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best type of pole for sweaty hands
Hi, ladies! I’m new to the world of pole, and after taking some lessons I got hooked and I’m now looking to buy my own pole. I really need some advice regarding what type of finish I want to get.
The studio I went to uses chrome poles and I have not tried any other type. My whole life I’ve had very, very sweaty hands and feet even at rest, and this makes pole especially challenging for me. I’ve used tite grip and dry hands, which help somewhat, but I still need to reapply grip often. I’ve never been able to comfortably get through a simple combo set without slipping. I’ve also used mighty grip gloves, which definitely helped with the grip, but I couldn’t do any spins. My legs and thighs, however, stick to the chrome pole really well.
Now I’m wondering if I should get a grippier pole, and this is where I really need the expertise of more advanced polers =)From what I’ve read, TG is grippier, but to some people it really doesn’t feel much different from chrome. It seems that people generally get it to match the decor of the room. If this is the case, then maybe it doesn’t make much of a difference if I use chrome or TG.
I’ve considered brass, but my concern here is that my legs would stick too much and I’d really rather not have my skin ripped off when trying to slide. Also, it’s high-maintenance, and since I’m a beginner I don’t know if this would be the wisest choice.I’m also hoping that as I build strength and confidence I will get better with grip. Right now my biggest struggle is that I hardly ever feel secure with my grip because my hands are always sliding, which is really hindering my progress. What type of pole would be best in my situation?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated, and thank you in advance!!!
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14 Replies
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I have terribly sweaty hands, but like you, my legs grip chrome well. These days I am preferring the new xpole chrome over the titanium gold. so, there probably isnt much advantage for me to use the TG. the new xpole chrome is just REALLY good for me, so that’s what I use in the studio. At home I use brass. it’s wonderful but yes painful on your legs. you do get toughened up and used to it. so it just depends. at home, I dont have as much a problem with my hands slipping. I’d rather stick more at home because I dont have a spotter and want to feel more secure. it really just comes down to whether or not you want to deal with the extra pain on your legs. I find it to be a good trade-off because my hands do better on brass. it sounds like you might do well with chrome if you are not wanting the extra skin pain from brass. you will just have to use a little bit more grip on your hands with chrome. I find I dont need as much grip with brass
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as far as maintenance for my brass, I just clean it with alcohol. my pole is not spotless, it has tarnish at the top and spots on it. this doesnt bother me because it grips well. I’m not one of those people who uses brasso and things like that to keep my brass pole spotless. so that’s another thing, if you dont like a spotty looking pole, brass will drive you crazy. it just doesnt bother me. the spots are only a cosmetic thing and dont effect the grippiness of the pole
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Thanks so much for your input, Phoenix, really appreciate it!! My skin is kinda sensitive to friction, and I’ve gotten burns on my wrists from chrome. Have you had any bad friction burns form your brass?
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yes, I have had friction burns from the brass, but I get them from chrome too. they are a little worse from the brass but I am also doing painful tricks like allegra,jades, and machine guns. I think with some tricks you are just gonna get burns. it gets better and less burns as you get better at doing the tricks. I used to get burns on my wrist from chrome but that was because I was new and doing spins. I was holding onto the pole too tightly. for me, that wouldnt have mattered what kind of pole I was using. i was just gonna get wrist burns from holding too tight. it’s a tough decision because yes, the brass is more painful on your legs. but if youre hands are super sweaty, the brass is great. you almost have to decide if you would rather have extra pain on your legs or extra slippery on your hands. atleast, that was how the decision went with me. haha! 🙂 I wish there was a way you could try brass before thinking of buying it. it’s scary buying something and not knowing how it will react with your skin type. I had never tried brass when I bought mine, but I knew my sweaty hands have been a life-long problem and I was willing to deal with the extra pain from brass. Some people are very sensitive and just dont want that. For me, everything in pole is painful and I just get used to it. so it doesnt make much of a difference for me. sorry, I know that doesnt make your decision easier. other people will have suggestions too that may help you.
