I was able to cut these no problem. Mindful of Jeremy's warning, I used a hair dryer to warm the handle and slid it off without much trouble. Warming the handle melts the glue, but be careful not to melt the glue holding the cork to the handle. I put the handle back on without regluing and it's been fine.
Complaints:
- Grip has no texture. Very tiring to push on.
- Top plastic piece shattered after I hit a rock plunging the pole into the snow while booting. Arguably not in a ski pole's job description, but that kind of durability would be nice.
- Strap is fraying after about 20 days. Durability concern.
Ski Trab Gara World Cup QC Pole
Standing atop the podium on race day isn't a stand-alone event. Months of training runs that start in the daylight and end with a headlamp, solo dawn patrols, and many thousands of vertical feet climbed all go into winning a race. All those funny off-balance falls, pounding on your boots to clear the packed powder, and celebratory pole taps with your friends can take its toll on your ski poles. If you want a sturdy and reliable race pole that can stand up to yard sales and all the blatant abuse you throw its way, then the Trab Piuma Gara QC ski poles are for you. In addition to a solid aluminum shaft construction and interchangeable tips (QC = Quick Change), Trab added a race handle and a breakaway wrist strap which will pop off if you catch your pole on a tree or bush. For a race-weight pole that won't shatter if you look at it wrong, get a pair of the Ski Trab Piuma Gara QC poles and hit the skin track.
- Alp Clip strap and Gara Clip Handle provide a safety function that releases the strap from the handle if pulled on.
- Quick Change Race baskets and Widia tips allow this pole to work in varying snow conditions and for a variety of needs.
- Ergal (aluminum) shaft is sturdy and light, perfectly built for skimo racing, training, and verbal abuse.
- Cork handles absorb sweat and don't get slippery when wet like Bon Jovi.
Update 2021/22: The aluminum race poles have been renamed from Piuma Gara QC and have a new paint job.
| Specifications | |
| Lengths (cm) | 110, 115, 120, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145 |
|
Weight |
209g [130] |
| Weight (pair) | 418g [130] |
| Sections | 1 |
| Grip | Gara Clip handle [cork, plastic] |
| Basket & Tip | Gara Quick Change tips |
| Specs Verified | Yes |
| Design | |
|
|
Ergal aluminum 16mm |
| Skimo Co Says | |
| Usage | Racing, training, touring |
| Notes | Quick Change baskets includes tips so a broken tip does not ruin your poles |
| Bottom Line | Multi-functional aluminum poles with interchangeable tips |
| Compare to other Fixed Length Ski Poles | |
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Questions & Reviews
Comment on this review:
2/15/2021
Hi there,
I was wondering if its possible to cut these poles to length?
Cheers!
I was wondering if its possible to cut these poles to length?
Cheers!
2/16/2021
Thanks for the question, Orlando. It would be ill-advised. Steaming the handle would probably ruin the cork. Another option would be to try and heat it wrapped in foil but that leaves a very small margin of error. The good news is that we have quite a few lengths but I'm guessing you already have a pair to cut down. I hope that helps.
Answer this question:
1/21/2020
Are these poles really 30g lighter per pole than the older version Ski Trab Piuma Gara Poles?
1/21/2020
Hey Kyle, yes, the new Piuma Gara QCs are a bit more ~piuma~ than the old ones -- you can thank the different shaft design.
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1/19/2020
What's the difference between these poles and the Ski Trab Piuma Gara Poles? I'm looking for a pair of poles for fast and light ski mountaineering and want to avoid carbon fiber since they seem to snap so easily. Which would you recommend?
1/19/2020
Hey Kyle, the older Piuma Garas didn't offer the QC/Quick Change system, which allows you to swap the tip and basket depending on snow conditions for Ski Trab's quiver of QC offerings. The new Piuma Gara also has a slim rubberized grip below the cork handle, allowing you to choke up and plant your poles more aggressively on descents.
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