Chamonix.  No clue if that is actually true however.

Wood dowel the same diameter or slightly bigger than the inside of your ski pole if you want to add length to the pole.

A full roll of bike handle bar tape. (half a box)

A role of Temflex 2155 rubber tape (Petzl ice tool grip tape)

Popped off the grips in short order.  Cut the dowel into two 20cm pieces.  Rounded the tip that will show  in a lathe with a file.  Hate to loose an eye from those sharp wooden edges :)  Not really required obviously.

 

Added some wood glue and pounded the dowels into the pole 10cm.
Wiped up the resulting mess of wood glue.

125cm poles are now 135cm poles

Covered the rounded wood end piece with some a "cross" of rubber tape leaving a little rubber knob for a little added security.  Wrapped the dowel section with rubber tape to get the same diameter as the pole. 

 

Bike bar tape on and ready to go on

 

 

 

Finished product..good to go.  I ended up adding two layers of bike tape and covered a full 70cm of the pole.  Grip diameter is 26mm on top with two layers of bar tape tapering to 22mm and a single layer of bar tape.

Picked a cool bike bar tape color to match the ski pole :)  Taped it up and finished with white electrical tape.  Presto!  Cool,  new,  very funky 135cm "mountaineering pole".  I'm rocking!  

Took all of an hour once I had all the parts in hand.

I don't see these being my everyday ski pole skiing here in the Cascades.  It will be  a pole I use in the BC however.  The more technical the ground the more likely I will take and use this pole.   I could see it as a very useful tool skiing  in an area like Chamonix.   If I were ski guiding again...I'd own a pair.     I'd have  bought a pair from  the inventor if they were available in North America.  2nd place is better than nothing at all was my thought.

Translation from the http://www.a2-16.com/ web site:

"Pole is a single tube with a long grip without leashes, specifically designed for all pedestrian activities: walking, trail, snowshoe etc.

 

 

 

 

Popular with free riders and the free stylers, ski monitors and ski instructors, including for education to children. 

 

 

Designed, tested, and manufactured in the valleys of the massif of Mont Blanc by a company with the ISO 14001 environmental certification. European Patent No. 2022546 A2.16 Pro trailer sticks are official partners of the Ecole Nationale de Ski and mountaineering (E.N.S.A.).  The National ski and mountaineering school relies, to carry out its missions, on a dense network of economic partners.

 

ADVANTAGES OF THE LONG HANDLE WITHOUT LEASHES:

Ribbed handle: 70 cm

Synthetic red EVA foam midsole.

Diameter: 22 to 26 mm.  (FWIW mine came out at 22mm with one wrap of tape/26mm with two wraps, so I tapered mine @ 17" on a 27" (70cm)  grip surface.)

Soft and comfortable, in which fingers go slightly into material for have a good outfit without clenching.

To position naturally and freely his hands according to the gradient of the land and habits.

Better balance and better propulsion.

The hands are never in contact with the tube. Good behaviour, no cooling. Comfort.

One can easily run with sticks horizontally. The centre of gravity is covered by foam. Comfort.

You can easily block sticks under the arms without slipping to momentarily free both hands. Comfort and security.

You can quickly take 2 sticks in one hand for a handrail for example. The sticks remain supportive. Safety, comfort and freedom of movement.

Can let go sticks instantly in case a tip sticks in the soil or in case of fall. Security.

Sticks under the shoulder straps of the pack quickly to free both hands.  The poles do not slip. Security.

-ADVANTAGES OF THE SINGLE pole design:

Lighter, stronger, more reliable, more homogeneous in its deformation,

Functional 100% and can rely on the descent.

-Baskets:

Red, interchangeable, by simple screwing and unscrewing:

a small 38 mm for dry land, weight 6 g

a larger 80 mm for snow, weight approx. 17 g.

-TIP:

Tungsten carbide

Red

Flexible

Interchengeable

-TUBE:

7075 aluminium anodized.

-INNOVATIVE LOOK:

A reflective tape for the safety of users at night.

Innovative and original design distinguish the PTO of everything that exists on the market.

Cheerful colors, grips, tips and washers are assorted.

Subsequently other colours are planned, black, orange, blue, etc. As well as special series with a marking on the foam.

-The PTO of 125 cm is suitable for people measuring more than 165 cm.

-Sticks lend themselves easily: no more problem of size.

-No vibration

-Size: 125 cm"