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Thanks again =) Just hearing from other people does help! I know, I really wish it was possible to try before buying… One more question: you mentioned you don’t need as much grip with brass, meaning you still need to use some grip aid even on the brass?
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yes, I still need some grip aid for brass. I am exceptionally sweaty, so that may not be necessary for others? my hands sweat even when I am cold or just sitting still if that gives you any idea of how bad they are. haha!
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TG did not help my grip at all. I have super sweaty hands (and feet too!)
I have a brass and I think it’s great, but if you hands are sweaty, it doesnt matter what the pole is made of, you will slip. I even have a pole sleeve and need to use grip aid bc the sweat from my hands causes me to slide.
I think you will figure out a “formula” for using grip aids that works for you if you keep trying different things. for example- i have the most success when i put tite grip on an hour prior to poling and keep my hands super cold and sweat free. I have to stand in front of a fan and just let the antiperspirant kick in. if your hands sweat soon after application, you are just diluting the solution and it wont work. so put it on and let it dry and set up. then i use dry hands as needed- which for me is like every 4 minutes lol. -
monica kay, that is pretty much the breakdown for my “formula” too! hehe! 🙂 its what has worked best so far.
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Have you sweaty-handed girls tried Dirty Girl Poletice? I used to apply dry hands or tite grip constantly until I started using dgp. If I apply right before poling I can pole for hours and only dab at my hands with isopropyl alcohol to dry them every 10-15 minutes. Plenty long enough to dance to full songs!
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I use Chrome too. 😊
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dustbunny, I’ve never heard of that! I’ll have to find it and try it out! I am leaning toward chrome, just because I’m familiar with it and I’m scared to hand over close to $500 for something I’ve never tried hehe. Thank you all for your feedback!! =)
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I can use any finish in humid conditions, however if I sweat, brass has been best. I have every finish 🙂 I don’t sweat often but there are times I do and brass has been best!
I say any finish or diameter pole is workable so don’t stress too much about it 🙂 My favs are 40mm and Brass or Powder coated.
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Hi Elitha,
I really have to agree with DustBunny. 🙂 I have REALLY sweaty hands, feet, body, EVERYTHING. And to top matters off, I live in a hot, humid country where summers are long…
I discovered Dirty Girl Poltice a few months ago and it has really changed my pole work outs. I put a bit on — ok, a lot! (wet hands, add powder, rub it onto armpits, back of knees, legs, between thighs, everywhere… let it dry white and then rinse it off) — before every work out and it has made me so much more productive during class and at home. Our studio only has 45mm chrome poles and that’s what I own as that’s what I am familiar with. I preferred to stick to buying a pole I know instead of trying something new, as at least for me, the cost of a new pole is a big expense and not something I could write off easily.
I find that during practice (class and home), I usually rinse my hands once or twice more or use a wet towel just to clean my hands, but other than that, I don’t use any additional grip aids, as I find that if I do sweat, they turn to a gooey paste that just makes me more slippery.I also use Mighty Grip Gloves which were also really good. When I need a really strong grip and I’m working on something new and it’s really hot/humid, I will put them on. (If you do decide to buy them, they run a bit tight, but you do want them snug, so go with the size that’s closest to your hand circumference, according to their size chart. Joel is great at replacing/returns if you find you still bought the wrong size.) Please note, the gloves are NOT good for spins on static pole, but are REALLY good for working on new moves where you need your hands not to slide on the pole. I’m currently using them while working on brass monkey and pencil.
Other than that, I have a fan I use at home near my pole to help me keep dry. I’ve also got a fan at the studio which I put next to “my” pole. It really helps in humid climates and was worth the investment.
I hope that helps! Enjoy your new pole, whatever you decide to buy… 🙂
PS – I’m really happy with the way DGP works, I also sometimes use it as deodorant/on my chest if I’m wearing a colored cotton dress/top and don’t want people to see me sweating like a hog at events like weddings and such. 🙂
(I honestly have no affiliation with DGP or any other products I mentioned. I get nothing from this review. Neither products are readily available where I live and international shipping costs are a b. I still think they are worth their weight in gold.)
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Thank you all so much!! You’ve all been very helpful!
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