12 Best Ski Poles of 2025

Meet the Leki Detect S Ski Poles – they’re like your secret weapon for an epic day on the mountain. These bad boys are all about top-notch performance without the fuss. These poles won us over as the best overall resort pole for many reasons.

These poles are not just about performance; they’re sleek and lightweight. Crafted from high-quality aluminum, they won’t weigh you down. Traditionally, they come with an alpine-specific basket, but this can easily be changed out for a big mountain basket when you need more float.

Now, here’s where things get fancy: the Detect S poles come with the Trigger S system. This system essentially allows you to attach your Leki gloves to the poles without fumbling with traditional straps.

It is designed as a safety mechanism (similar to a ski and binding) that will detach when needed. For someone who is used to traditional straps, this feature may be a downside since it takes some getting used to.

We highly recommend the Leki Detect S ski poles for quality, price, and safety.

Those looking for a solid starting point to build their kits, but don’t want to settle for the cheapest option, should look to Volkl’s Phantastick. With a similar 18mm aluminum shaft, the Phantastick steps things up in terms of durability and value (not unlike the best Volkl skis).

Continuing the comparison, the Phantastick gives skiers a little bit more traction with both their soft rubber textured grip and steel crown tips. They may be an extra $20 compared to the most affordable alternative, but for the majority of skiers, the hike in price will be well worth it.

The Phantastick delivers value in more ways than one. It’s among the only poles on this end of the price spectrum that includes interchangeable powder baskets with the base package. Additionally, it’s available in some striking color combinations to add some personality to a pretty mundane part of your ski setup.

The Black Crows Meta ski poles are the cool cats of the ski gear world, perfect for those who like to shred the slopes, without paying a high price. These poles come in chevron patterning and a wide selection of bright colors.

Meta ski poles are made from a super-light aluminum alloy, though with lightweight design does make this pole less durable than others on the market. These poles have proved to handle big hits both off-piste and in the terrain park most of the time but do occasionally bend.

The wider powder baskets here are a nice touch for those who are often skiing off-trail, but it would be nice if the poles came with a second option for groomers.

We highly recommend these ski poles for the off-piste skier looking for a strong and lightweight pole without the high price tag.

In an industry where “carbon” almost exclusively translates to “unaffordable”, the Goode G Carbon is a lightweight marvel in the same price range as our top-end aluminum models. This might be explained by the width sitting at just over 10mm in their signature “pencil” shaft design.

While this may leave the G Carbon less capable of absorbing big blows than the rest of the pack, it’s hard to find anything that can touch it in terms of weight. Coupled with a high degree of flexibility and shape retention inherent in carbon, and you have a performance pole suitable for any precision skier.

Goode builds its ski poles with proficient skiers in mind. They try to combine low weight and aerodynamic shaft design to make a pole that delivers accurate plants with as little effort as possible and do so at a reasonable price. Albeit, this comes at the behest of durability.

If your goal is to have premium, lightweight yet durable ski poles for the resort, look no further than K2’s carbon poles. Broken up into the Style for women and the Power for men, these ski poles have a way of giving you every feature you didn’t know you needed to feel like a pro on the slopes.

Prominent features include the lightweight design, easy strap adjustment, and comfy Ripcord Grip with holes to decrease weight. When tackling moguls, we barely noticed the feather-like poles until it was time to pole plant. Each plant was strong, shock-absorbing, and surprisingly confidence-inducing.

The Ripcord grip proved to be comfortable both with gloves and with mittens, and the padding on the adjustment strap is a nice added touch. The straps also stay open easily, so you’re not going to be messing around trying to get your hands in at the top of the lift. The downside to these poles would be the color offerings. The men’s version only comes in red and orange, while the women’s is only offered in black.

Overall, these poles have a high price tag but are well worth the investment for any resort skier.

The Faction Freeride ski poles are a standout choice for those who live for the thrill of skiing off-piste, chasing powder, and taking on the backcountry. Faction, a brand known for pushing the boundaries of freeride skiing, has designed these poles to complement the adventurous spirit of those who dare to explore untouched terrain.

These ski poles are the epitome of durability. Crafted from high-quality 7075 aluminum, they can withstand the rigors of freeriding, including navigating through trees, fending off rocks, and enduring harsh conditions.

What sets these poles apart is their minimalist design, perfectly complementing the clean aesthetics that Faction is known for. The long ergonomic grips and adjustable straps enhance comfort, offering precise control and enabling you to maintain a firm hold, even in challenging conditions. We also love that these poles come with both on and off-trail baskets, and switching them is seamless.

For freeride enthusiasts, the Faction Freeride ski poles are the ideal choice. The low price and high level of durability make these poles at the top of our freeride list.

