Materials

A very important consideration in choosing a pole is what metal it is made out of. Different metals react to skin differently. Some will be easier to grip and some will be slippery. Here's an overview of all the different materials out there. Keep in mind these are generalities. Each person is different and will have different preferences.

• Brass has been the long time standard in strip clubs world wide, and for good reason. Brass is the material that will provide the best grip while minimizing friction burns against the skin. It's easy to climb and perform inverts but at the same time it's easy to execute spins. Sounds great! So, why aren't they all made out of brass?
  Brass is not well suited to removable pole unless you are very careful with your pole. Part of the reason it works so well in balancing grip and slip is that it is a softer metal. A softer metal is also easier to scratch. Additionally, brass oxidizes quickly so it will require frequent cleanings with chemicals. If the pole is not cleaned properly you will find black streaks on your hands and light colored clothing.
  If you are dedicated to keeping up with maintenance and can have a more permanent pole the you will love brass.


• Titanium Gold is a newer material offered by X-Pole. I personally have not worked with this material but most reviews across the web compare it favorably with brass. Great grip, fluid spins, and easier to clean. Some people feel though that the grip factor is all in your head and it's just like chrome or stainless. If I get a chance to play on one I'll let you know what I think.


• Chrome is also offered by X-Pole and is very similar to Stainless Steel poles. Some people feel chrome provides more grip than stainless, and others get the opposite effect. Your mileage may vary but in my experience I feel chrome has slightly more grip than stainless. My home pole is an X-Pole chrome and my studio poles are Platinum Stages stainless steel. Regardless of which is more or less slippery, I recommend stainless over chrome. The chrome means the metal is coated with chrome. If your environment is not climate controlled and humidity and temperature fluctuates the chrome will eventually start to peel off, making the pole dangerous. This has happened to mine and I have had to purchase a replacement section.


• Stainless Steel again is similar to Chrome in grip and individual experiences will vary. I have found that using alcohol based cleaners or acetone will help improve grip. That being said, this pole material is very easy to clean and keep clean. It is also less likely to get scratched or damaged and is great for a traveling pole. A fantastic pole for spins and therefore great for aerobic pole dancing for weight loss. If you want to climb or perform inverts and holds you may need to use grip aids even if you have a strong grip. This is what I start my beginner students out on so they get used to spinning and develop their grip (beginners should not use grip aids IMHO).


• Aluminum is a new one I found recently and is offered by Flirty Girl Fitness. They say a lot of great things about it but then again they are trying to sell you their pole. I have checked online on professional pole dance forums and discussion boards and haven't really found anything. I wish I could say more about it but it seems to be new enough to not have much information out there. I imagine it's very easy to clean like stainless but I'm not sure how it would compare in grip and slip.


• Powder Coated poles like the ones offered by Lil' Minx are very tacky and easy for new students to climb which can be a great confidence booster for ladies with minimal upper arm strength. However, this will keep the student from really developing that arm strength. Additionally, because the pole is so grippy spins are difficult and the standard wrist area pole burn experienced by newbies is much more painful. Also, imagine once you do climb the pole how much friction will be rubbing on your thighs when you slide down. Ouch! The most benefit to these pole is that they are available in colors and patterns so they are really pretty. Some people love them but as far as athletic or professional development goes this is not the way to go.


• Plastic while obviously not a metal or alloy is another option available. These poles are usually clear plastic with color changing lights inside or water with bubbles and lights. These are very stylish, showy poles and recommended for professionals. The plastic has the potential to be painfully grippy like the powder coated poles. Also, there is a great deal of bend and flex when performing high velocity spins. The level of flex to these poles can make it difficult to keep your body in proper alignment which can result in injury.

My personal top recommendations are Brass and Stainless Steel.

  

Knowing how your body reacts to different conditions and knowing where you will use the pole, coupled with the above information about materials will give you a great start in choosing your pole material. If you have sweatier palms than the average person you will probably want to lean towards the materials that naturally offer more grip. Though stainless can still work for you. For instance the more you use a pole during a session the more the pole will heat up improving the grip. With that the hotter the pole is the hotter you probably are from vigorous dancing and you may be sweating which will make you slip. If your environment is humid you will have less grip and dry more grip. If it's cold in the room the pole will be slippery. Use all this information to help you find your best fit. Every dancer is different and every pole is different.

 

If you think you can't have a pole in your house, apartment, or even backyard, think again. Poles are available from permanent installation to completely removable options that don't leave any marks. All you need is space. Even if you are in a small apartment moving some furniture will give you the space you need. You should be able to have one arm stretched out to the pole at shoulder height with the other arm stretched out from your body the other direction and be able to walk around the pole without your free arm hitting anything or going over a piece of furniture. Depending on your height, this will be about a 5'-6' radius with the pole as center.

Now that you know you have the room, it's time to think about how you want to secure the pole. There are 4 overall categories of pole installation each with their own pros and cons. Just like choosing a pole material this decision will all depend on you, your space restrictions, and what you want to do with your pole.

Stationary Poles
This is the most stable way to install a pole. This is what you find in bars, clubs, and some dance studios. These poles are one piece cut to your ceiling height. You'll have a ceiling flange and a floor flange that the pole fits into. The ceiling flange is drilled into a joist or other stable structure, the pole is inserted in the flanges, leveled, and then the base flange is drilled into the floor. Stationary poles are in place for good, and provided they are properly installed (preferably by a contractor) you can do anything on them!

