If you are thinking about buying a stripper pole or dance pole for your home so you can begin a pole dancing workout, for plain fun, or a stripper practice, then you will want to get the right or “best” dance pole finish type for your skin type and the environment.  More importantly, you will want to know which dance pole finish type is best for optimum grip in your situation. Chrome Versus Stainless Steel, Versus Brass, Versus Silicone, Versus Powder Coated, versus Gold…. there are a lot of finish types to choose from. Its also important to learn how to buy a SAFE dance pole that is the right size and finish for your body type and your specific type of use. In this article, we will focus on the “finish” of the pole. If you need extra guidance on how to decide what pole dancing pole size and diameter is best for your home, then read this article >> The most common pole dancing pole finish in chrome and 90% of our customers order the chrome 45 mm dance poles. Almost all pole dance competitions will use chrome and it is the finish most widely used for general use and that includes the use of fitness, exercise, and “at home workouts”. There are also stainless steel dance poles, brass dance poles, titanium gold dance poles, powder coated colored poles, and silicone coated dance poles.

Breakdown of the different advantages of each dance pole finish type:

Chrome Plated Steel Dance Poles

Chrome dance poles are best for general use and is most widely used for a home pole dancing workout. Most chrome dance poles come in 45mm but can come in other sizes like 40mm and 50mm.  Virtually every person can benefit from learning to dance on a chrome dance pole and if you plan to compete in pole dancing, then you will be required to dance on a chrome 45mm pole in most cases so it would be in your advantage to learn to grip it. Most people use a liquid or cream grip aid on their chrome dance pole finish type because it can get slippery, especially if you are a super sweater. Most name brands (and no brand knock offs) use the standard “chrome” finish that is electroplated over steel, but you must be CAUTIOUS because not ALL poles are electroplated with good quality chrome.  Steel can rust in humid environments so depending on where you live, this should be something you pay close attention too.   I have lived in Florida a few blocks away from the beach and danced on a good quality chrome pole a lot of the time with no issues in a temperature controlled environment. If you don’t buy a good quality chrome dance pole for home use, then you could be getting a dance pole with a chrome finish that will peel off in a few short months.

Which pole finish should I get? The ideal pole finish depends on personal preference and grip level. Stainless steel is durable with a moderate grip. Chrome offers a shinier surface and a standard grip. Brass provides a high grip suitable for sweaty hands. Consider your grip strength and skin type to make the best choice.

There is a good video review where I explain how to buy a SAFE GOOD QUALITY chrome pole for your home and I also show you how I accidentally got CUT by a dance pole that was cheap and the chrome started peeling off!! Here is the video:

Get a SAFE and good chrome dance pole for your home here =>

Stainless Steel Dance Poles

Stainless Steel dance poles are best if you have sensitive skin or other metal allergies.   They are harder to grip than a chrome pole in a general sense.  The only exception to that rule is that the Lupit Classic stainless steel dance pole is significantly easier to grip over the X Pole stainless steel dance pole.   I don’t know why, they visually look a little different but are both stainless steel.    I have combination skin and live in Florida and the testing between the Lupit and X Pole stainless steel finish types was done in my house where the temperature and humidity were controlled. Stainless steel dance poles are best in humid climates so if you live on an island or near a beach you may want to consider this option. You see almost all dance poles are made of steel with can rust in the humidity. Many women use chrome coated steel poles in humid climates just fine, however, you will get the most LIFE and longevity out of your dance pole if you get a one made of stainless steel. A good quality chrome dance pole will last MANY years, but not as long as a stainless steel pole.

Key Points: Chrome Versus Stainless Steel Dance Poles

Chrome is a strong plating over steel and can be susceptible to rusting in humid environments if not taken care of properly.  It is the most common and widely used dance pole for home and competition use and the most cost effective.  Stainless is not nearly as susceptible to rust and contains no Nickel which is great for people with allergies.  Both look the same on the surface. Gripping is a little more slippery on stainless depending on your environment.

