POLE DANCE POLE: WHICH MATERIAL SHOULD YOU CHOOSE?

CHROME (CHROMED STEEL)

👉 The standard, classic finish. Chrome is widely used at home, in studios, and in competitions.

→ Pros:

• Affordable price
• Classic grip, suitable for all uses and levels

→ Cons:

• Contains nickel (watch out if you’re allergic)
• Can be slippery when cold → you’ll need to warm it up with a few spins
• Tends to wear out slightly faster than stainless steel

NB: Lupit Pole’s chrome poles are nickel-free, making them hypoallergenic!

STAINLESS STEEL

👉 With a grip and look similar to chrome but hypoallergenic, stainless steel is the main alternative. You’ll often find it in studios.

→ Pros:

• No nickel allergies (unlike most chrome poles)
• More durable than chrome

→ Cons:

• Higher price point
• Can feel a bit more slippery than chrome for beginners

BRASS

👉 A love-it-or-hate-it material! Completely different from chrome or stainless steel, brass is ideal for hot and humid climates. It also has a golden finish.

→ Pros:

• Hypoallergenic
• Better grip than titanium gold
• Excellent grip in warm/humid environments

→ Cons:

• Slippery at first → you need to “break it in”
• Less suitable for cold/dry environments, slippery if not warmed up properly
• Higher price
• Requires specific care (brass tends to tarnish over time, reducing grip)

TITANIUM GOLD

👉 Very popular in the early days of pole dance, titanium gold is essentially a chrome pole with a golden look and slightly better grip (thanks to an electrolytic treatment).

→ Pros:

• Good grip, suitable for all practices

→ Cons:

• Contains nickel (possible allergies)
• Golden finish wears off over time, revealing the chrome underneath
• More expensive than standard chrome

POWDER COATED

👉 “Powder coated” poles are covered with a colored finish baked onto the steel at high temperatures. They provide extra grip and are especially loved by those who struggle with more traditional finishes.

→ Pros:

• Superior grip → great for learning tricky moves or for those with grip issues
• Less cold to the touch (more comfortable at the start of training)
• Available in several colors
• Affordable price

→ Cons:

• Not ideal for drops or spins on static → can cause skin burns
• The extra grip means less grip/strength training for your hands (you might nail a move on powder coated, but not on chrome… not ideal for competition prep)

SILICONE

👉 “Silicone poles” are steel poles coated with a silicone sleeve. Perfect for training with clothes on, they’re often used for performances or flying pole.

→ Pros:

• Maximum grip
• Great for practicing dressed or for acro pole (similar to Chinese pole in circus arts)

→ Cons:

• Not suitable for standard pole practice (drops, spins on static, etc.)
• Training in classic polewear on silicone can cause burns
• More expensive than regular chrome poles

NB: Be mindful of your outfit choice to avoid the feeling of slipping in your clothes!

GECKOGRIP™

👉 This finish is only offered by The Pole Italy (AGM). Similar to powder coated, GeckoGrip™ is especially popular with dancers who struggle with grip. It’s made with a unique plastic micro-formulation.

→ Pros:

• Two colors available: shiny black or shiny white
• Nickel-free
• Exceptional grip thanks to its micro-texture → reduces fatigue in adductors and thumb tendons
• Designed to wear down in a controlled way for added safety

→ Cons:

• Higher price
• Like powder coated, it trains less grip strength

👉 We hope this guide helped shed some light on the different pole finishes! Now, all that’s left is for you to decide which one suits you best. (Our advice: If you’re still unsure, we recommend trying out a few different poles at nearby studios.)

And if you have any other questions we haven’t answered yet, feel free to reach out to us on Instagram (@polefactorymc) or by email through our contact form — we’ll be happy to help!

See you soon! ☽