Parts of a Ski Pole

Grip - the very top of the pole, usually made of molded rubber or plastic. If possible, wear your gloves/mitts to make sure you can comfortably hold your poles.

Hand Guards - Models designed for slalom racers may incorporate a cover to shield hands from hitting gates.

Adjustable Grip - Certain styles can be positioned to fine-tune the pole's overall height. Usually they extend/retract about 2-3 inches, makingthem great for complete customization or growing athletes.

Strap - attached to the grip to secure poles in case they get stuck in snow or you loosen your grip. Often a nylon strap that's lopped around your wrist, but can also be a curved extension off the grip. These plastic or rubber loops are fixed on one end, leaving the other open to easily wrap around your glove. Injuries to the wrist & thumb can easily result from grasping poles during a fall, so many manufacturers incorporate these flexible arcs to get hands out of the way easily. There are also straps that offer a Velcro closure or quick-release function to prevent hand injuries from impact.

Shaft - the main part of the ski pole, cylindrical and made of composite, titanium, aluminum, carbon fiber or fiberglass. Should be strong, lightweight, flexible & resilient (when it bends, it shouldn't stay bent!)

Curved Shaft - aerodynamic design & low swing weight in curved poles perform better for downhill racers.

Basket - the disc near the bottom of the pole that stays on top of the snow. The average disc should work fine for groomed resort trails, but for deep powder a larger disc is necessary to keep from falling through the snow. Most baskets are easily interchangeable. 

Materials

Ski poles are typically made of aluminum, graphite, fiberglass, or composite materials, all varying in weight, price & performance.Most models today are made of a combination of these materials, drawing the benefits of each. A pole that feels too heavy can through off your balance, whereas a super-light racing pole won't be able to withstand average resort wear & tear.

Aluminum - moderately lightweight &most affordable, but can bend/snap easily.

Carbon Fiber - 100% carbon fiber creates the lightest poles available, but is also easily dented.

Composite/graphite - durable & have resilient flex, but are also slightly heavier. 

Do you need carbon wheels? Wheels make a huge difference to how a bike rides and feels, and carbon fibre wheels have become very popular in the last decade. But carbon wheels are they just for professional bike racers? No.

Lightweight.

Building a deep section rim in aluminium would result in a very heavy wheel. Carbon is simply much lighter and is the reason it's the material of choice for wheels. The lightest carbon fibre wheels have tubular rims, and can be exceptionally light: Lightweight does a set that are 940g for the pair! If you’re a climber and want your bike to be as light as possible, carbon fibre tubulars are the way to go, provided you’re happy to glue your tyres to the rims. The stiffness to weight ratio is also better than aluminium wheels.