Untitled Document
POLES | PACKS
| PROBES | SHOVELS
POLES
How do I keep my adjustable poles adjusting smoothly? What if my pole adjustment gets sticky?
This is the finest locking system there is for a ski or trekking pole. It allows for a low profile design that WILL NOT slip during use, but this system does rely on fairly clean brake shoes and a clean surface inside the upper shafts. Mineral deposits and dirt accumulate in the uppers making the poles difficult to adjust. You'll need to heat the grips in hot water to get them off and clean the upper shafts and brake shoes to achieve a like-new performance. The procedure is as simple as doing the following:
1. Remove the straps from grips. You'll need to lift up on the strap and pull.
2. Unscrew the lower shafts from uppers and remove.
3. Bring a small pot of water to a boil.
4. Place the grip-end of the uppers in the boiling water and leave for a few minutes.
5. Remove the grips by pushing them off with your feet.
6. Try not to lose any parts between the stove and the fridge as you push the brake shoes and expanders out the top of the uppers with a lower shaft. Notice how the brake shoes fit around the expanders and that there are male and female expanders.
7. Clean any scale or muck off of the brake shoes with a Scotchbrite pad or fine sandpaper.
8. Using a lower shaft, swab the inside of the upper shaft with a small piece of cotton soaked in isopropyl alcohol. You can also use a gun cleaning rod to swab the inside of the upper. If you're camping, soap and water works well instead of alcohol. DO NOT lube or grease the inside of the upper shaft. We DO recommend using a VERY tiny amount of anti-seize on the expander threads. The threads are 28's if you need to chase them.
9. Put the expanders and clean brake shoes back in their respective upper shafts and check the function of the Ovalized Locking System with the corresponding lower shaft. NOTE: You have a male and female pole. The male pole upper has a black nose cone, uses the black expander, and has a lower shaft with male threads. The female pole upper has a grey nose cone, uses the white expander, and has a lower shaft with female threads. The reason for having two types is- ALL LOWER SECTIONS OF LIFE-LINK SKI POLES WITH OVALIZED UPPERS, UNSCREW TO SCREW TOGETHER AND FORM AN EMERGENCY AVALANCHE PROBE.
10. Reheat the grips in hot water, dump the excess water out, and press them back onto the upper shafts. Do not use glue.
11. Re-install the lower shafts into their respective uppers.
12. Put the straps back in the grips by pushing the break-away clip into the grip cavity.
How do I remove my baskets?
Whether you are switching from winter baskets to summer snag-proof trekking baskets, replacing a worn out basket or removing baskets to assemble your poles into an avalanche probe, taking baskets off the poles is as simple as resting the tip of the pole on ground, placing both feet on either side of the shaft and stepping down. In winter it is helpful to put the tip of the pole on a ski or a rock. Practice at home before you show up at the avalanche course
To replace the baskets, simply set your poles on the ground upside down (with grips on the ground). Then press the basket onto the tip and push until they click into place. The baskets should spin with slight resistance once they are installed.
Which pole tip should you choose? Ice Tip or Flex Tip
The Flex Tip features a sharp and durable carbide tip attached to hard plastic sleeve that is designed to break away instead of the carbon pole lower. The tip bends about 30% before snapping off. Great if you stick your pole between two rocks or slats on a bridge while moving fast. It is inexpensive and easily replaceable. Simply put the broken tip on end of pole in boiling water and pull off with pliers. Then quickly slide another Flex Tip back on. (it'll stay without glue...but a bit of glue is ok....but not necessary.) If used properly, aka not yarded on the heal post of a binding in the extreme cold, the Flex Tip is very durable.
The Ice Tip has 4 points of hardened steel and is the permanent tip for lower. It is embedded into the carbon fiber lower shaft therefore, it is NOT replaceable. If you broke off the lower section just above the tip, or cracked the lower so the tip fell out then wore down the carbon shaft before the trip ended, you would need to purchase a new carbon fiber lower section (more $ than a Flex Tip). The ice tip rarely breaks and takes years on rock to wear smooth, but both can happen...hence the Flex Tip. The carbide tip on Flex Tip's grips blue ice and even rock better than any tip including the Ice Tip.
