Kuzmin Ski Technology AB
Alate Grip™
Patented SE533189 (C2)
Also published as: SE0802025 (A), WO2010036187 (A1) and PCT/SE2009/051039.
Development:
DivX (avi) HD format (DivX, 117 MB)
Demonstration (WMV, 9,3 MB)
Demonstration (DivX, 13,6 MB)
Demonstration (3gp, 3,9 MB)
Please, pay attension!: The film is presented Alates Grip™ under the skating technique, but handles work equally if not better when you go classic. Especially when double poling you notice an additional draught.
Alate Grip™ is a completely new approach to transmit propulsive force from hand to ski pole. With a conventional hand strap links AB and BC (from shoulder to wrist) are involved to generate and transmit pressure on ski pole. The link CD (hand) is not involved. With Alate Grip™ by involving hand (involving more muscle’s groups) we can yield more pressure under longer period (point α has a higher amplitude under movement than β), and we do not need to waste energy to stretch the hand strap.
Alate Grip™ is an uncompromising design that will improve your skiing, but as with all other uncompromising things require time for training and adaptation. Do not forget that and do not judge Alate Grip™ too early.
According to (Heil et al., 2004) Yoko 232 handle with thumb ledge (thumb rest) contributes to a higher power output at poling, compared with traditional handles. Yoko 232 has been quite popular among the elite skiers in the past and even today Kristina Šmigun-Vähi is running with this design.
Hand (wrist) strap in Alate Grip™ design is absented, and the ergonomically supports for the hand is developed. This enhances the efficiency of the handle even more.
References
HEIL, D. P., ENGEN, J. & HIGGINSON, B. K. 2004. Influence of ski pole grip on peak upper body power output in cross-country skiers. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 91, 481-487.Importante when use
When you load the poles, most of the load (95-100%) will be applied to thumb rest. Support for the hand palm acts solely as an additional support to increase comfort and control.
If you still feel that your hand contact with the palm support has been of a less comfortable character, if you get corn in contact area, then you should do the following:
- Check that the most of the load (95-100%) will be applied to thumb rest;
- In seeking the right position you can twist the grip:
In order to achieve the perfect position for the palm support’s "beak":
But if all the above mentioned actions do not help, you can use violence and shape the palm support according to own anatomy. This makes it pretty easy with a steady and sharp knife.
