Pole Virgin HELP!

Zanuspink started this discussion · 9/3/2014

Hello, I need some help in buying a pole. It's my 1st time. I have done so much research but going crazy with the choices, I have narrowed it down to what I feel I want. I am petite so I think the 45 inches would be good for me. I want it for toning my body and I love dancing; I want to be able to dance as some of the good polers out there, sensually! hehe I have read that the stainless steel and chrome give more as one have to work harder in their grip as it is slippery. So I kind of feel that would be better for me, I want to get the best out of it. I have a spacious place but don't want a permanent pole. To be honest I am kind of confused on the Semi permanent and removable poles. What are the difference? And cons and pros? The flooring of my place is wood. The ceiling is more than 10 feet. I move every two years to different locations. The weather is warm and humid so we always use the Air conditioner. I have seen the comparison video on the stage poles between x pole and platinum stage. I need more suggestions and help please. Thank you. Suzi

21 replies

Phoenix Hunter · 9/3/2014
45mm is a good average width pole to use. a lot of studios, home polers, and competitions use this size. as far as finish, I would choose one because it is harder to grip and you feel it will make you stronger. pole is not easy to begin with. you want to choose a finish that will make it easier on yourself. this will eliminate a lot of frustration and discouragement. Again, pole is already difficult-you do not want to make it harder. for sweaty people like myself brass is a good choice. brass is very grippy but can be more painful because it is so grippy. titanium gold is a medium grip, probably good for most skin types. Chrome is less grippy, probably the most common for home and studios. I've heard that stainless steel can be slippery but also that it is good for those with sensitive skin? there are some members here with stainless steel that can probably tell you more about it. then there is powder coated finish, it is also a very grippy finish, not sure what skin type this is best for. take into consideration whether you have dry skin, sensitive skin, or sweaty skin. compare that to what other users have. there are many threads here about pole finish and skin types. Are you wanting a stage pole? I have an xstage because my ceiling is too high to put up a tension mounted pole and I have no desire to install a permanent mounted pole. the only downside to having my xstage is that it limits floorwork. since you have wooden floors, you might want to take advantage of that wonderful dance floor by getting a regular pole. However, I'm not sure how tall the tension mounted poles can be. tension mounted poles are not screwed into the ceiling. no tools necessary. they are held into place by tension. permanent poles can usually be a lot taller and they are fixed into the ceiling with screws,etc. it is very easy to cover the small holes when you take your pole down when you move. even if you rent, covering up the screw holes should not be a problem.
Phoenix Hunter · 9/3/2014
* I would NOT choose one because it is harder to grip* - sorry for that error.
Zanuspink · 9/3/2014
Thanx for the info phoenix Hunter, well I have dry skin I can look like I'm covered in flour if I don't cream myself, haha exaggerating and I kind of bruise easily. I did more research, I do not want the stage poles. But now I'm thorn between lil mynx's portable pole or X-pole xpert pole. Any suggestion?
Jenn1989 · 9/3/2014
So far I'm the only person I know with this problem, BUT if you have bad metal allergies to nickel etc. chrome may give you a reaction. I break out in hives all over when I use chrome poles, so I'm loving my titanium X-pole. This doesn't seem to be a very common issue though. Personally I like the 50mm better, but that's because it's easier for body holds. Hand grip is much easier on smaller poles, especially if you're petite, so that's probably a good choice for a beginner. I have a 45 at home, and use a 50 at the studio. They each have their benefits. As for grip, I've used chrome and titanium and I can't really tell a huge difference between the 2.
Runemist34 · 9/3/2014
Hey there! On the topic of portable or removeable poles, you need to be careful! I know that Lil Mynx's fully portable pole is not recommended for a person's full body weight, and some of the moves in the intermediate range, and getting more advanced, could put a lot of strain on it. I have a lil mynx (it's actually the Studio Veena pole, which is similar to their regular coloured poles, but not quite the same) and it connects into the ceiling via a bolt into the studs in the ceiling, and a mounting point. It's extremely easy to put in, take out (and take the pole down when not using, if you want), as well as make it look great in case you're moving. I've done it many, many times! I'm very happy with the powder coated pole. Having had a stainless steel pole previously, I trust the powder coat a lot more, and find myself better able to grip and try new things. In the end, though, I suggest you do your research into how much weight poles can take (if it's not listed, I would say it's probably not much!), how well they're anchored in, and whether they meet your needs. If you NEED it to be completely portable, you're going to see some drawbacks, but... it's totally up to you! The major thing is that none of us want you to get hurt!
PinkPhoenix · 9/3/2014
