“Can I buy a dance pole on Amazon?”

Can you? Sure. Should you? Hell no.

Buying a pole is a serious investment—and it isn’t like buying equipment for any other hobby. This apparatus literally holds your body weight up to 10 feet in the air, often relying on tension alone. 

Not to be dramatic, but deciding whether or not to buy a pole on Amazon is equivalent to deciding whether or not you’re okay with the risk of breaking your neck. There’s obviously a level of risk involved with all aerial arts involving apparatuses that involve above-average heights, but there is a way to mitigate those risks and ensure the quality and safety of your apparatus is one thing not to worry about. 

We are FAR from elitist, but when it comes to purchasing a home pole, quality is seriously EVERYTHING. That’s why we always advise that our students who are looking to purchase a pole for practicing at home stick to the only two brands we (and most other studios) trust—we’ll talk about those toward the end of this blog.. 

If you’re looking at purchasing your own pole, here’s what you need to know about knock offs. 

1. They use cheaper materials.

The grade of metal on these poles is more prone to rusting, scratching, and damaging (both in transit and beyond). Some people may even experience allergic reactions if the poles are not made with quality metals or finishes. This may even interfere with proper grip. 

2. The tension is not reliable.

Those videos you see online of people’s home poles falling from the ceiling? That’s often because of the cheap hardware (though many people don’t check their tension/levels regularly, which is a must). Not many people want to bolt their poles to the ceiling, and tension poles allow for more flexibility in your space. So high quality poles come with tension hardware you can trust to withstand the force of pole dance. 

3. Spin isn’t as controllable. 

Too fast, too slow, doesn’t last long enough, squeaks and creaks…these are all issues associated with cheap poles. Plus, the mechanics of switching from spin to static are often clunkier and not nearly as user friendly.

4. There is no warranty.

There’s often no warranty on cheaper poles to protect your purchase from potential defects, which are much more common with Amazon poles than those from reputable pole dancing distributors. High quality poles come with at least one-year warranties that cover defective materials and hardware so you can dance with confidence. 

So…what poles SHOULD you get? 

We’ve been around the block, and these are the only poles we trust with our students! We would never recommend a product we don’t fully believe in. 

X-Pole

X-Pole is one of the original pole manufacturers and a staple brand across the pole community, setting the standard for quality and safety. They offer a variety of finishes and coatings to suit your preferences, as well as options like stage poles for those who do not wish to use a mounted pole. These are reliable and popular poles that last long with good care. Check them out here. 

Lupit Poles

Lupit poles only came onto the scene a few years ago in 2018, and since has risen to meet the rigorous safety and quality standards set by X-Pole. They are a very worthy rival with a variety of classic finishes and unique colors with tension technology trusted by studios around thee world. In fact, these are the poles we choose to use in our studio. The spin is smooth and controlled, the nickel-free chrome allows for better grip, and the spin-to-static locking mechanism is as seamless as X-Pole’s design. Click here to take a look. 

While these brands have a higher price tag than off-brand poles from sites like Amazon, they bring you more than just an apparatus to practice on. They bring you peace of mind. 

Like we said in the beginning of our blog, buying a pole is an investment…not just a purchase. When it comes to pole dance and aerial equipment, you get what you pay for. And for that reason, we’ll never suggest someone save a buck by buying cheap poles. 

Ready to fly with us in our studio? Join us for an introductory pole dancing workshop in Frederick, MD!