Ski pole

An improved hand grip and retaining strap assembly for a ski pole which includes a ski pole shaft having a generally cylindrical first end and a recess in the first end thereof, the improved hand grip and retaining strap assembly comprising:

• a hand grip which includes a generally cylindrical, elongated side wall portion, having a first end and a second end, and which has a end wall portion that substantially closes the first end of the side wall portion and that has a recess therein facing the second end of the side wall portion, the end wall portion and the side wall portion defining a generally cylindrical, elongated recess within the hand grip, with the elongated recess being open at the second end of the side wall portion and being adapted to receive the first end of the ski pole shaft therein so that the first end of the ski pole shaft may be frictionally retained within the elongated recess and be positioned adjacent to the end wall portion and so that the longitudinal axes of the first end of the ski pole shaft and the elongated recess are coaxial;
• a retaining strap having a first end and a second end;
• a first securing knob secured on the first end of the retaining strap and being adapted to be pressed within and engaged by the recess in the first end of the ski pole shaft;
• a second securing knob secured on the second end of the retaining strap and being adapted to be pressed within the engaged by the recess in the end wall portion of the hand grip;
• and
• the side wall portion of the hand grip having a side opening therein substantially adjacent to the first end of the side wall portion, with the side opening being of such a size and shape that the composite thickness of the first and second ends of the retaining strap, including the first and second securing knobs, may be passed therethrough, from the exterior of the hand grip into the interior of the elongated recess, the improved hand grip and retaining strap when assembled being characterized by the first and second ends of the retaining strap being disposed within the elongated recess, with the retaining strap extending through the side opening with said first and second end in contact with each other, and by the first end of the ski pole shaft being disposed within the elongated recess in the hand grip so that the first end of the ski pole shaft is positioned adjacent to the end wall portion of the hand grip and in contact with said first and, with the first securing knob facing the first end of the ski pole shaft and being within and engaged by the recess in the first end of the ski pole shaft and with the second securing knob facing the end wall portion of the hand grip and being within and engaged by the recess in the end wall portion, said second end contacting said end wall the engagement between the first securing knob and the recess in the first end of the ski pole shaft and the engagement between the second securing knob and the recess in the end wall portion constituting the sole means of retaining the first and second ends of the retaining strap within the hand grip.