The earliest depiction of a man with a ski pole was found in Norway in the form of a cave painting, dated at 4000 BC. The rock carving shows a man on a single ski (that reminds a snowboard) with stick.

Some rock carving found in Rødøy suggest that Alpine societies, such as those in Nordic regions or the Altai mountains, used their ski poles to hunt as well, giving them spear-like qualities.

Norwegian Companies of ski troops were formed around 1750 in Trondheim and Kongvingen using  a single pole for propulsion and to steady their aim. The very first skiing competition were held by the military in 1767.

It’s the 1860, when Norwegian miners introduced skiing as a sport to the American west, in California. The speed was about 14 seconds down on icy 1,804 footcourse, 88 miles per hour.

US patents for steel ski poles began in 1933 when John B. Dickson invented a new design calling for the use of steel as the shaft material. This construction was superseded by Edward L. Scott, who is credited with popularizing the lightweight aluminium ski pole in 1959, deriving his modern design from golf club shafts. Ski builders introduced other high tech materials such as carbon fiber and Kevlar through the 60s and 70s. Plastic bases reduced the need for waxing. In 1990, a revolution in ski shape began when Elan and Kneissel introduced deep-sidecut “shaped” skis, often called Parabolics.

Finally, in 2019, a new type of ski pole has born: the MagFit magnetic ski poles. Conceived for alpine skiing, the ski poles have been thought and patented to allow an easier and quicker seizing. You won’t have to stop anymore in order to seize your ski poles, you’ll just have to move your hands close to your stick. This system also increase the safety of your ride.

For the complete history of ski check the link: The history

Ski poles related injuries are very uncommon. The most common ski injury now is not broken legs, but torn or ripped ligaments. Releasable bindings properly set can prevent most injuries: having a hand lashed to a pole can constrain arm movements, limiting self-rescue techniques like swimming to safety, pulling an airbag trigger or digging out. Then there’s the added danger of poles functioning as anchors in a slide, effectively dragging a victim into the depths of cascading debris.

The risks of using pole straps aren’t only limited to avalanche terrain; they can also add to the dangers of falling into a tree well. Acting as restraints, pole straps can impede a tree-well victim’s ability to dig out or create an air pocket while waiting for help. Snow Immersion Suffocation (SIS) is most often responsible for the deaths of skiers and snowboarders when they fall into the area near a tree that is full of unconsolidated snow. There were 35 deaths between 2006-2016, with an average of 3.5 deaths per year. Removing pole straps in off-piste terrain is a good prevention strategy to employ.

Secondary injuries can occur when using pole straps in the backcountry, too. Brian Warren, Senior Guide & Winter Director at Jackson Hole Mountain Guides, recounts a friend’s experience skiing low-angle trees in the Tetons. “The track was fast through tight trees,” Warren says. “He had pole straps on, and his baskets got caught in thick alder. The pole stuck immediately and ripped his body to the ground, dislocating his shoulder.”

For a complete analysis on benefits and dangers of ski pole strap, check the link: When to use pole straps