Duct tape is great for some things, but
pole installation is not one of them.
Semi-Removable Poles
This method is less stable than stationary poles but in most cases still solid enough to hold most people under 250 lbs and withstand most pole tricks. However, there are two main ways semi-removable poles are manufactured, and one is more solid than the other.
Both ways work off the principle of friction/tension mounting. This means that the pole is put in place and then tightened, most often at the top, until there is an extreme amount of pressure between floor and ceiling. The permanent part of the installation is the ceiling mount. The pole and floor piece are completely removable. Just like the stationery poles, these need to installed centering on a ceiling joist.
The first, and most solid, method is by having a permanent adapter similar to a flange drilled into the ceiling. The pole fits into this piece and is secure all the way around. The second method is by a bolt fixed in the ceiling joist that the pole screws on to rather than fits in. The nice thing about this method is most companies disguise the bolt so you can make it appear as either a plant hook or smoke detector when the pole is not in use.

Removable Poles
Be very careful when choosing a removable pole as the mechanism of installation varies greatly. Some of them are almost as solid as stationary poles while others are nothing more than glorified shower curtain rods. These poles also work off the principle of friction/tension mounting, and need to be under a ceiling joist.
The best of these kinds have all metal parts with a thick, threaded bolt for tightening, and feature large ceiling plates which help distribute the side loads when spinning. Both ceiling and floor plates should have some kind of rubber coating or feet which grip to the floor and ceiling surfaces and help take extra compression when tightening the pole. Poles like this are suitable to many tricks and most can handle a person under 200 lbs.
In the more novelty range are removable poles that use a spring loaded mechanism to stay between ceiling and floor. Springs do not place any where near the amount of pressure as a tightened machined bolt would, and therefore are not suitable for any spins, inverts, or aerial tricks.

Stage/Podium Poles
Even with removable poles, there is some chance of leaving minor marks on the ceiling. When I got my first removable pole I was so paranoid of falling on my head that I over tightened it. Thank goodness the pole didn't bow, but my ceiling has a nice round indentation in it now. Also, if you have a textured or popcorn ceiling the texture may come off or be damaged due to the pressure. The only way to insure that nothing will happen is to have a pole that doesn't even touch the ceiling.
Stage or podium poles start with a platform about a foot off the ground which in most cases is large enough to comfortably walk around the pole. The pole is fixed in the center of this platform stage, no ceiling attachment needed. Some companies make square stages, some round, and some hexagonal. I have not yet personally worked with one of these poles, but I will be in the market for one soon as a traveling marketing tool for the studio at bridal shows and other events. My choice will be either the round or hexagonal stage since you walk around a pole in a circle not a square. These stages have more floor space to work with.
Even though the pole is more free than the other methods, stage poles can be surprisingly sturdy though you may experience a bit of movement. Movement can be minimized by placing sandbags or cheap kitty litter bags on the supports under the stage. This is the pole you can use anywhere. I wasn't kidding when I said you could have one in your backyard!

There are a few more things to keep in mind when choosing your pole before I get into the company reviews.

First, you can get either a spinning pole, a static pole, or combination. A spinning pole is just like it sounds, it freely spins. At first, you might think this would be easier to learn on. I can assure you it's not at all. Spinning poles are for the pros. As a beginner you are just learning to control your body, trying to learn to control the pole on top of that is not safe. You will spin much faster on a spinning pole so, thinking about a little physics, centrifugal is going to be stronger pulling you away from the pole the faster the spin. You need tremendous body strength to hold properly in fast spins. The static pole doesn't move at all and is what you need for proper conditioning until you reach the advanced levels. Finally a combination pole can be both. There is usually a pin or screw system which holds the pole as a static pole until you release that system for a spinning pole. If you are serious about pole dance and want to reach advanced levels, this is the type you want.

Second, there are two diameters. The standard is the 2" diameter and a new option is 1.75." The 1.75" is marketed for people with small hands. I believe 99.9% of the time anyone can use the standard 2" pole. I have very small hands... my wedding ring is a size 3 1/2 if that's any indication. Over time as you build up your arm and grip strength you will not have any problems. In clubs and competitions world wide you will find the larger pole, so if you are going to dance on any other pole than your own you should have the standard to practice on.

Lastly, you can have a one-piece pole cut to your ceiling height or a multi-piece pole that screws together. I have personally found no advantage or disadvantage to either style when it comes to pole safety. Here the only consideration is about where you will pole dance. If you don't plan on moving for a long time you can get the one-piece. If you move around a lot or you want to travel with your pole even just to a friend's house you will want a multi-piece to handle different ceiling heights in different places. With that said, I have heard of both one-piece and multi-piece poles breaking. This is rare but it's a reflection of the quality of the pole not if it is one-piece or multi.

Quality needs to be at the front of your mind when selecting a pole. I cannot stress the importance of safety enough. So, now on to the who's who of manufacturers in the pole dance world.

I have created a PDF comparison chart and list of features for all the companies I know of.
Click for the Chart
If you know of a company not listed or have anything to add please let me know!

My top 3 picks, not ranked in any way of the ones most available in the USA, are as follows.

Best removable pole

Best Semi-removable

Best colorful pole