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View Full Version : Does anyone have Montem Ultralight poles?



Kelso
07-16-2019, 14:23
As of right now, I don’t really like trekking poles but I’d like to purchase them anyway to use in river crossings, for tent set up, and I’ve heard lots of people grow to like them along the trail. Looking to keep the price tag below $100 and Montem’s fit the bill but just wanted any reviews from someone who may have used them.

fastfoxengineering
07-16-2019, 15:41
As of right now, I don’t really like trekking poles but I’d like to purchase them anyway to use in river crossings, for tent set up, and I’ve heard lots of people grow to like them along the trail. Looking to keep the price tag below $100 and Montem’s fit the bill but just wanted any reviews from someone who may have used them.Cascade Mountain Techs are inexpensive and get great reviews if the money was the deciding factor.

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Traveler
07-17-2019, 07:29
Having spent decades using a hickory hiking stick when I was younger, I never thought I would like trekking poles until I had to use a set for a few days. After that I was hooked. The safety they offer when footing is not sure alone makes them mandatory for me. I find them very useful for water crossings, camp utility, holding a camera still, and other uses make them one of the first things I grab when the trail calls. I think once you use them for a while you will find them very useful.

Trekking poles have a number of features to sort through depending on what the buyer is looking for. There are many poles at the low, medium, and high priced scales to choose from, some having nuanced differences, others more defined. Much depends on what you are looking for.

You should try to define what your preferences are for:

Grips - Plastic, composite, cork, rubber clad?
Straps - Plain nylon strapping? light padding? Heavy padding? Wicking ability? Adjustable? Replaceable?
Grip shock absorbers - Yes or no
Pole adjustment - Set length (no adjustment)? Twist lock? Flick lock? Adjustable lock tension screws?
Pole material - Light gauge aluminum? Heavy gauge aluminum? Composite/carbon?
Noise tolerance - No noise when in use? Minor noise from internal components ok? Constant noise from internal components ok?
Pole baskets - No basket feature or threads? Small baskets? Replaceable baskets for snow/dry trail conditions?

Some of these issues cannot be easily determined in a store but you can get a pretty fair idea of what you want or perhaps more importantly, don't want, pretty quickly at retailers who have several types of poles in different price ranges. My preference for features put me into the moderate to expensive category of poles . Though a little more cost on the front end, my last set of poles lasted 12 years (just over 4,000 miles) which turned out to be a pretty good value. My hiking buddy is on his fourth set of low retail cost poles (Walmart level). If you need a few hours on a trail to make a determination, purchase from a retailer with a good return policy and don't be afraid to keep at it until you find the poles that work best for you.

MtDoraDave
07-22-2019, 21:56
Cascade Mountain Techs are inexpensive and get great reviews if the money was the deciding factor.

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I'm happy with mine. Very light, comfortable grips and straps, only about $45 directly from the manufacturer...I understand they can be found cheaper elsewhere...

Ginger.Snap
07-26-2019, 16:47
I have Montem ultralight carbon poles with the three sections and flip locks. They’re $80, I have put about 300 miles on them including one 250 mile trip and absolutely love them. I’ve never used other poles so I cannot compare them to other brands but I would highly recommend them for anyone I knew wanting carbon poles.

kevperro
09-28-2019, 12:21
I started using trekking poles in the early 90s. Back then I was frequently laughed at on the trail. I cannot tell you how many times people scoffed at me and made cross country skiing references. I'm not easily influenced by other people's thoughts so I've done many years of hiking with them since.

I had Leki poles back then. It was about the only option and they were well made. I would wear them out and buy another pair and eventually went through 3-4 pairs of those originals. Later in life I've adopted cheaper poles because I go through a pair every couple years. I don't find the light weight ones worth it. They break easier and when they do (all of them will), I fret about it more. The cheopo Walmart poles are my pole of choice. When I bend one (falling in the snow) or something else befalls them (a chipmunk or mouse chewed my straps off the last set), I just spend another $20 and I'm set for another couple years. Their only downside is they don't have a good snow basket. I bought another inexpensive set on Amazon for my winter hiking.

I do worry about weight in my kit. My pack base weight is usually around 10-12lbs, but I find that since I'm using them in my hands the weight doesn't negatively impact me like carried weight.

Traveler
09-29-2019, 07:59
I do worry about weight in my kit. My pack base weight is usually around 10-12lbs, but I find that since I'm using them in my hands the weight doesn't negatively impact me like carried weight.
Trekking poles don't add weight per se unless they are stored on the pack, when used properly they actually help disperse weight load from legs and lower joints. I was skeptical of this at first then tried a simple experiment by standing on a scale to get a weight reading, then held two poles adjusted so my lower arms from the elbows were at/about 90 degrees to my body. I was surprised to see just holding onto the poles, without pushing down on them, my overall weight reading was a few pounds less. It doesn't sound like a lot, but over time they lessen impact weight by 20-30% especially on downhills.