Choosing the Perfect Pole Dance Pole

When opening Elevate Fitness Studio we had a big choice to make... What type of poles were we going to instal in the studio. I recently received a comment on a TikTok video featuring our poles that asked why we did not use natural copper for our poles as it would go well with our branding and colour choices, which made me realise that many people do not realise the intricacies that go into-choosing a pole. So this blog post is to explain all those intricacies, whether you are looking to buy your own pole or you are just curious.

The first factor to consider was the permanency and portability of the poles. There are a number of different choices, but the set up of our studio meant that we had already narrowed down the options. Broadly there are a couple of different options, listed here in order from least permanent / most portable to most permanent / least portable.

• Stage Pole

A stage pole will come with a base that is a large circular stage, often these can be dismantled in to 8 different pieces and will usually come with a carry bag for easy transportation. The pole part of the stage pole gets slotted in to the middle of the stage and will likely need to be secured using an allen key.

The process of setting up and taking down a stage pole can be tedious, but there are not any other options that are as portable. Stage poles are also great if you are not able to secure a pole on your ceiling, they can be put anywhere that there is enough space - no ceiling requires, as a result you will often see stage poles used for outdoor photoshoots, festivals and other settings where permanent installations aren't feasible.

However, it's crucial to note that stage poles may have limitations in stability and height, which could impact the performance of dynamic or advanced tricks. For example, the stage pole by X-Pole only provides around 2.8 meters of usable pole height. Stage poles are also quite pricey, costing between R17 000 and R20 000 from X-Pole.

image taken from x-pole.co.uk

• Pressure Mounted Pole

A pressure mounted pole gets its name because it's held in place by the pressure between the pole's base and the ceiling and floor. Typically, these poles have a big mount on the ceiling. To set them up, you screw them down to make them shorter. Once they're in position, you need to screw them up again to put enough pressure on the ceiling and floor to keep the pole from moving. There are also variations of this type of pole where instead of a large circular base a mount will be installed onto the ceiling for the pole to be put up into, turning it almost into a hybrid between a pressure mounted and permanent pole.

The benefits of a pressure-mounted pole lie in its versatility and ease of assembly, making it an ideal choice for spaces with multiple or fluctuating needs. Whether it's a home studio or a multi-purpose area, the ability to quickly take down and reassemble the pole is a major selling-point. Pressure-mounted poles have gained immense popularity for home use, not only due to their convenience but also their affordability. They often represent one of the most cost-effective options on the market, with a standard pressure mounted pole from X-Pole starting at R6 000. Additionally, these poles typically require minimal setup, without the need for complex rigging or professional installation. However, it's essential to acknowledge that not all ceilings are created equal, and in some cases, additional reinforcement may be necessary to ensure the pole's stability and safety.

Because pressure mounted poles rely on pressure to stay in place, they work best at slightly shorter heights. This again makes them ideal for home set ups where ceiling height is likely going to be lower as opposed to a studio with much higher ceilings.

• Stow Away Pole

Stow-Away poles are a relatively new addition to the pole market. They involve a permanent ceiling fixture but are non-permanently attached to the floor. This allows the pole to be picked up from the bottom and hung up from the ceiling when not in use.

The benefit of this system compared to a pressure mounted pole is that you do not have to worry about finding a place to store your poles when not in use and the set up and disassembly process is far quicker. However these benefits come at an additional cost, and the purchase of this pole system requires a custom quote dependant on the space. Therefore you are far more likely to find these in a studio and not very likely to see them in a home set-up.

• Permanent / Bolted Pole

The final and most permanent option is a permanently fixed pole these are bolted into the ceiling and sometimes into the floor as well. They are typically not meant to be taken up or down and are designed to stay in one place, making them the least portable of all the options. This permanency is great for the stability of the pole as these are some of the most stable and can handle higher heights than most other pole types. The bolting on the ceiling gives extra security that the pole will not shift when doing extremely dynamic tricks or using lots of momentum But obviously this comes with the drawback that you will not be able to easily move the poles.