Why do flex tips break?
Our Flex Tips are meant to "break-away" in extreme situations. The Flex Tip can bend up to 35 degrees if it's caught between rocks. This break-away feature protects your oh-so-light carbon shafts. After such an event you'll want to replace worn or broken Flex Tips. Flex Tips are sold by the pair at your dealer or on The Pole Accessories Page.
One classic cause of Flex Tip breakage is the prying of the heal riser of a certain heavy Alpine Touring binding. If placed correctly, all the way down into the heal turning tube on a Dynafit Binding, it cannot break off.
What do I do if I break a Flex Tip on my poles?
Have no fear, a new pair is less than $10.00. So replace the broken tip and put the other new tip in your backcountry fix-it kit.
1. Remove the lower shafts from uppers for easier handling.
2. Remove baskets. (see above)
3. Place the Flex Tip end of poles in a pot of boiling or hot water for a few minutes to soften the hot-melt glue.
4. Remove the Flex Tip with a gloved hand or in a vise.
5. Heat the remaining hot-melt glue on the end of the carbon shaft with a hair dryer until it looks wet.
6. Push a new Flex Tip onto the pole until it stops and hold it there for a minute or so.
How do I adjust my AC/BC poles?
The AC/BC has 2 inches of adjustment so you can adjust for your mood, whether you're telemarking or alpining that day... whatever your reason.
Rarely does something happen to these grips, so let us tell you how they work best. (if you were to need a new strap or break something, call us)
1. Open the small lever located on the lower side of the grip to release the collet.
2. Push the grip off with your thumbs or use your feet if it's really stubborn. (see above)
3. The collet should hang out the bottom of the grip but should not come out. The collet has marks along it's length, like a tape-measure, marking off two inches of pole height adjustment.
4. You will notice that there is a stainless steel ring near the top of the carbon shaft. This positively locates the collet on internal grooves. Choose your desired length and collapse the collet onto the carbon shaft making sure the stainless steel ring is in one of the grooves. Hold the collet closed and slide the grip down into position.
5. Close the lever and check that the grip is secure. Adjust the small nut with a screwdriver as you would a bicycle quick release if it seems too loose.
How do I convert my AC/BC poles to an avalanche probe?
To convert your AC/BC poles an Avalanche Probe:
1. Remove the grips. (see above)
2. Pop the baskets off the bottoms. (also see above)
3. Screw one pole to the other, they should have compatible ends. You now have a long, straight, single jointed avalanche probe.
What if the poles won't open or adjust, when brand new or in the store?
Sometimes our poles come with the lowers pushed all the way up into the uppers in a way that makes them feel “stuck” when you pick them up in the store. This is quickly fixed by dropping the pole onto it's tip, on the floor, from 6” or so. This ought to do the trick of readying the breakshoes, and adjustment system...and have the pole ready to go. You should not have to do this again.
What is the warranty on Life-Link poles?
All Life-Link poles have a one-year warranty against manufacturer defects. Life-Link poles have been known to last a life-time, and using the general pole maintenance instructions above, and cleaning the inside of the uppers can keep them working like new forever. If your poles every seem sticky in their adjustment or get stuck, it's probably just some dirt or grime on the inside of the uppers from the years of storing them carefully on your ski rack or in the back of your pickup truck. So...please try the cleaning and maintenance trick above, as it should fix them right up. If they are broken, by all means call customer service. You can buy a new part for a small charge, or we may ask for you to send them in and we'll fix them for free if deemed under warranty or our fault....or for a small charge. We love to ski, so you can bet we know how bad and how fast you need your poles back, and we do everything we can to get them back in your hands before the next dump of powder.
Packs
How do I attach my skis to the pack if there are no side straps?
