A pole buying guide: What thickness to buy?

amy started this discussion · 12/9/2011

Hey ladies, i see people posting and asking allllll the time about what kind of pole to buy. i've started a series of posts that will hopefully put some of the information in one place. today's entry (it's LONG) is all about what thickness to get-- 45mm or 50? if you're interested, please check it out and feel free to chime in with your opinions! http://aerialamy.com/blog/2011/12/09/buying-a-pole-thickness/

31 replies

MissKitty83 · 12/12/2011
Awesome post, Amy! I wish it had been around when I was trying to decide what I wanted back in March! I never thought about measuring the diameter of my grip!! If so I would have definitely bought a 45 instead of the 50 I have now. (not that I don't love my pole anyway. 😀 ) It just makes things a little harder, and when I go play on my friend's 45, everything is so easy and effortless!!
amy · 12/12/2011
Thanks MissKitty! I think if your hand is small enough that you can't get it all teh way around a 50mm, a 45mm is definitely the way to go!
CeledaBcn · 12/12/2011
I'm in the other side, y bought a 45mm pole, and i need a 50mm pole, in 45mm i can't grip a lot with legs and i have to force my hands to have a good grip, and now, i have to buy a new 50mm pole (when i have the money xD) I'm 1'93 cm tall... Hehehehe
amy · 12/12/2011
holy moly celeda you are a giant! compared to me, at least =) i definitely understand your situation! i've found that the ONLY people i know who prefer 50mm are those who are 6' (or 2m) tall or taller.
Charley · 12/12/2011
My first go around with a 45 was rough - I hated it but then I grew to love it and sadly need to get back to cross training on 50's. I teach on 50's a couple of days a week but just basic stuff... I'm torn on what to recommend to students because it's mostly 50mm poles here in the studios only 1 studio I know of has 45's (this may have changed since there are a lot of placesI haven't been to) so I think for studio bouncers that maybe a 50 is better but 45's are so much nicer. I'd love for the 45 to become the new standard.
Veena · 12/12/2011
Awesome Amy, I get a lot of emails on this question. 😉 For home polers I always suggest the 45mm. If someone is interested in competing then I suggest they work on as many sizes and finishes as they can. But for fun and fitness I think 45 is the best bet. 🎅
nymphdancer · 12/12/2011
I'm only 5'5 and I prefer a 50. if you look at the pics posted the other day by sensualsimutar the way her hand wraps the 45 is how mine looks on the 50.
Charley · 12/13/2011
Most of my tall girls prefer the 50mm too. Maria - you seem MUCH taller than 5'5 - are you sure you're 5'5 I'm 5'5 and you TOWER over me!
Terpsikhore · 12/13/2011
I'm the polar opposite of nymphdancer - I'm just over 5'9, so not exactly short, and I have long thin hands. But I hate using a 50mm! 38mm is better, but I think 45mm is my optimum.
Dancing Paws · 12/13/2011
I think my next pole will be a 38mm. If anyone saw the pix, it's just too much of a pain for me to grab a 50mm and it puts too much pressure on my poor wrists. 🙁
Cupcake946 · 12/13/2011
@ I went to a studio here in Portland that had 38mm poles and I love them! I have almost the same size hands as you and I felt like it was the perfect fit for me. Leg and thigh holds were not a problem either. I think if you have small hands having a 45mm and a 38 mm pole to practice on is best 🙂
Dancing Paws · 12/13/2011
Is it the Brassy Butterfly?
Cupcake946 · 12/13/2011
Yep! That's the one.
nymphdancer · 12/14/2011
"Maria - you seem MUCH taller than 5'5 - are you sure you're 5'5 I'm 5'5 and you TOWER over me!" have you ever been around me when I don't have heels on? lol. unless I'm still growning I'm 5'5 maybe 5'6 if I've just been to the chiro.
chemgoddess1 · 12/14/2011
Charley, you must remember that Maria cannot walk without heels. Seriously...she trips and hurts herself without them.
nymphdancer · 12/14/2011
LOL chem, your right about that. You have been around me barefoot though I didn't have heels on in C-bus.
polefairy · 12/14/2011
40mm chrome x poles have just become available in my area. Anybody have any experience with these? Would deffo like a thinner pole as I never feel secure in my grip on the 50mm.
aisha reid · 12/14/2011
I wish I'd read your post Amy before buying my 50mm. I got swayed by the fact every other person seemed to suggest that it would stunt your development starting on a smaller pole. But I should have listened to my gut and the fact I found a 45mm do much easier for spins, never mind gripping for harder moves now! Your advice really the competitiond was good too-i had visions of that after my first few goes but now I just want to feel as graceful and secure ad I to on a 45! I'm 5 ft 3.5 btw!
