New pole - help!?! (Xpert Xpoles)

taylornow started this discussion · 1/29/2012

I will be ordering my first pole this week 😀 I have pretty much decided on a 45mm. I thought I had decided on a chrome X-pole Expert... untilllllll.... I realized that they have the limited edition Stainless Steel poles available. Now I am torn with a few questions: 1. Will the Chrome pole chip or peel? 2. Is there a huge difference in grip between the SS and Chrome? (I'm quite sweaty lol) 3. I live in Texas, so it's pretty dry... will that make a difference, too? I don't mind having a few poles (eventually lol) but now I need to order one to get my practice on 😉 and I would hate to miss out on the X-pole SS limited time offer... ya know. Having said all that, I also refuse to spend money on a pole that will just chip and peel... my buddy has a electra pole (which is horribly cheap, but it's a novelty for him -- yeah, bachelor lol) and I know they're cheap and all, but it started to chip and peel!! It looks horrible, so it made me wonder if the Xpoles Chrome chips at all... Also, I heard the SS is very slippery. I don't want to get the SS and not be able to use it becuase it's practically impossible! although -- if i begin using that, im wondering if i wont just get used to the slippery SS and build strength on it - not having anything to compare it to? If you could answer my questions, and give me advice to what you think I should do I would more than appreciate it, as I am brand spanking new to this! I can't wait to get my pole, but I do want to get the right one for me! Thanks everyone, I really really appreciate any insight!

26 replies

KikiGeneres · 1/29/2012
Not having used a SS pole, I cant really compare the 2 in terms of grip. I can say that i have had my Chrome X Pert for over 3 years and it shows very little ware. There are a few very little scratches but it has not altered the grip nor are they flaking or peeling. I have been very happy with the longevity and quality of my pole. If it helps any, LiL Mynx offers a SS for a really good price. Hope it helps!
chemgoddess1 · 1/29/2012
XPole a few years back has a rash of bad poles that were chipping and peeling. I have not heard of that problem on newer poles. I teach on X Stages that were ordered last April and we ahve not had any issues with the poles at the studio.
Masked Loopy II · 1/29/2012
I have a platinum stages stainless steel pole. I can alter the grippiness with grip aids, but I do find the pole by itself quite slippery.
hookedonpole · 1/29/2012
I understand the decision-making for pole. I started with Lil Mynx stainless steel because that's all I knew about. As I got more involved with pole community, I found out about other poles. The ss did me well untill I started with tricks that required more grip and bought a 50mm xpert titan gold. I also recently bought a 45mm xpert chrome and struggled because of having used titan gold for two years. That being said, today I had a great practice on the 45mm chrome, so it's doable. There are people who love their Lil Mynx stainless steel or other stainless steel poles. Due to my experience, I would say really make sure it's what you want. I'll have to get used to it again as the studio that is opening soon in my town has stainless steel. I also am waiting for my new 45mm titan gold to arrive. I'll have the two 45's in different finish for different weather, etc. Also deciding on what to do with the 50mm titan gold. I might keep it to take to friend's house to pole play so I don't have to take my 45's out. Hope I didn't confuse you :)
taylornow · 1/29/2012
Not at all! Great info! Thank you all! Is it better to start out with a slippery pole to build the muscle needed to work any other finish? Or if the pole is too slippery, does it prevent you from being able to even practice anything?
o0sair0o · 1/30/2012
With the advice of my instructor I chose brass because I had loads of trouble with grip - I was either so tight I couldn't slide when I needed to or so slippy I just slipped off! I think it all depends on the individual and your own environment but prior to getting my pole and starting to get some grip I was getting pretty miserable and discouraged and that outweighed any extra strength I built (i don't think it gave me much extra strength to be honest).
