Can you guys help me justify using poles?

Hey guys,
I've been skiing since I was 4, picked up a set of poles when I was 12, used them for a while, then, when I got my first set of twin tips (Atomic Tweaks, hardly the twin of today), I started venturing into the park and started spinning and doing some other small stuff.  I found that My poles seemed to get in my way at least once per day, so I just started skiing without them, even though I was only in parks about 20% of the time, out powder hunting the rest of the time.  I've never missed them, and actually feel like my skiing, balance, and creativity has increased living without them.
Can you guys convince me to pick them up again?  I just don't see any reason for it other than not looking like I just left a 6 year old's ski school class (of which I care 0, nil, nada about).
I understand that poles can be an advantage as far as extending your moment arm, increasing stability, control, and balance (and in Europe can help you fight your way to the lift), but if I've lost my need for that, and don't ski in Europe, you know, why go back?

One of my freestyle team coaches used to ski ballet with no poles while others used extra long poles for more air on flips and spins.  I don't see a need for them in the park or pipe.  But, I've never seen anybody handle a serious bump run stylishly without poles.  racers seem to use them lost at the start and to deflect gates in the SL course.  OTT they help people in the timing of their general turns while skiing.  Poles also come in quite handy for pushing across flats while skating and getting though lift corrals. 

It is also fun to stab and hack at your friends' new skis  OTT nobody really NEEDS poles to ski recreationally.

I stay as far away from bumps as possible, I just don't understand the appeal, and I certainly don't ski ballet.  The only time I do miss them is in heavily crowded lift lines for precision, but I seem to manage.

You may find some use in those ski poles that are made with an inner reservoir to store liquor or other fluids in.
Think it comes with a funnel too for easy pouring...

Skiing is not only done with the feet.  The poles help with the upper and lower body coordination, counteracting.  If you're not using poles, what are you planning on doing with your arms? 

You will see the appeal of bumps when you get good at them.  I love the challenge and the exhilaration and the fun, and I couldn't do it without poles (as somebody said above).

If you're skiing down steeps the poles help stabilize.  By pole planting you're keeping your weight evenly distributed, fore and aft, also.

 

I hate to be rude but if you can't figure out why you should use poles, you should consider taking a lesson.  Greens, Blues & in the park you may not need them but in steeps, powder & bumps they are invaluable. 

To Bob4Snow
I don't take offense to it.  Forums are for posting opinions. As I've said, I HATE bumps, the only time I wish I had poles in powder is when I fell into a tree well in Heavenly once and they could have helped me get out in less than 5 minutes, and yes, while stopped I wish I had poles on really steep stuff to keep me stable, or entering something more dangerous like a chute, but NEED?  Invaluable?  Nah, not for me.

Every part of you and your equipment has mass.  Every movement of any part of you or your equipment affects every other part.  You are in control of more mass with poles attached, and you can do more in the way of reaction forces affecting balance when you have poles.

I've gone without poles often enough.  I can ski just about anything that is considered a viable ski run without poles, but I prefer to ski with poles.

Think of it as a lizards tail.  It has a balancing effect.

 You say you spend 80% of your ski day hunting for powder. Doesn't that often involve traversing? How do you manage a high traverse without poles?

I saw a guy ski bumps pretty well without poles. It was one of the Egan brothers giving a clinic at Whitetail. 

To answer NYCJIM "what are you planning to do with your hands?", Mr. Egan kept his hands in front of his quiet upper body, same as if he had poles.

Do you use steel poles to enhance the balancing effect or do you prefer lighter, less useful poles?

Do you suppose I could carve ice carrying a wire walker's pole? Might be worth a try!

Blocking pole plants. They are used to manage and focus the energy from body rotation. I don't use a lot of blocking pole plants, but sometimes they are a life saver.

I like the lizard's tail analogy, too.

I dont think poles are so much as a necessity as they are a visual guide to what your body is doing.  Just like the location of your hands, having/using poles has absolutely no direct effect on your skiing.  In the end of the day all that matters is the ankle and your COM.  If you find that you are often getting yourself into difficult situations you should consider using poles if for nothing else than a training tool.  Be warned, they will tell on you if your COM is not where it is supposed to be. 

You can't do a tip roll without 'em.


Next thread!

Steel would be too heavy.  Aluminum seems about the right mass for me.