Brass Dance Poles

Brass dance poles are a good finish to get if you have dry skin or live in a colder climate. It gives you a better grip and is a LOT easier to grip than chrome and stainless steel dance poles. On the flip side, once it gets too warm and the humidity increases, you can stick TOO much.  However, it is not nearly as sticky as the powder coated poles in a warmer environment. Sliding down the pole is part of a pole dancing workout so sticking too much can be just as frustrating as not being able to get a good grip.  Brass gives a good gripping balance in the right environment. Another advantage is that brass doesn’t rust, so similar to the Stainless Steel pole; it can be an advantage to get a brass pole if you live near a beach or an island as a means to get the MAX life out of your pole. I personally have used a brass pole in a humid environment about 2 minutes from a beach (I also have combination skin) and love it.  It’s easier to grip than the chrome poles by far.  I do switch back to chrome when it gets too hot and too sticky. Brass poles will naturally tarnish and then also bend a lot easier, it’s the natural because brass is a softer metal.  If you are expecting your brass pole to stay perfectly gold for a lifetime, then brass is not for you.  You can regularly clean your brass pole with Brasso, but in my experience, it never fully returns it to the new sparkling gold finish it once was brand new.   If you want it to stay more gold colored over time, consider Titanium Gold instead.    In addition to the tarnishing, brass will bend.  I know a bent pole kinda freaks people out, however brass will slightly bend if you over tighten the pole or if it’s extended to a really tall pole height.  The flexing is normal and I have never felt like that interfered with my pole dancing, I still love it to pieces!

Key Points: Chrome Versus Brass Dance Poles

Chrome is a strong plating over steel and can be susceptible to rusting in humid environments if not taken care of.  It is the most common and widely used dance pole for home and competition use and the most cost effective.  Brass is a softer metal which will have more susceptibility to bending, brass will naturally tarnish over time due to the oils in your hands requiring a lot more cleaning, it will not rust, and has a much better grip than chrome, especially in warmer environments.

Titanium Gold Dance Poles

Titanium gold dance poles are “electronically coated” steel dance poles in a gold finish to enhance the grip so it’s easier to grip than a chrome pole but not as sticky as the brass for most people. Again, this also depends on your climate and skin type.   Gold dance poles offer a healthy gripping balance between chrome and brass.   The gold finish will definitely look much more brilliantly gold colored a lot longer than a brass pole will.  Titanium Gold poles are also the same rigidity as a chrome dance pole since the gold is a gold plating whereas brass poles are fully made of brass, making it a softer metal more susceptible to bending. Titanium gold will show scratches more so than chrome due to it’s brilliant finish over time so take better care to not abuse it during transportation.

Key Points: Chrome Versus Titanium Gold Dance Poles

Chrome is a strong plating over steel and is the most common and widely used dance pole for home and competition use and the most cost effective.  Titanium Gold will not tarnish like a brass dance pole and the gold is a plating over steel similar to chrome, just a different color.   Gripping is similar but a bit better for most people on the Titanium Gold.

Check Out Our New Professional Grade Titanium MultiColor Illusion Pro Quality Dance Pole

This is a BRAND NEW PFD recommended dance pole launched in November of 2022 so there will be no reviews yet. We have very limited stock. This pole is identical to our #1 Best Selling Pro Quality Chrome Dance Pole only this is a colorful Titanium Illusion finish colour and type. Similar to the chrome finish, the titanium Pro Quality Dance Pole model is a screw together type dance pole models offering a superior smooth electroplated finish, extra strong deep set solid joints, and smooth action bearing for a graceful looking pole dance move or inverted spin! Fully removable and easily portable.

Silicone Dance Poles

Silicone dance poles are also known as Chinese poles, are for advanced tricks which are an intense pole dancing workout that most everyday people will not try. If you are a beginner and have never pole danced, a silicone dance pole is not recommended. Chances are if you need to buy a silicone pole, you already know that advantages. Men use these to do power tricks as well and often benefit from them more than a woman because men naturally have more strength to move into very advanced tricks more quickly however, anybody who is looking to do very advanced pole tricks would benefit from it’s extreme grip. The disadvantage is that there isn’t much “sliding” on these poles.  Sliding on chrome is actually a lot less painful believe it or not.  The little bit of slide in your grip takes some of the pressure off you skin, leaving less pain.  However, on a silicone pole where there is NO sliding on the pole when skin makes contact, that means ALL your body weight will go on your skin, making it a lot more painful.   Beginner pole climbs are very painful for beginners on a silicone pole as compared to chrome. They have the maximum grip you can buy on a dance pole and you can often wear clothing while you are dancing on a silicone poles (leggings is a popular choice for most). Men like this because they like to wear longer shorts, not booty shorts 😉 Silicone is very grippy – the most grippiest finish type of all poles and it’s typically not a pole you would want to dance on with bare skin as it will cause more bruising and “pole kisses”  than any other pole.  The silicone cannot be removed from the pole in most cases.  Typical color choices for silicone are pink and black. Another thing people don’t often tell you about silicone poles is that dust in the air will stick to the pole and if you have pets then the pet hair will too – very easily.   Cleaning it with warm soapy water fixes that issue though : )

