Bamboo Groove

During the decade Byron Friedman ’02 spent racing for the U.S. Alpine Ski Team he received a huge amount of free gear. It was a nice perk, but used equipment piled up in his garage or he was forced to throw it away, especially after he retired from racing in 2009. It troubled him to think how energy-intensive ski equipment was to manufacture and how difficult it was to recycle or repurpose. One small way to make a difference, decided Friedman and former U.S. Ski Team member Erik Schlopy, was to make poles using a material that had both vintage appeal and eco-credibility: bamboo.

The company they founded, Soul Poles, now hand crafts several thousand pairs of bamboo ski and hiking poles a year at its Park City, Utah, facility. A fast-growing, low-impact, renewable resource, bamboo also has a proven track record: Before aluminum poles swept the industry in the late 1950s, discerning skiers favored bamboo poles for their light weight and durability.

Friedman sources his bamboo from a family farm in Guangdong Province, China. The small Soul Poles team kiln-dries and oils the stalks to help them withstand dry, cold skiing conditions. In company tests, the poles rated twice as strong as aluminum ones. Soul Poles have garnered accolades on both looks and performance from outlets ranging from Vogue to Powder magazine. Friedman, though, is most pleased with his customers’ feedback. “Part of it is having a piece of organic material, part of it is just the conversations it starts on the chair lift,” Friedman says. “People say they feel more connected to the mountain.”

Kaitlin Bell Barnett ’05