There is no quicker, more efficient and easier way to attach your skis to your pack for a short or long hike or boot-pack up a mountain than with Life-Link's Diagonal ski straps. Please forgive us old-time A-frame carriers...but once you go diagonal, you never go back. Simply put your skis together as you would at the end of a day of skiing (bases together), and slide your skis, tails first into the bottom right loop on our packs. Then, lay your skis against the back of the pack, and clip the top diagonal strap around the skis and tighten. Viola, a tight pair of skis across your back(pack) that won't hit you in the calves or back of your head. Please give it a try. We trust you'll like it much better. (Note- If you strap your skis together with a ski strap first, it works better and your edges cannot cut the webbing or pack fabric.)
Do your packs hold a Hydration Cell?
Yes, all our packs have a sleeve inside the pack, along your backbone, for a water bladder. There is a hydration hose hole between the shoulder straps for your hose to exit. The Granite pack has internal hydration hose routing, allowing the hose to stay inside the pack until it comes out on your shoulder strap near the sternum strap- avoiding exposure to freezing.
Where on the packs do I carry my Shovel and Probe?
Life-Link packs are designed by skiers and snowboarders, for skiers and snowboarders. One thing we dislike, is a lot of gear dangling off our packs as we ski. So, after years of backcountry travel, we've learned a valuable lesson time and time again- KEEP YOUR AVALANCHE GEAR SAFELY INSIDE YOUR PACK!
Our packs hold your shovel handle, probe, and other avalanche gear in well organized sleeves and pockets so they are quick to get to if and when an avalanche happens.
The Rando X, has a Dedicated Avalanche Pocket. Quickly accessed on the back of the pack, your shovel, probe and handle are right there when you open the pack. The Granite pack's single compartment is set up just like this, keeping your probe and shovel handle on either side of the hydration pouch, with the shovel blade fitting in atop it all.
Once again, your old pack may have been different, but trust us again here- this is the ideal way to tour, day after day, knowing you didn't lose something important- like your shovel- in that last bottomless powder somersault.
Probes
What is the difference between the Speed Pro Series and the Speed Light Series Probes?
The Speed Pro Series probes have stainless steel cable and an aluminum bar pull handle auto-locking system. This material is ideal for the avalanche professional who may use their probe daily throughout the season.
The Speed Light Series probes use a very strong and durable 2mm climbing cord and an ultra-light plastic auto-locking system.
Both probes lock automatically into place by pulling the Handle (pro series) or Cord/Web Loop (Light Series). And both have the Speed Bullets, which line up your probe sections in a flash, allowing you to throw and pull the auto-locking handle...assembling your probe into full working position, before it hits the ground.
How do I disassemble my probe once it's all assembled?
It's easier than you think...but leaves many scratching their heads. The Pro Series handle has a round button on the locking system. Simply push the button, and pull the handle a bit further out...and the lock will release and your probe will come into sections. We designed this so it did not prematurely come apart if you bumped the button, so you do need to push the button AND pull and/or twist the aluminum T-handle at the same time to release the pressure.
The Speed Light Probe is even easier. Simply pull up on the Yellow Wedge at the top of your probe lock system. If you hold the probe, grasping one section below the top section of tubing...pull the yellow wedge up...and slide the top section of tubing up, you'll have the slack in the cord you need to fold your probe back up and put it back in it's bag.
Shovels
What is the warranty on Life-Link Shovels?
Life-Link Ice Polycarbonate shovels come with a Life-Time Guarantee on the blade. These blades are designed to be unbreakable. If you break it, we'll replace it. That's how confident we are in their durability. (NOTE: You can break it however- if you were to expose the blade to motor oil, gas, battery acid, prolonged exhaust fumes, excess heat, and other solvents that can break down the material of the blade. In this case, it voids the warranty so try to keep your shovel away from the engine of your car, etc.)
Life-Link Aluminum Shovels, including the Alpine Pro and Guide have a one-year warranty against manufacturers defects. These are very strong shovels, but like all metal shovels, once they are bent by excess prying or chopping of unmovable objects they become and stay weak. We design these shovels to have the handle support the blade so they do cut and move snow efficiently, but they are not unbreakable or unbendable.
Shovel blades, handles and parts can be purchased from Customer Service at a nominal cost. If you feel your shovel is under warranty please call Customer Service for assistance.
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