The full length 135 cm Wyeast pole somewhere on Mt. Hood. Photo: Forrest Reinhart.
Blah, blah, blah. I can hear my dad telling me how it was back in the day. I’m not talking some story along the lines of walking uphill both ways to school, but it might as well be.
Thank you, mom and dad, for the sweet gear. It is sweet. But one more time about the Ramer ski poles, their clunky adjustability, and how rough you had it…yawn.
In my relatively short life, working on 19 trips around the sun, I’ve had some hand-me-downs and some new ski poles. All pretty much the same functional design and all Black Diamond. Two aluminum shafts nested together, a grip up top, basket below, and a “flick-lock” to adjust the length. Add in a rubberized piece wrapping the shaft below the main grip for more hand adjustability on the skin track, and there you have it; a basic, functional, backcountry ski pole.
From Ramer’s breakthroughs (that work for you, dad?) to today’s carbon fiber shafted poles, the ski pole still serves the same essential function – it helps with balance as we ski and move more efficiently while striding. But we know it does a whole lot more.
The Folkrm Wyeast pole: a baton style pole designed in Hood River, OR.
A few years ago, we began seeing those long-gripped and snazzy-colored Les Batons d’Alain ski poles from Chamonix here in the States.
We now think of this pole style as a “baton pole”. This type of pole wasn’t precisely a retro-movement, but it certainly was a simple rethink of a non-adjustable shaft, a simple basket, and a long foam grip extending nearly two-thirds of the pole length. No moving or sliding parts to fail.
Folkrm is a small company out of Hood River, Oregon. For now, they are a single product company fabricating a baton-style ski pole called the Wyeast – named after the skiable face on Mount Hood.
The Wyeast poles come in fixed lengths – to be clear, they are not adjustable like your average ski touring pole. Lengths available are 115cm, 125cm, and 135cm. The shafts are made from aircraft-grade 7075 aluminum alloy, while the grips are a dense and grippable foam the company claims will biodegrade in some landfills (biologically active landfills.)
The 135cm length weighs 245grams with straps.
The foam grips are oblong in shape, and not perfectly round.
No lie here, I love baton-style poles, and the Wyeast is part of this love story. The most compelling aspect of the Wyeast is that you slide your hand up and down the grip for efficiency over varied terrain instead of taking the time to readjust each pole to match the proper length every time the terrain changes. For example, on steep switchbacks, say up our local Tower couloir; it can be a zigzaggy skin track. You switch directions every five to 10 strides. Using the Wyeast on skin tracks like this, there’s no need to swap the left pole to the right, or vice versa, to make sure the shorter pole is in your uphill hand. When changing direction, it’s a seamless transition; you choke up or down on the pole.
This brings up the words I spoke when I first saw the Folkrms: “That’s a lot of foam grip.” As I mentioned, the foam grip extends a whole lot of the pole. I’m 6’4″ and use the 135cm fixed-length model. The foam grip covers from just below the top of the grip (which is hardened rubber) down for about 86cm of coverage (roughly 63% of the pole’s length). What that provides is a wide range of adjustments.
And the rubberized top, when plunging the pole top-down while booting, easily penetrates firm snow. (The top has also proved functional to flip risers.) But, for now, I cannot answer how durable the foam grips are after plunging the pole top-down for an entire ski season.
The Folkrm Wyeast is a fixed length pole with a long foam grip for on the fly adjustments.
The elongated foam grip, which is oblong and not round, seems to be sized for most adult human hands, meaning the grip is not too skinny. On other models of adjustable two-part ski poles, once I’m using the rubberized grip (affixed below the main grip) to choke up on the pole, I tend to overgrip, as this portion of grip has a smaller diameter than the main grip. The Wyeast’s grip maintains a consistent diameter throughout. The foam is molded in what looks like a sinusoidal pattern – I find my fingers rest nicely in the troughs.
The name Folkrm is clever in this instance. Many of us think of a see-saw’s fulcrum when the word comes up—that perfect balance point on which a see-saw pivots. There are many possible pivot points as your hand can move up and down the Wyeast pole. These poles feel lightweight overall; their swing weight is smooth and unburdened.
I’m not timing myself, but a baton-style pole feels more efficient. I’m simply fiddling less with my ski poles, and they ski great.
Descending Mt. Hood with the Folkrm Wyeast pole in hand. Photo: Forrest Reinhart.
Often during late spring in my home range, we can skate ski into some ski lines on frozen corn and skate ski out on the refreeze. I have not tested thoroughly how well the Wyeast pole performs while skating with lightweight gear. I like a long ski pole for skating, and adjustable ski poles help accommodate that.
The other aspect of fixed length poles is they are not stowable at a reduced length. That’s not a significant concern for me, but I know it matters to some. But certainly, a two or three-segmented pole could reduce to a smaller, more stowable size. However, I brought the 135cm Wyeast with me as I climbed a route on Mt Hood’s Reid Headwall and then descended a different route on skis. I strapped the poles against my skis on my pack, and they remained out of the way, even while ascending more technical ground.