I used to use Scott aluminum poles (a compromise), with a form-fitting grip.  Until a inadvertent pole plant at a little too high a speed broke my wrist.  I had to ski the rest of the day and the next month or so without poles.

I got to thinking that maybe the pistol grip poles were not the best idea and tried some other yard-sale poles instead.  Despite their lack of a pistol grip, managed to injure my thumb with those when I lost a ski while moving at a fairly good clip and stuck my pole down before I could think better of it.

Now I'm thinking about carbon poles, not because they are lighter, but because they might have some shock absorbing ability.

That involves quite a bit of traversing.  I actually manage much better skating, without them.  
 
I agree with the lizard's (or cats, or dogs) tail analogy as well.  However, a Rottweiler with a docked tail is just as good (I think better) than one with a tail.  I'm still a Rottweiler without my tail.  I'm pretty sure I'm not gonna go back to poles, but I really wanted to hear what you guys all had to say, and I quite like how this convo has gone.  Thanks for all the input.  Especially:
"Do you use steel poles to enhance the balancing effect or do you prefer lighter, less useful poles?"
Feel free to keep it going.  I DO own poles by the way, LEKI's with "the trigger" from about 10 years ago.  Talk about some "useful" poles...

 Can you post a video of you skiing a reasonably hard slope without poles? 

Are you serious?  You're thinking about using poles again?  Do yourself a favor and join me in my ways.

I've never video taped myself, nor do I own a video camera.

The high traverses I'm thinking of are those tracks set high on ridges by patrollers doing avy control. I've only been out west a few times on vacation, you live in Colorado, so you know more than me, but the traverses I saw didn't look like anyone could skate on them. Too narrow and too tilted I think. Poles are very useful while skating by the way. 

Skiing without poles is a lot of fun, if you're skiing for fun, it makes sense. You are in good company. Andrea Mead Lawrence, Olympic gold medalist skier doesn't use them.

Who skis for any other reason?    I realize the benefits in competitive sports, though.  
That's cool, I didn't know that.

 Maybe you can sidestep up from the traverse with tips pointed slightly downhill to generate forward motion on traverses that are too narrow for skating. I still think you are going to lose out to guys like davluri who work pretty hard to get to the powder first when there are untracked lines. FYI, that's why he is encouraging you not to use poles.

Skiing without poles makes a lot more sense than snowboarding without poles. I've got stuck on a few flat spots snowboarding. I can't imagine how a snowboarder would manage the high traverses and flat run outs encountered out west.

 I seriously need to ski without poles. I hereby pledge to do so. I find it quite difficult, which tells me I use the poles as crutches to recover balance and as rudders to create turning force. Poles can help and they can hinder. There is a time and place for poles (powder days?), but some skiers should spend more time skiing without them.

 In the park I totally agree and I have been known to leave them behind if I am skiing park....

As balance training as well leave them behind.

with that said poles make skiing MUCH easier especially when in bumps, trees, steep, or powder. You simply can not ski as well with out them. Even the guys over at nimbus use tons of upper body rotation and are kinda of backseat to make turns with out them.

If you hate bumps its because you can not ski them and its not that you cant ski the bumps its that you cant ski and the bumps prove it ;). 

Skiing without poles is like dancing with your partner with your arms behind your back.

I saw a guy at alta flat rip it under widcat without poles.
Personally I like poles.
Have you ever been to a strip club without poles.
It's fun, but the poles add to the scene.

I skied alot without poles being an Adaptive Instructor and it helps balance BUT,Poles can be used to "test" the Snow conditions. You've seen the skier that stops off-piste and stabs the Snow with his pole. I have hand guards on mine for that occasional defensive useage,I mean SL race training. Poles are extensions of your Arms just like skis are an extensions of your feet. Get with the program.

I run into people saying this a lot.  By this token, I could say to a lot of people, "You stay out of the park?  Is that because you can't ski?"  C'mon Bush, it's just a gosh darn preference.  
Yes, I cannot ski bumps without poles, however, I see them as retarded.  To me it would be like taking a Ducati 1098R to Laguna Seca, and then having someone say, "Okay, we all know how wonderful this track is, NOW TRY IT WITH SPEED BUMPS!  IT'S GONNA BE SOOOO FUN!"
No thanks.