Ski Poles

Kerma, Leki, Black Diamond, K2, and more. If you've never tried ultra light, non-bendable ski poles, you may want to think about ponying up the dough. It always seems hard to spend more than $50 on poles, but I assure you it will be worth it once you take that step. It's a one-time purchase, and you will love virtually weightless poles.

But what about balance? This is a common concern raised by folks stuck in the Stone Age when it comes to ski poles. Surely you need a good, heavy set of poles to help you balance? Hogwash. You're not a tightrope walker, so get over it. Your poles lend more balance via wind resistance than they do from their weight. An ultra light pole will not hamper your balance.