Why is nothing happening with the development of cross-country ski poles? Would it be possible to get more power out of each pole stroke with a different design? That's what then national team skier Mikael Östberg thought during a training session in 2007. That's when the seed was planted for what is now MODD, an exclusive and patented ski pole that the ski world has started to talk about more and more.
"The development journey for MODD has been long and also a bit bumpy," says Mikael.
- From the moment I first had the idea, I started sketching a handle that could fold out and act as a small lever. I patented that solution in 2008.
At the time, Mikael was not interested in developing the idea further on his own, so he signed a contract with a sports company that would take care of both development and sales.
- But the pole they produced didn't sell well, so unfortunately it never took off.
Tested technologies show great potential
Dalarna University has conducted independent tests on MODD ski poles with very positive results. MODD's patented AirGrip handle can improve both performance and endurance. When double poling at race speed, the tests show reduced lactate levels for AirGrip by an average of as much as 0.7 mmol compared to traditional handles at the same load. In addition, AirGrip provides extra reach in each push-off, increasing speed and improving efficiency. MODD also features a patented quick release that makes rod changes lightning fast. Compared to other competition poles, MODD is over 10 grams lighter without compromising strength or durability.
Individual choices
When the contract with the sports company ended in 2021, Mikael decided to give the idea a second chance, but now on his own. In addition to the patented handle, he wanted to work further with the material of the pole and with individual adaptations.
- The optimal pole is both light and stiff. The stiffer the better, that's how all traditional pole manufacturers think. What's unique about MODD is that you choose the stiffness based on your weight and even on your daily form," explains Mikael.
- As it is today, a rider who weighs 90 kg has the same flex in the pole as a rider who weighs half as much. I find this a bit odd. Compare this with pole vaulting, where it has been a matter of course for many years that pole vaulters have their own individual poles.
Tests show that MODD can improve ride time by around 1%, which can be equivalent to a couple of minutes for an elite skier in a long-distance race. The longer the ride time, the greater the time gain.
Another factor that makes MODD stand out is its commitment to circularity. If a MODD rod is broken or damaged, it can be repaired without any noticeable degradation in performance, so you don't have to buy a new one.
- "All aspects of sustainability are important to us, we should not waste resources," says Mikael.
Winning circularity
To move forward with MODD, Mikael Östberg joined Dalarna Science Park's business incubator in the fall of 2023. Here he regularly meets business coaches, other startups and gets access to new networks and invitations to various events.
- Being in the incubator means a lot. I get support from the business coaches on all kinds of issues, such as finding suppliers, deciding on a business model and building a team.
Linnea Borgström is a sustainability specialist and one of Mikael's coaches. She is impressed by MODD as an innovation and by Mikael as a person.
- His focus on circularity is spot on. In addition, the product matches an existing need and that is not the case with all innovations. I think MODD has it all right so far and believe they can revolutionize a segment of the industry. It will be very interesting to follow the team's journey.
Not for everyone
The MODD pole is available for seven different weight ranges and in two versions, P1 and P2, where "P" stands for pole, and costs from SEK 10,000.
During the development work, Dalelven Product Development has produced prototypes and design solutions. A number of national team skiers have served as a test group.
- We are targeting a narrow audience, so right now our strategy is to tap into the curiosity that exists and get riders talking even more about MODD.
Unlike many other pole manufacturers, MODD will not give free copies of the most exclusive P1 model to the elite, nor will they sell the poles at a discount.
- MODD is an exclusive, innovative product with a lot of development work behind it, so the price is justified. We can vouch for it.
MODD is one of the companies participating in Dalarna Science Park's incubator program funded by the EU and Region Dalarna.
