Nordic ski walking is an outdoor activity performed in a variety of environments. To match the demands of those environments, Nordic skiers use specialized equipment such as ski poles to improve stability and balance. The ski poles typically feature carbide tips but can be switched to rubber tips for different terrain or different outdoor activities such as hiking.
Function
Rubber tips on ski poles serve a specific function for Nordic ski walking, skiing and hiking. While the regular carbide tips are ideal for rough terrain, the rubber tips allow the ski poles to be used on hard surfaces such as concrete, pavement, indoor surfaces other hard rock. This allows your ski poles to be converted to street poles for urban exploring with added grip without the extra noise.
Types
Three basic types of rubber tips are available for ski poles: flat-bottom, beaded-bottom and treaded bottom. The flat-bottom rubber tips primarily provide stability with a smooth, flat bottom for pavement, asphalt or concrete. Beaded-bottom rubber tips have small treads with a slight tapered design and rounded edges for improved traction. Rubber tips with treaded bottom are slightly tapered and curved designed for fast-paced Nordic walking or other aerobic activities.
Benefits
Along with providing traction, stability and balance on hard surfaces, rubber tips for ski poles also prolong the life of the pole tips by protecting the tips from wear and tear. Some Nordic skiers prefer the rubber tips because it provides a smooth hiking rhythm without the noise while other prefer the rubber tips because they don't penetrate the ground like carbide tips. By not penetrating the ground, the rubber tips are more environmentally friendly.
Compatability
Rubber tips for ski poles are designed for specific ski poles, models and sizes. For example, the Black Diamond rubber pole tips are only designed for Black Diamond poles. The tips must fit the tip size and overall diameter of the pole shaft.
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