I would say it's the most overrated, overpriced thing you could buy for a ski. Jmo.
heavy and expensive.
I would suggest a short steer plate and bars setup (2.5" or -3.25'), and cutting a stock pole down, start with -2". If you want it even shorter, cut another 1" or whatever you think at that time. I am 6' and have ran everything from stock to -9.5". And for me -7" overall is about perfect. But my setup can be hard for short people to ride. The main reason for my short pole setup is the fact that my overall ski is pretty light, and very light in the nose (about 22lbs lighter from the battery, tank and waterbox setup alone).
If I was at stock length I dont hink I would be able to bring the nose down after landing on the tail in surf.
Stock= super light, any length you want it, and cheap.
RRP= 5lb heavier, 15 hundred dollar turd.
There are so many better things you could spend you $$$ on.
Oh, and when you find the right length on your stock pole, I stongly recomend wrapping the lower portion of the pole with some 11oz Carbon... Keep the weave tight, and make it 3 layers thick, overlapping the metal as far down as you can go, and 4"s up the fiberglass.... be sure to realy scuff everything up with 40grit, I remove all the gelcoat when I do this, keep the resin content low by squeging out as you go.... I abuse the hell out of my boat, and I can not breat this pole setup.
I run a x-metal stainless bracket, and no pole spring also. The bracket allows me to tighten the pole movement as much as I like... Billet brackets do not allow this.... you could also run a spring as well.
I dont like the tight no spring setup with a x-metal pole, its just to heavy for me.... stock pole all the way.