Dancing Paws · 1/30/2012
There was a girl a while back who ended up getting the stainless steel x pert. She started a thread talking about how it was so slick she had trouble hanging on and couldn't work on it. I guess it is much slicker than other stainless steel poles. We came to the conclusion that this is because it is a brushed finish instead of polished. She even posted a video where her vinyl boots won't stick to the pole (and we all know how well pole shoes should stick to poles, right?) Here is the thread; it starts talking about the difficulty when CalBear jumps into the conversation: https://www.studioveena.com/forums/view/Stainless_Steel_XPert_by_XPole_20110723030055 Here is the girls video of her boots not sticking (also in the thread): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxX0l3j0maE If you really want a good stainless steel pole, you can go with Lilmynx, platinum stages, or pole danzer. They ALL offer polished stainless steel that don't run into this problem. I've tried lilmynx and platinum stages stainless and they are very nice finishes that won't rub off. Hope this helps!
Dancing Paws · 1/30/2012
FYI, being in a dry climate will affect your poling. You might need grip aid. It is pretty dry where I live, and sticking to stainless is much harder than it was in CA (weird, I know.) If you are worried about grip, brass and powder coated poles are the stickiest. I got a brass one, and it does help with grip when you are sweaty (though you will still need a grip aid on your hands, but it's not nearly as difficult to grip with sweaty hands as a stainless.) The x pole brass is brushed as well, so it is slicker than normal that other pole brands brass poles (just so you are aware.) Platinum stages and pole danzer offer polished brass poles you can stick to really well. I have a TG x pole, and the finish isn't peeling so to speak, but it is rubbing off at the adjuster cover (although that may just be MY pole.) I noticed this after 9 months of use. Just another side note about the stainless. On regular stainless, if you are able to grip it, yes, it can build strength, but not necessarily in the way you are going for. You are going to build strength when you can actually grip the pole and work on it. Struggling to grip a stainless or chrome because you have sweaty hands is not a good way to strengthen up. I struggled on my TG (and it is supposed to have really good grip.) I can stick to stainless with my body, when the pole was REALLY WARN, but my hands always felt so unstable. If you want a pole with good grip, I'd say start with either a TG, brass or powder coated pole. These are grippier and you won't necessarily feel like you are going to go flying off the pole on spins.
dancing in the gray · 1/30/2012
My studio uses 50 mm SS Lil Mynx and Platinum Stages poles. I, personally, have a harder time on the 50 mm Platinum Stages pole than I do LM. I live in the Chicago area, so it's humid in summer and freezing in winter. The LM poles have to be reallllly warm for me to stick to it, but when it's really warm I stick well to SS. Otherwise I have to use a mess of dry hands, also because the poles are 50 mm and my hands are tiny. For that reason, I bought a 45 mm LM powder coated pole to put in my basement where it's super cold. When I took it out of the box (haven't used it yet), the grip felt like a good, warm SS pole to me.
taylornow · 1/30/2012
I have decided on an Xpole. becuase I live in an apt and can't drill holes :) So I can't opt for a different brand... What does the dry climate do? Make the pole more slick? or more grippy? How do sweaty hands effect each finish? Does it always make it more slick? My skin is very dry, but my hands are crazy sweaty LOL (weird) Also, here is a SS Xpole, and look at this girl go! WOW! She's amazing!.... it doesn't look like she is having too many problems with grip, like the other girl in the video posted above... Although I messaged her on Youtube and she said that it is pretty slick at first...but she is OBVS NO beginner ;) lol http://www.youtube.com/user/shadskyball#p/u/3/OjMXZR76P_s
DeniseL · 1/30/2012
I have the Xpole Xpert in chrome 45mm and while I do like it I find its very slippery, I guess I would be an intermediate poler so I don't do anything crazy, but almost all holds are extremely hard if not impossible on the pole. I have no troubles at all on the poles in the studio but I get so discouraged at home that I don't use the pole much. Spins are fine for me but I have a fairly good grip but friends who have used my pole always need a grip aid, unfortunately if i grip with my legs I simply slide to the floor. I have emailed Xpole directly for tips, they suggested cleaning with Vodka, that didn't help at all. So far the only thing that remotely helps is of course having a warm pole and warm body (but not so warm I sweat or I start sliding again!!) Personally if I could buy my first pole over again I would consider getting a brass or coated one. Good luck with your purchase!
