“Creating and making objects with your own hands provides a great sense of accomplishment. I have always loved DIY, whether it’s wooden objects for the home or a pair of ski poles.
This is the main reason why I started tomake my own bamboo ski poles…”
How did you come up with the idea of making/modifying your own ski poles?
I have always wanted to create my own equipment. I had wanted bamboo ski poles for a while, but they always seemed too expensive. Recently, I treated myself to poles from Kang Poles on sale, from an online ski equipment shop. I thought: "Ah, this is the perfect opportunity. I will get poles that I won’t pay too much for and that can inspire me to make my own pair"
I have always struggled with the high price of these poles! So I started searching on Google for bamboo poles that I could modify myself. From these poles, I then came across Calcutta canes, a bamboo with very strong and flexible properties that I was looking for.
Why choose bamboo?
Bamboo is the best material because it is almost as light as carbon and much stronger than aluminium. For ski poles, tensile strength doesn't matter; it's the compressive strength that counts, and bamboo is quite good, but it's the robustness, in the technical sense, that matters most.
How did you find a way to make the tips?
The poles do not come with tips! So I simply looked for ferrules for alpine ski poles and easily found some from a manufacturer like Tehnomat.
Where did the idea for the coloured grips come from?
Poles with coloured grips and straps have become popular for good reasons - the straps and grips are really useful on the slopes. I think there is also a fashion effect, but the 'fun' design was inspired by Mr Fabian Rimfors, one of the first manufacturers of bamboo ski poleswho was a pioneer of these "coloured grips" that also come from Tehnomat.
Can you describe how you built your first poles?
As for the first pair, I simply bought bamboo stakes. These came from a large DIY store. I then sawed the poles, added a threaded metal rod to the end, and added red heart-shaped washers that I bought from Mysti of Fun Baskets in the United States.
I added bicycle handles to the poles, as they were originally intended for ski touring, my favourite type of skiing, and therefore without straps. Here is the result of my first bamboo ski poles!
So the idea of offering heart-shaped washers comes from the USA?
No, not just that! The idea comes from my parents. My father gave my mother a pair of heart-shaped washers that he had bought at the 'Makro' store in Belgium at the time. My mother has never parted with her poles. She is a very accomplished skier!
I then took steps to create a heart using 3D printing with the help of a French modeller “Stéphane Nesseir”. After a few modifications, Stéphane's file was reused by an engineer at Tehnomat to create an injection mould. Now, I have my own heart-shaped washer.
How would you like to evolve in the coming seasons/years?
When the winter sports season is over, the idea would be to offer hiking poles, pilgrim sticks, canes for seniors where we could engrave the name(s) of their grandchild(ren) on them, and personalised bottle openers.
Have you already found points of sale to distribute your product?
I have already done research to place my poles in points of sale, but I quickly realised that they take all my profit. That is why I am turning to "word of mouth", online sales (I am busy creating the E-shop section of my site. www.funtastick.eu ).
More recently, I was also pleasantly surprised to receive an email from Valais in Switzerland asking for a collaboration: “It’s the world upside down that a Swiss person asks a Belgian to make ski poles for him…” he told me during our first exchanges.
Conclusion
In conclusion,the artisanal production of bamboo ski polesoffers a rewarding and personalised experience, highlighting the pleasure of creating one’s own equipment.
The initiator of this adventure, Robin, explains how the idea came to him after searching for more affordable alternatives to the bamboo ski poles on the market.
The choice of bamboo as the main material is justified by its exceptional properties, combining a weight almost equivalent to carbon and a strength superior to aluminium, particularly suited to the demands of ski poles. The discovery of Calcutta bamboo, known for its strength and flexibility, reinforced this conviction.
In summary,the creation of bamboo ski polesbecomes not only an expression of creativity and personal achievement but also a way to personalise functional equipment for skiing enthusiasts in search of originality.