Bandshoppe pole

Two bandpoles

A Bandshoppe pole, sometimes known as a band pole, is a hollow fiberglass pole originally made for flags in marching bands. They are commonly used as a core for polearms.

Approximately 1" in diameter and available in lengths up to 8', band poles are very strong, have almost no flex at 8', yet are relatively light for their length. They are very widely used in the construction of polearms, such as spears and glaives, as well as other very large red weapons. Because bandpoles have so little flex, care must be taken to sufficiently pad the weapon.

Band poles are quite expensive as weapon cores go, averaging at least $10/pole. They have an extremely long lifespan, however, and are widely considered the best core material for polearms.

Sources of band poles

• Bandshoppe - The original and eponymous purveyor of band poles. They have since been found to be significantly more expensive than other sources.

• Smith and Walbridge - A more recently discovered source of bandpoles which appear in all ways identical to poles from bandshoppe. They offer a large discount on orders over 6 poles, and tend to be about $2/pole cheaper than bandshoppe on those orders.

• Woodwind Brasswind - The newest found (competitive) source of bandpoles. They do not offer a price break above a certain quantity, like Smith and Walbridge, but their 8' poles are a flat $10 and their shipping rates are reasonable, and free for orders over $99. They appear most competitive for small orders (under 6 poles) and some large orders (10 or more poles).