Dancing Paws · 1/31/2012
Dry weather makes the pole slicker. Also, if your body has dry skin, I can guarantee that you will struggle with grip, especially on the slicker poles. I had bone dry skin and I had trouble sticking to my brass pole (and that's the stickiest metal!) I couldn't grip a stainless with my hands (didn't bother trying my body.) If your skin has some moisture (and the air), you stick better to the pole. That being said, you'd be better off witha chrome than a stainless. I really think with your dry skin you'll struggle on the x pole stainless. Stickier pole finishes can hep with grip a little when you have sweaty hands, but not a whole lot, so you still need to use an antipersperant on your hands like dry hands or tite grip. FYI, I live in an apartment too. My ceiling height is 7'11" and I have a 1 piece pole that friction mounts. 8' ceilings are standard, so chances are if you move, you'll end up in another place with a few 8' ceilings. The 1 piece extends an extra 6" if you end up needing that. All the pole companies offer friction mounted poles (even lilmynx, although I got their pro lite and it slipped on my ceiling too much cuz my ceiling is smooth.) If you are afriad of grip issues, a 1 piece brass, like mine, would work (if you have standard height ceilings) or a TG x pole. Veena said recently that she had trouble with the x pole brass with her dry skin, so you might run into that problem too. Is there a reason you don't want a TG??
Dancing Paws · 1/31/2012
With reagards to sweaty hands. It will always make you struggle more if you have sweaty hands (I know, I am fighting it.) It doesn't make the pole slicker so much as you can't grip the pole without sliding off from the moisture on your hands. A stickier pole can HELP, but it won't stop you from sliding. You will still need a grip aid on your hands. Does that make sense? I have danced on stainless, TG, and brass. I felt the least secure hand grip-wise on the stainless with the brass feeilng the most secure. TG was in the middle.
HyperHorsegirl · 1/31/2012
I guess it depends where in Texas you live. It's so big, it has many climates. I grew up in the Dallas area, but now I live in Houston and let me tell you, our climate is anything but dry. The air is so humid, even in the summer. You are drenched as soon as you go outside. My studio has brass poles and I love them. When they get warm though, they have a little too much grip for me and start to pull my skin on spins, but it's great for climbing. Still, I'd rather have too grippy than too slick. When the brass poles are very cold though, you can forget about climbing unless you have extraordinary strength and grip. During a cold snap, I went in to practice climbing and I couldn't get anything done. I just kept slipping off. I think that is true of any pole. Temperature and air moisture (humidity) have a lot to do with the way a pole "acts". Another thing to be aware of is that your body chemistry, warmth and sweat will have a lot to do with how grippy your pole is too. And no one can give you advice on how your body acts with a certain metal. Another studio I've visited has stainless steel poles. When I'm already warm and sweaty, I haven't had too much of a problem sticking to them. I do know that they were more slick than the brass by a lot, but a warm pole with a warm, slightly sweaty body, worked fine with my body chemistry. Then again, this is Houston and it's known to be quite humid. The air has been dryer than usual, but it's not "dry" by any means. When I buy my own pole, I'll get an X pole (apartment living), 50 mm (I'm used to it and don't have much problems with hand grip), in the TG finish. If I was willing to bump down to a 45 mm, I could get their new brass pole too, but I don't think I'm willing to compromise on size. I do love the way brass works for my body. Keep in mind that studio poles will always be grippier than home poles, unless they're used A LOT. Studio poles are well worked, which makes them much easier to grip. New poles especially have to be broken in. All will be slick when you first get them, no matter what finish you buy. So, even if you buy a grippier finish, you will still have that time to build your strength as you break it in. Good luck!
