Poles for home use: finding the one that fits you

I remember being appalled at the idea of having a pole in my home. Pole dancing is not something I ever thought would be this big a part of my life. Then I remember knowing that I had to get a pole. For me after a little research it was really easy to decide because at the time the company I worked for sold their own brass pole that is the closest to the poles we used at the studio. I bought one of those poles but because it was a static pole I knew I would have to get another one eventually and would at some point find myself in the same position as someone who needs to buy a pole and doesn't know exactly what to get. 

I have 3 poles that I can use in my apartment.  They are all different diameters and materials.  This is advantageous because I can train on my skinny pole to develop muscle memory then use my fatter pole to really solidify ownership of the move.  Currently the poles on the market come in 50mm, 45mm, 40mm and 38mm diameter (or 2”, 1.75” and 1.5” diameter) depending on the company you order from.  The materials also vary and include stainless steel, brass, chrome and powder coated. There are also slowly emerging alternatives to metal poles in acrylic and silicone materials.  Deciphering which pole is best for you to invest $400-800 is such a daunting task most buy what they’ve used before; usually what they use in their home studio. 

Get a grip

Do not feel unadventurous for choosing what you are used to for your first home pole. I get my pole inspiration from my successes. I will never forget the day I got the Superman hold. After that it was on! There was so much more to learn and I bought my own stationary 2” brass pole (that my employer used to sell) to learn it all. If I had bought a pole with a different grip and had say, more accidents than the very few that I have had I may not be as inspired. I would imagine it would become quite discouraging to work with a pole that you cannot grip successfully. 

Do not fall for the hype of one brand or another, research and pick what you think will be the best pole for you.  Some poles are multi-piece poles some poles have a tension mounted system that also involves permanent hardware in your ceiling.  Not all multi-piece poles are the same, check out the company’s online videos, they will show the user how to put the pole together.  From this you can decide for yourself, “is there too much involved in this set-up”, “do I feel this pole will be safely put up in the space I use?”  

Buy quality; don’t become part of the blooper reel

A home pole just like any other piece of exercise equipment  is an investment.  A quality new tension mounted pole will cost a minimum of $300 USD.  A new stage pole will be @ $800.  Poles that cost less new may come down as soon you do anything more than shimmy next to them.  Unless you are buying a used pole expect to pay this much for a quality pole.  Used poles may or may not be fake poles, imitations of the quality poles on the market. 

Buying a used pole is a great way to get a pole for less than full price but buyer beware.  First the best places to find used poles are in the pole community.  There are many forums on the internet that are pole related and a much better source than a site that sells everything.  If you choose to buy a pole from a private party, my advice is to make sure you get your hands on the actual pole and pay cash for it.  Some people will offer to set up a pay pal account for you, I advise against this unless you actually know the person. This usually prohibits long distance sales but keep in mind so could shipping costs.

Finally make sure your pole area has adequate space to move safely in.  Ideally 6’ diameter around the pole should be safe but taller people may find this insufficient.  Tension poles put from ceiling to floor on carpet should consistently be rechecked for adequate torque as the carpet will probably sink after a few days under the tension.  Ideally a stage pole will have its own room, somewhere you won’t walk into it in the middle of the night.