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Pros and Cons of Powder Coating
Hey Veeners! So I know with the new SV Pole having come out and Xpole planning to release a powder coated pole in the next year, there's been some talk already of the powder coated finish. I've read a lot of the posts here already but still wanted to put together some more opinions before deciding what to do with my Xpole. Currently, I practice only at home on my static, 50 mm Xpole sport chrome. I also have excruciatingly sweaty hands. I have poled for close to 2 years now and tried grip aids, different cleaners, dry hands… you name it. I just can't overcome my body on this one.
I have built a lot of strength with pole and aerial practice and I have really excelled in aerials (I recently did a legless climb to the top of the silks!) However, I've hit a plateau with pole. Body grip poses I can get, but anything that requires good grip with the hands is a no go. I really want to use my newly developed strength for bigger, better tricks. Not to mention, it's really discouraging and I've lost a lot of motivation because I feel like I'm at a stand still.
So onto my concerns with powder coating. This will be my only pole, so I don't want to limit myself to just strength. I love to dance too. Will the powder coat make static spins impossible? Also, I've read some comments about skin burns being more intense and even "tearing" skin…what will the powder coat keep me from doing because of this?
Either way I am limited, with chrome I suffer from inability to rely on hand grip but I want to know what limits I'm trading that in for with powder coating?
Thanks for feedback!
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9 Replies
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Hey Veeners! So I know with the new SV Pole having come out and Xpole planning to release a powder coated pole in the next year, there's been some talk already of the powder coated finish. I've read a lot of the posts here already but still wanted to put together some more opinions before deciding what to do with my Xpole. Currently, I practice only at home on my static, 50 mm Xpole sport chrome. I also have excruciatingly sweaty hands. I have poled for close to 2 years now and tried grip aids, different cleaners, dry hands… you name it. I just can't overcome my body on this one.
I have built a lot of strength with pole and aerial practice and I have really excelled in aerials (I recently did a legless climb to the top of the silks!) However, I've hit a plateau with pole. Body grip poses I can get, but anything that requires good grip with the hands is a no go. I really want to use my newly developed strength for bigger, better tricks. Not to mention, it's really discouraging and I've lost a lot of motivation because I feel like I'm at a stand still.
So onto my concerns with powder coating. This will be my only pole, so I don't want to limit myself to just strength. I love to dance too. Will the powder coat make static spins impossible? Also, I've read some comments about skin burns being more intense and even "tearing" skin…what will the powder coat keep me from doing because of this?
Either way I am limited, with chrome I suffer from inability to rely on hand grip but I want to know what limits I'm trading that in for with powder coating?
Thanks for feedback!
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Hi AriFerrari,
Well done on the legless silk climb by the way – I can do it on pole but haven't tried silks, I imagine that is even harder 🙂
I have used chrome, brass and powder coated poles. Mostly brass as it is what has worked best for me – the grip on powder is amazing, but in my experience, it will limit your static spins. As for the 'tearing' of skin, I didn't get that, but I did get burns – I imagine though over prolonged use that diminishes just as the bruising on brass diminishes once your skin gets used to it. Drops would be a no-no, and so would quick transitions from one aerial trick to another where skin contact happens. Now, I haven't used a powder coating extensively, so perhaps others can give more info on this.
However, as you already have an x-pole, perhaps you could get (once they come out) the powder coated extensions (as a suggestion I saw somewhere) to mix around on your pole. That way, you could swap out the chrome when you want to do some crazy grip things, but then put it back in when you want to work on spins – and the strength in your hand grip you get from working on the powder pole may help with your sweatiness on the chrome. 🙂
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While the grip on powder coated poles is amazing you have to remember that the coating is less porous than any of the other materials. Basically what this means is that if you have sweaty hands you will have probably more issues on the PC as opposed to say a brass pole. My first pole was a LM PC and while learning on one was not the easiest when it came to hot hands and grip it was a great pole. During the summer though when I was hot and sweaty it was awful. I slipped more on my PC than I do on stainless during the summer, and that says a lot.
If you can, talk to Charley. I know she has serious issues with sweaty hands and I am pretty sure she used to have a LM PC many moons ago.
Spins are not out of the question with powder coating as say with silicone.
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Powder coating is hell in my opinion! :/ Everyone's different though. I'm a sweaty beast and I can't get a grip to save my life… If I'm warmed up, I can't even get a grip in non hand based moves…If I'm not warmed up it's painfully sticky, but my hands are still too sweaty.
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I've had painfully sticky skin tearing from inside leg hang.
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I miss your sweaty beastly body!
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Hmm…Thanks for all the feedback ladies.
I'm still really torn! I've never practiced on a powder coat. And now, hearing that it may amplify my sweating issues is really making me hesitate.
I've been offered such a great deal from a friends husband who paints bikes: only $60 to paint my pole. Yet it's my first and only one and I'm so afraid to commit to it.
Ugh!
Either way, I really appreciate everyone taking the time to give their opinions/share experiences!
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I have super sweaty hands and I have brass in my studio – LOVE THEM and PC at home – still really like it – the PC is is MUCH better than any chrome or stainless pole I have tried.
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I just had a pole powder coated, going to pick it up in a few days. I’ll let you know what the grip is like in my opinion. 🙂
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AriFerrari,
It may be best to find someone or a studio that has PC Poles and try it for yourself. I think that will be the safest way to decide if it's right for your body chemistry.
Ultimately hearing from others' experiences with it will ALWAYS be secondhand knowledge (nothing wrong with that!) and sometimes with these things, firsthand knowledge will probably give you the most peace of mind.Just speaking from personal experience, that's all! ^__^
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