Well I didn't know about Xpole when I got mine. I got an S Factor pole chrome and it's the removable one 50 mm. I'm petite too and the 50 mm does make it a challenge to feel secure in your grip, but my logic was if i can handle the 50mm the rest are a breeze, but when it comes to inversions and certain tricks you do feel more secure on a smaller pole. My pole is much to slick, so I'm in the market myself for a new pole. The removable poles have a compression pad which all you do is take a stud finder drag it a long your sealing when you find a stud you know that a beam is right there as well. That is what you need. The compression pad pushes up against the ceiling and the beam so it is secure. If you get one where you have to drill into the ceiling then I hope that you own the home because if you are in an apartment most places won't allow that. Also compression pads are easy up and easy down should you have it in the living room and don't want people to know. Are you military? I am and really for me I just make do and I use tac. But if you don't want to use it xpole has the titanium gold and the powder coating I believe with some of their poles. Lil Mynx is pretty good,my friend has a pink one and since there is paint on it, you will grip trust and believe. Man you're lucky for having wood floors, that makes practicing easier if you want to practice in heels. I have carpet, so I'm always barefoot. Either one is fine. The fun thing about Lil Mynx is that you can get a custom color on your pole, so if you want a funky color to jazz up your dance then you can. It cost a lot more, but it's pretty cool.
Zanuspink · 9/3/2014
Ahhh thanx you guys. You have be very helpful. @Runemist34 I was wondering if the Veena pole is a one piece? Cuz I'll be moving from country to country.
Zanuspink · 9/3/2014
I'm really torn between the x-pole xpert and the lil mynx portable?
Runemist34 · 9/3/2014
The Veena pole is one piece, and if you're moving, it can be pretty difficult to predict how tall your ceilings are! In that case, being able to move around and adjust your pole would be key for you, so as I said, you find a pole that works with what you need it to! Just be sure that it'll be able to handle what you're going to do with it without bending or being scary.
grayeyes · 9/3/2014
I have a Lil Mynx 45-mm stainless 10-foot pole. It is one piece. It is super easy to put up and take down (literally seconds) and is very secure. Like you I read that Stainless can be slippery but I thought, "how much more slippery can it be?" That was probably a mistake. Like you, I figured it would just be a little bit more slippery than what I was used to (brass) and that I would just ultimately end up stronger. That's not quite the case at least for me. I had never used any grip aids on brass but I have a drawer full of stuff now. I really can't do any thigh or knee holds without some sort of grip aid. I also find that I need some humidity to be able to stick to the point that I'm considering a whole house humidifier since using a small room humidifier doesn't really help. In the winter when the heat is on and the humidity in the house is low I would describe my pole as EXTREMELY slippery. I do love my pole. I think it's beautiful. I love how easily it goes from spin to static. However, if I was doing it over I might get powder coated, although I've never used one of those either.
chemgoddess1 · 9/3/2014
For portability I would highly recommend the X. It breaks down into 3-4 foot sections and has a bag. You can always buy different extensions to fit any ceiling. For someone who moves a lot this is probably your best option.
ferrous · 9/3/2014
If you get a stainless steel pole and find it slippery, perhaps a pole sleeve is an option? I've not yet read much about them here, but I had a quick look at their site and the idea seems awesome!
Rachel Osborne · 9/3/2014
If it's a ten foot ceiling you'll need the permanent mount for the x-pole - drill 4 holes into joist/beam - then use a dab of whatever to fill holes when you move out.
PinkPhoenix · 9/3/2014
ferrous that's a good idea.I think it's supposed to be for people that are practicing their Chinese pole, but I'm going to look it up and see.
Phoenix Hunter · 9/3/2014
chem has a good point about the xpole being broken down into smaller pieces for moving and portability. when you move, just put up different extensions for the height of your ceiling. and tropicalpole is right about how easy it is to patch the holes when you move. you can always call x-pole and they can guide you to what pole would work best for you.
Zanuspink · 9/3/2014
Thank you guys very much. I kind of made my decision. @ferrous the pole sleeve is very interesting and I'll look into it in details. I'm thinking of getting the x-pole 45mm Titanium Gold X-Pert 2014 (NX). Any suggestions?? I'm very open to advices. I'll wait a bit to buy it. Portability is key. And I'm very petite. I have dry skin, I always cream myself. Bruise easily. Beginner, determined though. I've always wanted to do pole dancing.
PolarGirl · 9/3/2014
In response to ferrous's point about the pole sleeve, I just want to mention that a lot of people have had some serious complaints about (1) the thickness of the sleeve. Even if your pole is a 40mm, adding the pole sleeve might make the pole too thick for you. I have heard that it adds 5-6mm or so. So if you have a 50mm pole like me...forget about it!!! And (2) I have heard reports of people getting the sleeve STUCK on their pole!
Phoenix Hunter · 9/3/2014
just a word of caution about pole sleeves, you can not do any pole spins with the sleeve on. some people don't do spins and don't care. just something to think about. I personally love the titanium gold xpert 45mm. I even bought that same pole for my niece because I felt is was a good pole that would cause the least frustration for her being a beginner. I love the titanium gold at my studio and would buy it for my xstage if they had one. I feel like it is a happy medium of pole finishes. not too grippy not too slippy.
Zanuspink · 9/4/2014
Ladies my out most appreciation!!!
ferrous · 9/4/2014
The extra thickness would bother me with a pole sleeve. I have little hands, so I have a 45mm. I got stainless steel because I didn't want sweat and humidity to ruin the finish. I haven't worked back up to doing much on my pole yet as I've been busy with other things (mainly using it for strength exercises as guided by Veena's lessons), so I don't yet know if it's going to be super slippery for me. Phoenix Hunter, when you say you can't do pole spins with a sleeve on, do you mean the pole won't spin anymore, or that your own body won't spin around the pole in static mode because it's _too_ grippy?
Phoenix Hunter · 9/4/2014
Your body/hands wont spin around the pole in static mode because it is too grippy. :) also you cant do slides or drops.