Are Ski Pole Straps Out? ONE WAY’s FR 18 FREE Says: Maybe Not

For years, backcountry skiers have treated pole straps as a seasonal habit to break: useful on the climb with skins, potentially dangerous once the descent begins. ONE WAY’s new FR 18 FREE attempts to resolve that contradiction with a strap that retracts into the grip—there when wanted, gone when not.

The pole, priced at $89, is aimed squarely at freeride and all-mountain skiers who move between groomed terrain, powder, trees and variable snow. Its central feature is the “Stealth Strap”: pull it from the top cap to engage it for climbing or lift lines, then release it and it disappears into the grip.

Why Straps Divide Skiers

Pole straps have long had a practical appeal. They keep poles with a skier during a fall, reduce dropped-gear frustration on lifts and can help transfer power on firm skin-track terrain. But avalanche educators and resort safety programs increasingly advise removing them in deep snow and avalanche terrain.

The Utah Avalanche Center has warned that poles attached to a skier during a slide can act “almost like a boat anchor,” potentially pulling the skier deeper into moving snow or debris. The same logic applies in tree-well terrain: a strap can prevent a skier from releasing a pole if it catches on a branch, or complicate self-rescue after a fall into a deep snow cavity.

Safety guidance from Sierra-at-Tahoe, Ski Utah, the American Alpine Institute and Deep Snow Safety all converge on the same advice: remove pole straps in deep snow or tree-well terrain, ski with a partner in sight, and carry avalanche rescue equipment when travelling in avalanche terrain.

ONE WAY’s Compromise

The FR 18 FREE does not eliminate the strap debate; it tries to make the decision easier in the moment. The strap retracts into the top cap when released, so a skier can climb with it engaged and descend without it hanging from the grip or requiring a separate removal routine.

That design will appeal most to skiers who want strap utility for touring, traverses and lift access but do not want to stop at every transition to unclip and stow a conventional loop. It is not a substitute for avalanche judgment: in avalanche terrain, the safer habit remains not wearing any strap at all.

What Else the Pole Offers

Feature FR 18 FREE

• Price $89

• Intended use Freeride / all-mountain

• Shaft Aluminium 7075, 18–9 mm taper

• Grip Extra-long EVA extension for multiple hand positions

• Strap Retractable “Stealth Strap”

• Baskets Swappable BC and MT baskets for winter and summer use

• Weight 280 g per pole, 255 g at 125 cm

The long EVA grip extension is particularly relevant for skiers who choke down on the pole in trees, on traverses or through variable snow. Rather than switching to a shorter pole or using a telescopic design, they can move their hand lower while retaining a secure grip.

The swappable baskets add year-round flexibility: the larger BC basket is intended for deep or variable snow, while the supplied MT basket makes the pole usable for summer touring.

A Brand Built Around Poles

ONE WAY was founded in Finland in 2004 and built its reputation around Nordic and alpine pole design. Fischer Sports acquired the brand’s trademark and patent rights in 2018 after One Way Sport’s bankruptcy, and ONE WAY now operates under the Fischer umbrella while retaining its Scandinavian-rooted pole identity.

That heritage matters here. The FR 18 FREE is not a radical departure from pole design so much as a targeted fix for a long-standing backcountry compromise: giving skiers a strap without making it a permanent attachment.

The Bottom Line

The FR 18 FREE is a credible answer to a real safety and convenience problem, especially for resort-side freeriders and ski tourers who regularly alternate between climbing and descending. Its retractable strap is a thoughtful piece of design—but it does not change the core safety message: in avalanche terrain, tree-well country or deep powder, skiers should still choose to ski strap-free.