6' Foam Poles, Foam-Filled Fiberglass

Foam poles are fiberglass tubes with a foam core, and this 6-foot section is a common building block for pole pruner and pole saw setups. The foam fills the inside of the tube so moisture and dirt cannot collect there, and the pole stays stiff and light enough to work overhead.

Why foam-filled

A hollow fiberglass pole can trap water, condensation and grime on the inside, where you cannot see or clean it. A foam core takes up that space. That is why foam-filled poles are the usual choice for crews who want a pole that stays clean inside, and it is one of the requirements line-clearance outfits look at when they spec tools.

A 6-foot section is a handy length. On its own it works for low pruning and close-in saw work, and stacked with other sections it builds out a longer pole without much flex.

Foam poles are also a little more forgiving of knocks than hollow ones, since the core supports the tube wall. They still need care, but they tend to shrug off the bumps of daily use on the truck.

Care and inspection

Keep fiberglass clean and dry. Wipe off sap and dirt after use and store poles off the ground and out of direct sun. Before each job, check for cracks, deep scratches that expose fibers, crushed ends and loose fittings. A damaged pole should come out of service.

No pole makes it safe to work near energized lines unless you are a qualified line-clearance arborist and your tools are rated and tested for that work per ANSI Z133. Find more sections and complete setups in poles and kits.

Keep a record of when each pole entered service and when it was last inspected. On a crew with many poles, a simple numbering system makes it easy to pull a damaged section out before it goes back up a tree.