Although a fixed length, the 135cm Wyeast was tidy enough strapped up against the skis for some more technical ground on the Reid Headwall, Mt. Hood. Photo: Forrest Reinhart.
After pounding on these poles for two months, they are simple and intuitively designed to help maximize efficiency and ease of use. They also seem durable for any backcountry excursion.
The Wyeast comes in a few colors and can be had for $110.00. The straps and baskets are replaceable.
Aidan Whitelaw is a student at Montana State University and thanks his parents daily, just because.
38 comments
In a world where people spend hundreds, if not thousands of dollars to save a few hundred grams of weight on their ski setups… often at the expense of performance and safety, these poles seem like a no brainer. The weight savings compared to a typical adjustable pole is significant.
Chris the weight savings isn’t THAT much. BD Expedition 2 (in alum) is 256g for a 145cm length. So 11 grams more for 10cm taller pole and adjustability without going to carbon.
But at least we are getting a solid batton style pole in America that has a strap as well. That molded top section could have a better profile on it though for catching and flipping risers. Doesn’t have to be bigger, just tweaking the geometry.
I had Ramer poles. Never had any problems with ‘em! Sorry to bore you with ancient history!
Chouinard’s here, past tense, as far as ancient history goes.
The last few years Black Diamond Vapor Carbon in a 135cm for metal edged waxless cross country touring and a pair of 125cm for bagging peaks and ripping lines on the down.
Not boring at all Eric. Mine were functional until they were not. The spring-loaded buttons, to release or lock the two shafts into place, would occasionally freeze, or worse, become semi-dislodged and recess into the shaft, rendering the lock-out or adjustment useless until I could fish the mechanism back into place – which was not easy. The grip’s lock mechanism, a similar spring-loaded button, loosened. The grip rattled slightly in place. All this is to say that for the time, I was glad to have them…until the flick-lock came around.
I’m still using a Life-Link adjustable carbon from the early 00’s. With a little sporadic tlc the inner-workings still slide smoothly, and the self-arrest top option is a gem for adventurous terrain. Alas another extinct item…
I had Ramers too, and with the optional Terminator baskets. They were heavy and the wind whistled through their adjustment holes, but you could go forth confidently into battle with them. They excelled at carrying gobs of snow under the baskets. Ramer sprayed them with a mysterious fluid. No more gobs of snow.
As an american in France, I would have to advocate for supporting the originator and buying the Batons d’Alain. He’s a Chamonix mountain guide and an all around good guy from everything I know. His pole was invention from necessity, not copying to capitalise on someone else’s idea. Personally, I bristle when someone essentially replicates a product without making a notable improvement – I don’t see a notable improvement here (and maybe the lack of a readily removable and re-attachable hand strap actually makes it worse?). Skimo.co carries the original..
It’s worth noting that the super nice Scott straps (designed for their RC pro pole) can be had for $24 and will work on the Batons d’Alain. And Alain includes straps as an option. As far as I know, both are adjustable up and down the pole which gives you the best of both worlds.
Thanks Lance,
Lots of options out there in this case: Scott, Black Diamond, Black Crows, Ski Trab, Komperdell, Dynafit, Leki…prob missing some, have moved into the elongated grip scene while some have fixed-lengths. Clearly, Batons d’Alain has developed something functional. Skimo Co looks to have the originals in stock. In the past, I almost pulled the trigger on the Baton d’Alains, but I was always late, stock was out. (I’m usually not an early adopter.)
Certainly not suggesting that Alain is the only person to make a grip that is extra long. I have been using bicycle handlebar tape to put an extended grip on my poles for years – it’s a common trick here. It also appears that the whole point of the company is to produce a copy-cat pole, Folkrm (would have been better as FLKRM -might as well “borrow” Matt Sterbenz’s anti-vowel approach while they’re copying other companies’ schtick…)doesn’t offer anything else; and it seems they have added a slight oval shape to the grip and changed the hand strap attachment, but otherwise directly lifted the Alain pole.
Granted a pole is a very simple tool, and once it’s stripped down to the point of optimal utility there is not a lot more that you can do… Still, I’m a bit peevish about this kind of unabashed copying…
Wow slinging mud at Matt Sterbenz, what do you have backing that up?
No slinging mud, I like and respect Matt a lot. WNDR is a fantastic company, as is 4FRNT. Matt is the best kind of skimaker – an incessant tinkerer who will try new things just because he can and they might work. If you’ve listed to his BLISTER interview(s), they joke about his brands never having vowels…
Also worth noting, Matt doesn’t even copy himself. 4FRNT and WNDR are very different companies, with very different products…
The oval shape makes a huge difference for medium to small hands when skiing with an ice axe.
