Friction Fit Dance Pole:
The Right Choice For You?

As its name suggests, a friction fit pole is held in place by friction, usually via a rubber pad of some sort on the top and bottom. The pads distribute the force of the pressure that's generated, preventing damage to your floor and ceiling.

X-Pole
Friction Fit Dance Pole

The other important piece of this type of system is inside the dance pole itself, which will typically contain either an internal heavy duty spring mechanism or an external lock nut system.

However your pole is held in place, the fact that it's a friction system - as opposed to a removable dance pole that uses a bolted ceiling mount, or permanent pole dancing pole that uses a fixed mounting system - is what gives it its unique quality.

Friction fit poles come in one piece and multi-piece models.

A friction fit dance pole that breaks down into two or more pieces is truly portable, so I've put more information about this model on my portable dance pole page.

This type of pole is also commonly referred to as a "removable" stripper or dance pole, though again I prefer the term "friction mount" to distinguish it from other models

The friction mount option is offered by a number of different companies, each with their own design variation. Lil Mynx is one of my personal favourites, but I also like the X-Pole for quality and innovation.

Is Friction Fit Right For You?

• You live in a rented house or apartment and don't think screw holes in the floor or ceiling would go over too well with the landlord.


• You want to be able to move your dance pole from room to room, or to different locations in the same room (another option is to get a removable or semi-permanent dance pole with extra ceiling mounts)


• You live in a home with limited space where a permanent dance pole may interfere with other uses of the room; in this case a friction fit model may provide more options for use of the space


• You've got a "co-op" going on with one or more girlfriends and you'll be moving the dance pole between homes (though the removable pole/extra ceiling mount option may also work here)


• You think you might want to set your equipment up in places other than your home and you don't want to be installing additional ceiling mounts wherever you go!

Pros and Cons of Friction Fit Dance Poles

Like anything else in life, the different types of dance poles all have their pros and cons.

Whether or not friction fit is the right kind for you will depend on your lifestyle, your intended use, how safety conscious you are, and several other factors.

Here are some of the most important things to consider:

Friction fit models are great if you want to be able to put your dance pole up and down relatively easily with no marks or holes in your ceiling.

However, unless you have a multi-piece portable dance pole that tucks away neatly in a case, you'll need to get creative with where you store it when it's not in use...perhaps under the bed or in the basement?

You'll also need a certain amount of physical strength to install your friction fit dance pole, as these do require a bit of elbow grease to make sure they're secure.

However, friction fit dance poles generally don't require any tools, so they are easier to install in some ways.

I found the Lil Mynx easiest to install because there are only 2 pieces that slide easily together. X-Pole has more parts, but still goes up relatively easily.

I had a horrible experience with the Platinum Stages model that I tested, and can't honestly recommend it. The parts are heavy, they didn't go together smoothly, and with a single person install it was very difficult to get the pole straight before attempting to tighten it into place.

Even though you don't need a drill or other electric tools to put up a friction fit dance pole, it is important that you get the installation right, as improper installation is the number one cause of poledancing injuries.

Something else to be aware of is that you will need to know how to find suitable locations. For example, you'll need to know what kind of clearance you need, what types of ceilings are and aren't safe, and what types of flooring will work with the specific brand that you decide on.

The installation instructions that come with your pole should provide you with this information, but if in doubt, be sure to check with the manufacturer.

Some friction fit dance poles are even designed to be easily portable, making them a good choice if you'll be moving your equipment around a lot, for example if you're planning to start a home pole dancing party business.

Probably the top reason people buy a friction fit model is that when installed correctly, they don't cause any damage to floors or ceilings, and can be removed without a trace.

You'll need to balance this advantage, however, with the other considerations listed above.

The most important thing to know about this type of pole is that in general, they are the least secure and the most likely to come down. Which isn't to say they are inherently unsafe, but they do require certain safety precautions and a healthy respect for gravity.

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