Key Points: Chrome Versus Silicone Dance Poles

Chrome is a strong plating over steel. It is the most common and widely used dance pole for home and competition use and most cost effective.  Chrome allows grip and a sliding of the hand so all dance moves can be performed effectively.  Silicone is a silicone sleeve over a chrome dance pole and is extremely gripping so you can (and will probably will want to) dance in clothes, but you cannot get any slide or movement between your skin and pole at all on a silicone pole which limits the amount of moves you can do.  The extreme grippiness will leave worse skin bruising and cause more bare skin pain than chrome.  The advantage?  You won’t need any grip aids to get a grip, you stick like a fly; making the most difficult pole tricks that involve inverting or higher centrifugal force a lot easier!

Powder Coated Dance Poles

Powder coated dance poles are a painted powder coated surface over the chrome plated pole. The coating is typically applied electrostatically and is then cured under heat to allow it to flow and form a “skin”. The powder may be a thermoplastic or a thermostat polymer. It is usually used to create a hard finish that is tougher than conventional paint.  The paint can be any color however the most popular are powder colored poles in pink and black. This finish is smooth feeling (not powdery or rough) and very easy to grip for most all skin types.    Powder coated poles aid in grip just as good, if not better, than a brass dance pole, in fact, through my own personal experience I find powder coated poles sometimes TOO grippy in hotter humid weather.   This is problematic if you are doing something like a pole drop where you need to rapidly slide down the pole.   The best advantages of a powder coated pole are the variable colors and the added gripping powder.  You will not need nearly as much (if any) grip aids for your hands when using a powder coated pole.   The painted surface of the pole makes it significantly easier to grip versus a chrome or stainless steel pole in most cases with most peoples various skin types and environments. NOTE* If you live in a dry climate with dry skin, powder coated finishes are not very grippy at all and can be too slick for extremely dry skin types.   If you already have a powder coated pole and have dry skin in a dry climate, consider adding moisture to your skin with PFD Grip Tac or PFD Grip Aid Gel. The quality of the powder coated surface depends on the brand or manufacturer.   The more layers of coating color surface, the longer the surface will last.   However, as with ANY type of paint on a car, house, or pole, it CAN BE DAMAGED and scratched.  It’s VERY important to protect the finish of a powder coated pole with a good quality dance pole carrying case.  Other ways to protect your pole is to avoid dance costumes with metal buckles or fashionings that could scrape the paint on the pole – potentially damaging it.  Once damaged, you can still use the pole but it could be susceptible to rusting once scratched or damaged due to the steel metal material underneath the paint.     You might ask, once scratched, “Can it be fixed?”.   Powder coating is something automotive paint body shops have been doing for years so anything that can be powder coated is somewhat repairable : )   Just talk to you local automotive painting body shop for the best advice given your situation. X Pole, Lil Mynx, and Lupit have the widest variety of pole dancing finishes available for purchase while there is a more affordable option to try a powder coated pole with a Pro Quality Black Powder Coated Pole kit.   The finish on the Pro Quality pole is not as long lasting as the powder coated finish on an X Pole, however, it is very grippy and will give you many years of experience with a powder coated dance pole for a cheaper price so you can decide if  this finish type works for you in the long run before forking over more of your hard earned dollars on something fancy.

Key Points: Chrome Versus Powder Coated Dance Poles

Chrome is a strong plating over steel.  It is the most common and widely used dance pole for home and competition use and most cost effective.  Chrome allows grip and a sliding of the hand so all dance moves can be performed effectively.   Powder Coated poles come in colors and is a smooth feeling strong paint covering the steel surface of the pole.  It is easier to grip than chrome, it’s gripping powder is similar to brass yet still allows sliding of the hands as needed with less use of liquid grip aids while dancing.

Summary

I hope this article has helped you decide which dance pole finish type might work for you.    I have several dance poles that I use for various seasons and various reasons : )  A girl could always use an extra dance pole! Always remember that your grip will be unique because it’s dependent on your own hand strength, skin type, and environment in which you live. If you still aren’t sure which one might be best for you, get one with a little less grip than you think you might need because you can always increase your grip with liquid or cream grip aids until your hands get stronger.