Help: Pole Finish for Sweaty Hands/Tropical Weather

LittlePatchie started this discussion · 4/7/2013

Hi! I am thinking into buying an Xpert Xpole but I need help. I decided to go with 45mm because I have small hands. I'm 5'2 tall. In our studio we use a 50mm (I think it's chrome not sure). Regarding the finish, I've been reading articles about different pole finishes. I've been poling for a month now and I live in Hawaii so we don't have snow as it is tropical weather all year. I read that you have to warm up the pole etc for different pole finishes longer or it gets too sticky. Still confused because I haven't tried other poles. I HAVE SWEATY HANDS and I just slide off all the time so I use Dry Hands to help get rid of the continuous sweat to help me grip better. I was looking into Brass and Titanium Gold. They said Brass has the best grip but it was too grippy that it's hard to do spins on it while Titanium Gold is in between. PLEASE HELP ON WHICH POLE WORKS WITH OUR WARM WEATHER AND FOR MY SWEATY HANDS. If there are other information regarding the other pole finishes that would suit me, please let me know! Thanks so much! ❤️ Maria Patricia Valerio Honolulu, Hawaii

18 replies

Saphyre · 4/7/2013
Hi LP. Aerial Gypsy has a blog about the different pole finishes available. Here is a link: http://flexines.blogspot.com/2013/01/what-pole-material-do-i-get.html Good Luck! There is also a new Studio Veena Pole available. Look to the right on this page ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------>
LittlePatchie · 4/7/2013
Thanks Saphyre! I've read it! Very thorough about the finish! It looks like I'm going for Brass! Will also check out the pole at SV. Big help! Thanks thanks!
LittlePatchie · 4/7/2013
Also, any reviews on the new Studio Pole regarding the grip? It's much cheaper than the brass xpert xpole! ;-)
Saphyre · 4/7/2013
The Veena pole just came out. I was the first to order one, but I won't get it until Thursday. Hoping to try it out soon after, so I will let you know!
LittlePatchie · 4/7/2013
Yay! Awesome! Do you know if this pole comes with a carrying case? Because I know this is a breeze to install and I'd love to take it with me when I go to Philippines for the Holidays. :-) I also love the color of this pole. I'm so drawn by it! ❤️ Hahaha
Saphyre · 4/7/2013
Ya know, I didn't think to ask! I'll let you know about that as well!
LittlePatchie · 4/7/2013
Alright looking forward to it. <3
Lyme Lyte · 4/7/2013
The Veena pole is ONE piece. And the Powder coating is a TON more grippy than brass...at least for me.
Dancing Paws · 4/7/2013
So, this isn't a guarantee, but FOR ME, my hands on chrome, TG, and stainless feel the same. I literally took out all 3 pieces the other day and felt them up side by side. Felt the same for my hands. Brass has MEGA grip on my body and semi ok grip for my hands. Powder coated is slick for my hands. it doesn't work with the sweat like brass does. in fact, none of them really do. Brass is porous and can help with hand grip when sweaty, but at the same time, I think it sweats too, so it gets wetter. It's hard to describe, but I swear poles sweat! Honestly, if your hands are anything like mine, no finish will stop the slippage. You'll most likely need to work with grip aids, and on occasion gloves. I've found that if I use dirty girl poletice about 15 minutes before I start poling (I put it on and leave it on for 5 minutes or so then rinse off) then apply dry hands, that helps with a lot of the sweat. I do need to keep reapplying the dry hands, but that's ok. I suggest starting there before forking out a ton of money on a pole that may not help. Try some gloves on those impossible grip days. Mighty grip has a tack and non tack glove, and tite grip has a glove that is about midway is grip between the tack and no tack MG gloves. I use the tack MG gloves and the tite grip gloves.
Lyme Lyte · 4/7/2013
or just be like AG and me and keep buying poles until you figure it out. I now have four and I think AG is at about the same.... :)
LittlePatchie · 4/7/2013
Thanks so much Ladies! I'm really addicted to poling and was fascinated for so long that I finally moved back here in the US and found classes! I have sweaty hands and it's so weird and annoying during practice in class my hands are sweaty and I JUST KEEP ON SLIPPING. I get to nail the move but I have to work harder against my sweaty hands. I used dry hands and it helps but when we have to perfom, my hands hate me! It sweats more! The only part in me sweating constantly so I can't perfect the routine. :-( So I need a pole that I CAN STICK TO. I'm guessing even if brass is grippy my hands would still let me slide though spins. :-) I also need a pole I can take with me because I'm leaving for the Holidays and I go home yearly. So brass looks perfect! Thank you to you all! I now know what I want. If brass doesn't work for me, will definitely try out something else!
Dancing Paws · 4/7/2013
For me, and this is just me, I cannot spin on brass. Even though my hands get clammy, I still get stuck half way in a spin. It's really different for everyone. Have you tried dirty girl poletice? I really really suggest going that route, then gloves first. Brass is an expensive investment, and I'd hate to have you end up like me (with overgrip), or Lyme (with no grip.)
glitterhips · 4/7/2013
I have crazy sweaty hands and pole finish doesn't seem to matter much to me either. Brass is super grippy though so I imagine it may be too grippy in your climate - but I have only trained on chrome for the past 4 years so I can't really say. I have good sticky days and bad sticky days. Some days my pole is slippy and other days it's grippy. I think every pole has good and bad points. The Veena pole may be a great choice for you due to the quality for the price point if it's your first home pole. Good luck :)
glitterhips · 4/7/2013
I should have said - I have mostly trained on chrome, but have used powder coated, brass and stainless. Chrome is my favorite and powder coated second. Speaking from performing/competing experience, If your hand sweat issues are that bad which mine are also, it's best to try and deal with the sweat issues if you can so you could do performances that are not on your home pole in case there was a situation where you needed to be on a different finish. I love dirty girl poletice it has helped me a lot. Increasing your grip strength can also help because if your grip is really strong you won't slide as much even if you hands are sweating. I feel like dry hands only works for me at the beginning and then my hands sweat right through it, and they do sweat way more before performances! Nothing has worked as well for me as the dirty girl. I also have a friend who puts dove extra strength deodorant on her hands before she goes to bed and she says it helps too! I hope you find a cure, i hate how sweaty my hands get :(
LittlePatchie · 4/7/2013
Thanks! I will look into trying the dirty girl poletice. So on hotter climate pole becomes grippier? What would be the next choice aside from brass and veena's pole? I'm looking towards xpoles because I can take it with me yearly when I go back to PH. Thank you!
LittlePatchie · 4/7/2013
Looking for something that I can spin on. Something in between. Not slipping too much but not to the point that I stop between spins :-)
Dancing Paws · 4/8/2013
Powder coat and brass could get too grippy in the humidity. Titanium might be better in that instance. Titaium is also pretty good for spins.
LittlePatchie · 4/8/2013
Got it! Thanks dear! Learned so much from you guys!