The poles have ovals grips, biodegradable foam, a trigger at the top for risers, are developed by a local company, and are more readily available in the US than the Batons. In my mind, that’s more than enough reasons to warrant purchasing them compared to the Batons. It’s a different product based around a similar idea… I’ll take a pair!
Best lede ever. Or at least in a while. I stuck around for the rest, learning plenty about poles (need new ones, think I’ll try these) and enjoying a fine read. Even had to look up “sinusoidal.” Damn kids these days.
I like my non adjustable poles. Since I go mine, I have almost stopped using adjustable ski poles. I like that they are made o metal and I can hit stuff with them without them breaking (like boots, trees etc) and I like the simplicity. I have two pairs, one pair 115 and one pair 125 depending on what I am going to do that day. i would probably still use telescopic poles if I know that we were heading for long flat parts that would involve skating or double pole’ing. But for shorter touring, the 125 cm (I am 176cm) works perfect. downside is that you have to grip a bit tight, upside is that you can adjust the “length” seamlessly and all the time.
Are the foam grips replaceable?
Hey Nate, I’m told the foam grips are not replaceable for the time being.
Anyone ever have a set of the 3-piece Life Link poles with carbon fiber lower sections? I did.
Good riddance.
Yep and yep ..
Adjustables are too fussy, weak, and weigh too much. Ski Trab Maestro’s are my pole of choice.
I mostly agree with Lance, seems like Wyeast just found an overseas supplier for batons and invested in some instagram ads, but that’s how you make money these days…
The original foam grip was to take bike handlebar tape and put that on your pole below the grip. So if you’re griping about this “copy” of the French invention, it’s been around a while….
I ski with a stylish and thrifty skier who does this still: he’s got great-looking magenta poles (do I have that color right Barry?) with bike handlebar tape below the grip for near limitless choke-up options.
I believe it is called “fluorescent safety pink”, and I usually buy all my ski poles for less than $5 at thrift stores. $110 for ski poles? Why? Literally exactly the same aluminum poles are everywhere in all ski towns from rental fleets and can be had for next to nothing. Probably the best deal on any ski gear available with zero downside.
THIS
when I put new bar tape on my road bike i repurposed the old bar tape on my ski poles. The tape is only worn on the side that is exposed so if you rewrap your pole with the unused half of the tape exposed it looks like new tape. Wrap the pole bottom to top so you are pulling down and secure the ends with electrical tape,
I would like to move to fixed pole for many outings but my terrain has a number of long flattish components where I really appreciate having 155cm adjustable for double poling. I think I would continue to choose from the quiver.
There’s a certain zone with a flat approach & exit in my neck of the woods. Next time I go I think I’ll pack my 125 cm poles and use my 155cm skate poles for the approach then stash them for the return!
How much longer than their normal alpine size are most people sizing nonadjustable bc poles?
I’m 5’10” and have 135 cm, when I normally skied with 120 cm. But I sized mine specifically with long flat approaches in mind. Ideally I’d cut 5-7 cm off for the perfect length.
I also thank my Parents daily, just because.
I switched to a non-adjustable pole in 1998 when I found myself in a precarious spot on an off piste slope where I got cliffed out and had to huck in order to clear some pine trees and hit the ribbon of snow that was just a tad out of reach. Caught a ski tip on a tree branch and there I was on the rock face pretty near upside down with my ski caught in the branch. All I had to do was put my pole tip into my heel piece and push hard to release me. My adjustable poles could not withstand the force needed and kept telescoping in. It took me almost 15 minutes to release my heel piece by doing an upside down sit up and finally force the heel lever down. I have never used an adjustable pole since. These look pretty cool compared to my aluminum Scott poles. Might just head down to Hood River and check them out.
To those who thank their parents (daily or otherwise), I commend you for your filial piety!
How do you ski properly when choked up on the pole? I tend to hit myself in the face a little when I don’t shorten adjustable poles.
Yeah, are people really skiing with pole ends 10-15cm above their hands? Meh, I’ll keep my old BDs. Btw, stainless flick-locks on carbon poles have never slipped on me.
Ramers sucked, everyone knows it. These poles are sweet! A bit tweaked from the Alain with the pole straps and “ergonomic” (?) head. Surely there is enough room in the world to have more than one foam pole. Plus, the Alains are hardly available in the US. SkimoCo. seems to have the market cornered and they run out. Why not support a young American entrepreneur who is trying to make their poles more widely available in the US than the Alains currently are? They have a great swing weight and seem to be burly. After touring with a full foam shaft (what are these things called?), I wouldn’t go back to any other pole. They just make so much sense on the up AND the down. If I could offer a critique, it would be that Folkrm should make more colorful poles. I’m pretty sure that’s why 90% of people buy the Alains. Its all about how well your poles match your vibe, or vice-versa.