PixiLouBell · 12/14/2011
I love this post! I hav small hands and thanks to this( pics helped a lot, as I hav never put my hand around a 50) I am sticking with my 45! :)
BBojana · 1/26/2012
Great post! Thank you Amy :) I was about to buy a 50mm Chrome X-pert, but now I think I'll go with the 45mm. We don't have pole studios here, so I don't have the chance to try different sizes. BUT after reading Amy's post, I went to a hardware store to try some pipes and try to understand what she was talking about:), and finally I felt the difference between 50mm and 45mm :) And I can say that 45mm has a better grip for me. However I couldn't try any climbs or body grip there :D And I have read that 45mm is worst than the 50mm for climbs and body grips.. and there goes my dilemma again. I'm not planing to compete or anything, I'm buying it for my own pleasure, but I want to be able to climb, and eventually to do some advanced moves too, rather than just spinning. In other hand I don't want to struggle with the 50mm since I'm a beginner, cause I'm afraid that if I struggle too much, and don't enjoy it enough I might give up very easily. I just want to hear from the beginners here (or maybe better: from the professionals that teach beginners :), if they find very hard (and frustrating) dealing with the climbs and body grips on the 45mm... (I've never tried a 50mm, so I won't feel the difference for sure :).. and what most of the beginners prefer 45 or 50 (not just for spinning, but for the other stuff that include body grips and climbs too:) Sorry for bothering you with this dilemma (since there are thousands of post about this), but I probably just need someone to tell me: "You won't regret if you buy a 45mm...and eventually you will be able to do everything on it" :)
amy · 1/26/2012
bbojana: You won't regret if you buy a 45mm...and eventually you will be able to do everything on it :) FOR SURE.
Sarahb69 · 1/26/2012
I love this post, too Amy and wish I had it when I bought my first pole. However, in the end I did buy the right size for me, but it took me a long time to make that choice! 😀 At the studio where I trained and now teach beginners, we have both 45mm and 50mm poles so all the students can try and find the right size for them. Sure, the 50mm poles are better for leg grips and the 45mm poles are better for hand grips, but I found it's really in what you get used to. My first pole was a 45mm, and I regretted it for a brief time because I had issues with leg grip, but then I worked on a 45mm at the studio and realized it wasn't the pole size that was the issue, it was the dryness in the air at my house which was affecting the amount of moisture in my skin. A little mositurizer on my legs solved the issue for me. Now I have 2 poles in my basement, one is a 50mm and the other is my brand new 40mm. I work on both, and I must say, I LOVE my new 40mm. The hand grip is amazing and secure for me, and I don't have any issues with leg grip. Sits, climbs, knee and leg holds, planks...all accomplished without issue for me. And once I am secure in a new move on my 40mm, I will work it on the 50mm because I teach on them in the studio and I feel I should be able to manage all sizes of poles. @polefairy, I hope this has helped you a little. 🙂
BBojana · 1/26/2012
Hahhah... that was quick! Thank you Amy :D So, 45 it is :)
Dancing Paws · 1/26/2012
- As long as your body has enough grip to it, the 45 will not be a problem with leg grip. The only time I struggled was when I was dry as a desert. I put on some grip aid and I was fine. I like the 45mm better as I feel more secure in my hand grips and it takes the pressure off of my wrists. The CKR is much easier on my 45mm than on the 50mm for me cuz my big ond thighs got in the way on the 50mm. The only thing that is different with the 45mm for leg grips is that you have to squeeze a little harder, but that it good for you cuz you build more muscle that way. :) If you start out on a 45, you won't even NOTICE a problem. If you slide, put on some grip aid to stop it. Here are some pics of my hand on a 50 compared to a 45 (I'm a a short 5'2"): https://www.studioveena.com/photos/view_album/4ee3f549-75cc-4e73-97b3-4f300ac37250
BBojana · 1/26/2012
Thanks a lot for your reply... My hands are the same size, so I think 45mm it will be just fine.. Thank for your advice. I know that everybody has the same dilemma before buyin their first pole, and I know that there are a lot of posts about it, but I just needed to hear it again :) Thanks a lot, and I'll pput some photos when I'll get my 45mm Chrome XPert :)

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