Mary Ellyn · 1/31/2012
All poles are made differently. I've danced on stainless poles which grip incredibly well and on brass poles which grip poorly. There is a lot that goes into making a pole and the finishes that they have. Chemmie has been one of our best resources on that process. I have had mainly chrome poles in my studio and have used them for about 6 years now...I prefer the chrome finish on X-Pole over any other finish or pole I've used. The stainless finish on PoleDanzer is equal to XP but their removable pole is a bit more crudely designed and difficult to use. I have sold hundreds of chrome poles and had only 2 that flaked - and that was in the first year or so of selling them. I have not experienced this since even prior to when the XPerts came out on the market. I have not had the chance to see an X-Pole brass finish in person but I had the opportunity to talk this weekend with Clive, the owner and creator of X-Pole (Vertical Leisure) about the pole and the process of finishing the poles which I wish to correct here. NONE of the X-Poles are a brushed finish! They are all polished - including the brass pole. They have a 30' polishing machine at the factory and are in the process of installing a new machine soon. All of their poles are made at the same factory and are finished with the same machines so the brass is finished in the same way. I will also point out that every pole I've had requires a break in period. For those with new poles of any type, I recommend a soap and hot water bath to start with. While your pole is standing up, use a soft sponge, hot water and Dawn or other grease-removing dish soap then rinse well. In fact this should be done regularly on all poles. We do this about every 6 months in our studio to clean built up grime.
Dancing Paws · 1/31/2012
If the SS and brass aren't brushed, then why are people saying they appear brushed and matte? In the old forum thread, pics of the stainless x pert were posted and they definitely look brushed/ matte. http://www.flickr.com/photos/43338521@N04/sets/72157627213031817/ I wish I had taken a picture of my old SS lilmynx to show the difference... And the picture wemaster posted of their brass pole looks matte as well (look at the pole compared to the adjuster cover (which is TG.) https://www.studioveena.com/photos/view_photo/4f21cc1c-b7cc-432a-a3c6-17130ac37250 compared to the brass I have: https://www.studioveena.com/photos/view_photo/4ec81ebc-793c-4e91-b76c-57630ac37250 It's possible that the polisher they use on their TG and chrome polishes brass and stainless differently, as they are different metals. It's been mentioned many times that the stainless. Another girl said she contacted x pole and they said the finish is "matte." Either way, based on the info of other Veeners, the SS x pert is said to be much slicker than other stainless poles, so if grip is an issue, a SS may not be the best option. Like I said before, TG might be a good option in a dry climate, or go with the chrome pole. To know what chrome feels like, go feel some of the chrome fixtures in your bathroom (or a hardware store if you don't have any at your home.) Taylor - Are there any studios around that you can try different finishes at? Another thing to consider is that the finish on your chrome will last awhile and you may decide to get another pole after a while for some variety. Pole buying becomes addictive.
FlickrX PoleExplore this photo album by Xphile718 on Flickr!
Mary Ellyn · 1/31/2012
First of all that picture of Veena's brass pole does not look brushed to me but these are just pictures and hard to tell anyway. All I am doing is repeating what came directly from the mouth of the owner and creator of the company. Clive is not only reputable and honorable but he is a very intelligent person who knows his stuff and puts a lot of time and passion into XPole products. He was adament that the finish is "polished". He did tell me that there are more technical details to this than most people understand and that X-Pole will be releasing all the details at some point soon.
Mary Ellyn · 1/31/2012
I want to clarify something else...what "others" feel is a good grip is only a marginal indicator of what a pole will feel like to someone else. I love chrome and work best on it...as mentioned I am just as comfortable on PoleDanzer ss. I personally dislike brass. Almost any brass I've been on is either slippery or grips way too much. However I slide all over the place on a PS multi-piece pole. I struggle so much I hate taking classes where they are in use. On the other hand the PS one piece ss has a better grip for me. Yet there are many people who claim that PS ss in all models is great! I just don't think any of us should imply that we have facts about what a pole finish feels like - only opinions.
