queequeg Posted March 3, 2011 Report Share Posted March 3, 2011 I don't know if this has happened to anyone so far but with the increasing number of GoPro and Contour cameras-on-a-stick out there, it seems only a matter of time until some unfortunate skier or snowboarder takes a digger and ends up getting impaled by their own video pole (errr not sure what the correct terminology is ... ) It seems to me that there is a (slim, but still very possible) chance for impalement once you are moving at a good clip: front end of pole with camera jams into the snow, stopping it dead in its tracks, while your momentum carries the user forward onto the other end of the pole resulting in at best some bruised organs or broken ribs and at worst, full on impalement. It does seem unlikely, as in a fall one's hands / forearms tend to push away from the body thus leading the dangerous end of the pole away from the body (though I pull my arms in when I fall to try and prevent shoulder damage). But man, it just seems to me that the possibility for serious injury with these things is nasty, since people tend to hold them out in front of them. It seems to me that if you put a small foam (or inflatable) ball on the end of the pole it would be less likely to jam into the snow in an accident, and just skip off it instead. Or if the pole were long enough the other end would have to be behind you (past your armpit, so that if it jammed it would just feed past your body harmlessly ... of course a longer pole would be a pain in the ass to carry around). Perhaps a better idea would be to use a pole that is designed to collapse sideways in the event such an impact (something thin, with a slight bend to facilitate making the pole break?). Am I crazy for even worrying about this? Just seems that with the right (err wrong) set of circumstances, falling at speed while holding a metal pole out in front of you could just result in a horrible accident. On the other hand, if you got stabbed by your pole you'd get it on video so you could share the gore with all of your friends on youtube! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted March 3, 2011 Report Share Posted March 3, 2011 I think we need to declare that self-POV GoPro pole filming is officially OUT. Yeah, I'm talking to you, GEOFFV. God. Get over yourself already. Watching those videos makes me feel like I should go take a shower. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeoffV Posted March 3, 2011 Report Share Posted March 3, 2011 Here we go..... I was experimenting and have only used it twice. You'd have to be a nut to take a pole down the steeps videoing yourself:freak3: I wish GoPro had some sort of zoom lens so we could follow riders better. The more cameras we have set up for the ECES the more footage we can give some one to put together for a DVD. Helmet cam seems to work best to follow riders or have them follow you. I like the carve over camera shots. Hmm maybe mount some GoPros up on some gates down the private trail and just let riders rip by them all day. We'll be looking for creative ideas to shoot at the ECES. My goal is to some day have an ECES DVD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted March 3, 2011 Report Share Posted March 3, 2011 We'll be looking for creative ideas to shoot at the ECES. My goal is to some day have an ECES DVD. We had a pretty lengthy one in 2004 thanks to B.J. It wasn't great due to the fact that there was basically one usable trail that year due to rain the week before the session. Also it was only standard-def. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kieran Posted March 3, 2011 Report Share Posted March 3, 2011 Hmm maybe mount some GoPros up on some gates down the private trail and just let riders rip by them all day.after seeing the russian carving video, i wondered about some sort of low, anchored traffic cone style thing, with two windows and mounts for two cameras, one incoming and one outgoing. ideal sort of thing for people to use as an apex guide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shred Gruumer Posted March 3, 2011 Report Share Posted March 3, 2011 Try flying a kite over you , real overhead shot!! I just think you like holding a pole!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queequeg Posted March 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2011 Hmm maybe mount some GoPros up on some gates down the private trail and just let riders rip by them all day. This seems like a very good idea to me. Set a few cameras up on the middle of the trail (maybe mark the spot with a bit of colored spray paint). Set up some more cameras up high pointed at the trail from a tree or lift tower etc ... and just let people rip by them. Once the trail is destroyed, just move them to another trail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted March 3, 2011 Report Share Posted March 3, 2011 I was actually worried about this, and almost dropped the tip in the snow a couple times. That little GoPro feels mighty heavy on the end of a 6-foot pole while in a hard turn! Then I thought about it: How many skiers skewer themselves? I assume that their poles are a LOT weaker than the painter's pole I used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pokkis Posted March 3, 2011 Report Share Posted March 3, 2011 As long as you ride in place where are too many others and you make sure that you keep tip of pole pointing upwads there is no issue. When i tried first time i was surprised how easy it was, and i was too silly to try in quite steep place but luckile very wide. On this clip there is my first runs with pole and it is quite steepish even camera will eat all away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeoffV Posted March 3, 2011 Report Share Posted March 3, 2011 Try flying a kite over you , real overhead shot!! We'll have Brody come out for that one;) That would actually be a pretty cool shot. Keep the ideas coming. Cameras with cones, I like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queequeg Posted March 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2011 Then I thought about it: How many skiers skewer themselves? I assume that their poles are a LOT weaker than the painter's pole I used. I thought about this too - but skiers tend to hold their