Ultimately this is the type of pole we went with at Elevate Fitness Studio, we did not need our poles to be able to be removed as we have as second studio space for the other classes we teach and therefore a permanent fixture was the best option for us. There are multiple different options when it comes to where and how to purchase these type of poles, but you will need a professional rigger for the installation. We had our poles custom made for our studio to the correct height by the person who installed them for us.

Once we had decided on the type of installation we wanted for our pole, the next factor to consider was whether to have spinning poles, static poles, or both. This was a no brainer for us a a studio as we need to teach on both spinning and static, so we went with poles that have a locking mechanism allowing them to be used static or spinning, but there are some poles that you can buy that are only able to be used static.

The decision of spinning, static, or both was straight forward but then comes the decision of what locking / unlocking mechanism to use. Most poles use either an allen key to lock and unlock or a pin system (although X-Pole does also have a twist and lock system on one of their poles). For our poles we went with a push-pin system as we find it simpler and easier for students.

The next factor to consider is the diameter of the poles. There are a couple of different choices here but by far the most common are 40mm, 42mm, and 45mm. You do get larger poles with a diameter of 48mm or 50mm, but while these were more common a few years ago, you don't see them as much anymore. Some people, especially those with smaller hands prefer a 42mm or 40mm as it is slightly easier to grip with the hands, but many find these smaller poles more painful when it comes to gripping with the legs. We went with 45mm which is competition standard and provides a nice balance between small enough to provide secure hand grip yet not too small that it makes leg grip more difficult and painful.

Any finally, we arrive at the final decision and the one everyone cares most about, the material that the pole is made out of. The material of a pole is very important because it affects how your skin will grip onto the pole. The current available materials for poles are as follows:

• Powder Coated

Powder Coated Poles are very common in South Africa. The metal of the pole is coated with a powder that fuses to the surface of the metal. This gives the pole a smooth yet grippy surface. Many students find that their hands grip a lot better on powder coated poles compared to the other materials, but the drawback to this extra grip is that many dynamic tricks like drops can be extra painful.

• Stainless Steel

Many of the first poles that were used when pole fitness studios started opening were chunky 50mm Stainless Steel Poles. The ones that stuck around when new poles started being brought in were often shunned by students as the pole of last resort, and now days it is quite rare to find stainless steel poles, at least in South Africa.

An upside of stainless steel is that these poles are very durable, however most people will find them quite slippery and difficult to maintain grip.

• Chrome

Chrome Poles are actually steel poles with a chrome plating. They are generally regarded to be a bit more grippy than Stainless Steel, but don't provide as much grip as Powder Coated. Chrome Poles are actually not very common in South Africa, only a couple of studios have them, but they are very popular in many studios overseas and are the standard for several international competitions. Chrome Poles are know to provide particularly good grip in colder climates but often do not work well for people who sweat a lot.

• Brass

My personal favourite for training is a Brass Pole. I find that it provides the perfect amount of grip without being too sticky or painful. Brass is the standard for IPSF certified competitions. Brass Poles work best in slightly humid environments and for people who have naturally moist skin, they can be slippery for people who have very dry skin.

• Silicone

Silicone Poles provide the most grip out compared to all the other finishes. The metal pole is coated with a silicone sleeve that is sticky and provides a huge amount of grip, so much so that you could pole on a silicone pole with long pants on. These pole are ideal for anyone who really struggles with their hand grip, but come with limitations in terms of some of the moves you are able to do. Most people will find static spins very difficult on a silicone pole and some moves can be quite painful due to the extreme grip.

We ultimately decided to go with powder coated poles in our studio as they are great for beginners due to the extra grip they provide. We could have chosen to go with a mix of different poles, but in the end decided against that and wanted to stick with a consistent finish across all our poles. We would have loved Brass Poles in the studio however another factor to consider is price and Brass Poles are considerably more expensive than other finishes.