The Atomic BCT Mountaineering SQS adjustable poles are a game-changer for splitboarders. They make it easy to tweak your pole length on the fly and are easily packable.

These poles utilize a 5-section design that breaks down into a 40cm package when you’re not using them. The length-adjusting mechanism has also proven to be high quality and easy to use. They are also incredibly lightweight, thanks to the aluminum construction.

Now, let’s talk safety. In the backcountry, you never know what’s lurking under the snow, but these poles have your back. They come with SQS (S2 Quickslip System) tech, so if your pole gets caught or tangled, they pop off quickly to prevent faceplants and broken gear. The downside is that for a touring-specific pole, the basket size is a bit small.

So, in a nutshell, we highly recommend these poles for splitboarders who are looking to navigate the backcountry with ease and don’t mind paying a high price tag.

We love the Black Crow Duos Freebird ski poles for their ability to get the job done for the right price. These poles range from 110-140cm, making them highly adjustable, and they sport a fantastic 38mm foam extension grip.

For an aluminum pole, we found the Duos to be strong and durable yet natural on both the up and downhill. These held up in rough conditions, and the baskets performed well in powder, while the tip excelled in hard-pack snow. These are also a fairly regular weight, at 0.55 lbs.

If you are looking for high-quality touring poles and don’t want to break the bank, the Dous Freebird is the pole for you. It may not be the lightest or the strongest on the market, but it is the clear winner when it comes to the best bang for your buck.

Born in a Steamboat Springs Colorado garage in 2014, Grass Sticks Original Bamboo ski poles merge eco-consciousness with high-performance design. Crafted from bamboo, these poles showcase a commitment to sustainability.

Beyond their environmental appeal, the bamboo construction imparts a unique sense of character. Each pole carries the distinct grain patterns of bamboo, making them stand out in a crowd of conventional ski gear.

Grass Sticks engineers their poles with the perfect balance of bamboo’s natural strength and lightweight characteristics. This translates to an exceptional strength-to-weight ratio. Similar to carbon, bamboo provides a perfect combo of flexibility and strength, so it won’t bend or snap like aluminum will. The drawback here is that the poles weigh over a pound, which equates to twice that of the Leki Detect S poles.

We highly recommend Grass Sticks Original Bamboo ski poles for the eco-friendly skier looking for quality ski poles with strong performance.

We found the Rossignol Escaper Tours to be a bargain when it comes to splitboarding poles. With their foldable design, extended grip, and large powder baskets, these poles have great features without the high price tag.

Lightweight design, compact construction, and durability make these ski poles stand out. The downside is that these poles aren’t easy to break down in cold weather. The baskets also need to be installed separately, which some people may not be a fan of.

Overall, these poles are a great price for those who don’t mind dealing with a little extra breakdown time and some basket installation.

With the help of pro skier Cody Townsend, Salomon set out to design the ultimate freeride touring pole, and now these poles have gotten even better.

Features such as the easy height adjustment system, foam grip extension, and S3 autorelease strap make these backcountry ski poles stand out. Even through the most challenging terrain, we were able to maintain a firm grip thanks to the long EVA ball grip. The adjustment system has proven seamless to use, while the S3 safety feature is effective and nice to have in avalanche terrain.

Another nice aspect of this pole is the plastic ring that allows you to change out the baskets, though some people have complained of losing baskets with this system. Another downside is that although this pole is made of lightweight carbon, it isn’t the lightest on the market, weighing in at 0.55 lbs for the 100-135cm length.

At the end of the day, these poles aren’t perfect, but they are still a solid option for any serious backcountry skier. Packed with well-thought-out features and improving over past versions, these poles are tough to disappoint.

Freeskier legend Chris Benchetler himself helped design the Atomic Backland FR ski pole to cater to the demands of freeride and backcountry skiers. If you’re looking for a ski pole that you can use both at the resort and in the backcountry, this is a solid option due to its versatility and affordability.

One of the standout features of the Atomic Backland FR ski pole is its lightweight construction. Made from high-quality materials, these poles are incredibly light, which is essential for backcountry skiers who rely on efficient movements and minimal weight to navigate through deep snow and rugged landscapes.

In addition to its lightweight design, the Backland FR pole offers versatility and adjustability. Skiers can extend or retract the pole length to suit their specific needs, and the ergonomic grip ensures a comfortable hold even in gloved hands. A huge downside to these poles is that the aluminum shaft lacks quality and has been known to snap in cold conditions.

All in all, the Atomic Backland FR ski pole is lightweight and adaptable for resort and backcountry skiers, although it may not be the most reliable or long-lasting.