poles to the side, and mostly perpendicular to the snow surface, whereas people tend to hold the pole right out in front of themselves while shooting. Seems to me that ski poles are not much of a danger. I remember breaking a few in half back when I used to ski, but never remember being in a situation where I might have gotten skewered. As long as ... you make sure that you keep tip of pole pointing upwads there is no issue. That's a big if. When people fall, they tend not to think about these things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pokkis Posted March 3, 2011 Report Share Posted March 3, 2011 Yep, but i kept stick on side and on outside of carve so danger hitting pole is small for me. But i fully agree that if you are not on place where you are comfortable riding and when you can not concentrate for carves but to look for others, then there is not good to use pole . Plus i would say that anyway you must have plan how to shoot and what to do with pole if you will fall down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b0ardski Posted March 3, 2011 Report Share Posted March 3, 2011 Why not just use ski poles? I could mount a camera on each one and have simultaneous for and aft perspective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philw Posted March 3, 2011 Report Share Posted March 3, 2011 I would not worry about it. They are mostly ski poles, which are in common use in ski resorts, albeit not by us. Riding with a pole is really easy. GoPro films? I like them, it's a really good way to see how people ride, what they do, how it works for them. There are many videos I've seen which are made by people who don't know how to ride: I don't think they are trying to impress anyone. I sell lots of still photographs to the people in the photographs. That too has an aspect of ego in it, but I still think it's a good thing to do. I don't think POV videos (helmet cam) work well for snowboarding; they seem to work much better for skiing. For overhead shots ("sky cam") try a window-cleaning pole, which works really well. Another approach which I've seen used was a piece of string running over a cliff (I kid you not). The camera was hung off a short piece of plastic pipe, through which the string was passed. The border would hold the camera and start riding towards the cliff... then he'd let go of it and ride the drop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiveBomber Posted March 3, 2011 Report Share Posted March 3, 2011 hey if it does happen, atleast they'll get it on video:lol::lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBump Posted March 3, 2011 Report Share Posted March 3, 2011 This was shot with an HD POV cam attached to a remote controlled tricopter http://www.vimeo.com/10523575 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Ace* Posted March 3, 2011 Report Share Posted March 3, 2011 Had that idea for SOOOO long! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caspercarver Posted March 3, 2011 Report Share Posted March 3, 2011 you go backwards you don't have to worry:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kinpa Posted March 4, 2011 Report Share Posted March 4, 2011 How many skiers skewer themselves? When I was a kid, my brother fell on his ski pole once and shattered his goggles. Good thing he had them on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davekempmeister Posted March 4, 2011 Report Share Posted March 4, 2011 you go backwards you don't have to worry:) nice that YOU, of all people, call it "backwards" instead of switch. for me that sensation usually means trouble. I have a GoPro and am not really comfortable wearing it on my head, even with a helmet. I think it's just a matter of time, like QQ guesses with the use of the pole, before we hear about a helmet mounted cam contributing to a massive head injury. GoPro, when in the housing, is a dense little unit and if the force of the impact were concentrated into the camera......... The helmets aren't designed with the camera in mind and the helmet makers no doubt would/will distance themselves with legalese and disclaimers, if they don't already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caspercarver Posted March 4, 2011 Report Share Posted March 4, 2011 I actually won't be using the hand-held pole anymore. I have only done this once and i found it quite difficult to concentrate on holding the pole, carving and looking out for others. I'm sure this is an accident waiting to happen at least for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mykcuz Posted March 4, 2011 Report Share Posted March 4, 2011 probably more likely to be impaled by a skier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queequeg Posted March 4, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2011 I actually won't be using the hand-held pole anymore. I have only done this once and i found it quite difficult to concentrate on holding the pole, carving and looking out for others. I'm sure this is an accident waiting to happen at least for me. What??? Dude, from what I've seen, you could probably be carving backwards while doing your taxes and reading Kafka all at once while being in danger of nothing other than embarrassing the hell out of everyone else on the mountain as you go!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philw Posted March 4, 2011 Report Share Posted March 4, 2011 you go backwards you don't have to worry:) Now that's a cool shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big D Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 Several years back a friend reluctantly told me a story of the time he was skiing bumps, planted his pole and experienced the perfect storm. The storm involved him falling off balance to the point...wait for it...he ended up inhaling the pole. (insert innuendo here) His telling me this was met with complete skepticism of course but after listening to the story completely and how ski patrol only cut the pole off and left it in place to transport him to the bottom and finally via ambulance to the ER, I was a believer. At least the gopro's are blocky lessening the chance for a similar occurrence, well hopefully anyhow... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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