Dancing Paws · 1/31/2012
I agree, pole finishes are different for everyone depending on their body chemistry. That's why trying out the finished before hand is good. I've had experience poling with no moisture coming from my body, and poling with excess sweat on my body. Based on that I personally have found that dancing on stainless with dry skin is hard. My hands just couldn't grip it without a grip aid, and even then it was tough. No idea about chrome, but as I remember you (Empy) have dry skin too? So maybe chrome is better for those with dry skin. With sweaty hands though, stainless is not so bad to grab onto, but harder to hang onto since the sweat and the slickness of the stainless combine and I feel like I will go flying off the pole. TG is a little easier for me with brass being the easiest. I can grip stainless okay with my body when I am sweaty and the pole is warm and my body really sticks to TG and grabs onto brass. I can't grip ANY pole without grip aid when I am bone dry. I tried both my TG and my brass and they were both hard, but I was able to spin really well on the TG and brass with dry hands. I think the lilmynx stainless has gotten grippier cuz my home pole seemed grippier than the ones I danced on in the studios. Body moisture plays a HUGE role in how you will grip a pole. Dry skin needs grip aid more (not a big deal.) A little bit of body sweat actually helps you stick to the pole.
Mary Ellyn · 1/31/2012
Yes I have dry skin...though I definitely sweat sometimes, my skin is mostly dry. However I also have no problems on certain ss poles. So your suggestion to try specific poles before chosing one is the best. Though not perfect as different days our skin is under different conditions. There are too many variables to consider that we might give one definitive answer - all we can do is give our experience. I just wanted to clarify that the X-Pole finishes are all polished not brushed. When considering a finish it is my understanding that usually the more porous the metal the better it is for sweaty hands. Also the faster it absorbs heat so it gets warmer faster. In order from least to most porous: stainless chrome titanium/brass Plated or solid does not matter in how porous it is. The characteristics of the metal is the same.
Dancing Paws · 1/31/2012
Yeah, some days I cannot grip my pole very well (like dry cold days.) That is interesting about the pourousness of the pole. Maybe that is a contributing factor to why some girls say powder coated is grabbier while brass is less grabby for them (I haven't tried a PC pole yet, so I can't say how I would react.) I think the different brasses have different metal concentrations; that probably affects the grip (I would guess the same is true for stainless.)
Veena · 1/31/2012
Hi Taylornow, Warming up the body AND pole significantly will allow you to grip ANY kind of pole finish better. This is why I designed the Basic Warm Up lesson to include moves that warm the pole too. The 45mm Chrome is a good finish. If you have sweaty hand issues try Dry hands or some Pole dance gloves. 🌸
taylornow · 1/31/2012
Great info everyone! Im learning so much! I actually live in northwest tx, so it's pretty dry climate. I don't have anything against Tg or brass, I just have always preferred the "silver" look... You all have me taking a second look though! Also I wanted to clarify: my skin is dry as in I always need lotion and moisturizer, however my body does sweat and get moist when I'm active. Also, there is only one studio here, and they have chrome poles. I'm calling them this week to see when/ how much classes are. Maybe see if I can speak to the instructor there, and get her advice since she lives in the climate/ etc. Does anyone know how long xpole will be offering the SS and Brass models? Or when they will stop being available? I already want them all LOL. Also, I wasn't aware platinum stages offered poles that did not need to be mounted?? (I can't have the huge bottom stage though....) or am I mis reading the earlier post? Thank you SO very much everyone! Keep the info coming! It's fantastic!
poleclimber · 1/31/2012
I have a 50 MM Stainless Steel, mutli piece Platinum Stages pole, that spins, at home. For a few months, I thought it was super slippery. However, I know use a space heater while warming up to warm up me and the pole, and it has made the HUGEST difference. Once warm, the pole is never slippery. If you buy from a reputable maker, I do not think you will have issues. I should mention I had a slight problem when I first received the pole, and the service I received from Plantinum Stages was EXCELLENT. They resolved everything with no hassle to me.
poleclimber · 1/31/2012
Just saw your question about Platinum Stages. My pole does not need to be mounted, and does not have a stage. In comes in pieces to adjust to different celing heights. It mounts to the floor and celing with tension, and it works great! I was suspicious when I bought it, but it has never slipped.

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