View Full Version : Good cheap hiking poles.
Earl Grey
09-22-2006, 21:12
After this past weekend and subsequent knee pains I decided to get some poles. Some people said awww youll get used to it but my pack is kind of on the heavy side. Around 30 lbs. So im in the market for some poles. I saw REI had some for a pretty good price but didnt see any reviews on them. Any others that done cost a fortune?
Blissful
09-22-2006, 21:23
I got my Komperdells from Sierra Trading Post three years ago and still going strong. Got them when they were on sale for $30 a pair.
You can also get Lekis from Campmor for a pretty good deal. They are made by Leki but under the Campmor name, I think.
Forget the Wal mart cheapo brand. My son bent his the first time out.
blackbishop351
09-22-2006, 21:27
Forget the Wal mart cheapo brand. My son bent his the first time out.
On the other hand, I've been using my Walmart poles for over two years with no problems at all. They're heavier than the more expensive ones, but that doesn't bother me overmuch.
Lone Wolf
09-22-2006, 21:35
Earl would pick up a fallen limb once in awhile then discard it. Y'all don't need $100 plus poles. Just walk. I'm 47 and have "bad" knees. Had major surgery. I don't need no stinkin poles. Pain is just weakness leaving the body.:)
Farr Away
09-22-2006, 21:44
Forget the Wal mart cheapo brand. My son bent his the first time out.
I'd say that depends.
I got a set of the WalMart cheapo brand (Swiss Gear) for my last hike - no problems at all. Having said that, I'm on the short-side of average for a woman so I didn't have them fully extended, and while I'm not going to post my weight :p , I'm not overweight for my height, either.
One thing that I really liked was that I could try out hiking with poles without having much money sunk into them. I'm still not sure that I'll always hike with two poles, but my injured knee really appreciated the help on the downhills this time. This was our most challenging, longest distance, hike this year, and my knee came out of the woods feeling better than it had the day before the hike. Way cool!
If you're not sure, the Swiss Gear aren't a bad place to start.
blackbishop351
09-22-2006, 21:44
Earl would pick up a fallen limb once in awhile then discard it. Y'all don't need $100 plus poles. Just walk. I'm 47 and have "bad" knees. Had major surgery. I don't need no stinkin poles. Pain is just weakness leaving the body.:)
Wolf, is there ANYONE you wouldn't call a wuss?? j/k :D
Earl Grey
09-23-2006, 09:13
Earl would pick up a fallen limb once in awhile then discard it. Y'all don't need $100 plus poles. Just walk. I'm 47 and have "bad" knees. Had major surgery. I don't need no stinkin poles. Pain is just weakness leaving the body.:)
I dont want to have to have major surgery in the first place. :-?
white rabbit
09-23-2006, 09:21
[quote=Blissful;248113]
You can also get Lekis from Campmor for a pretty good deal. They are made by Leki but under the Campmor name, I think.
I got a set of the Campmor by Leki poles. They cost 50 bucks a pair and work for me. They feel a lot lighter than the Walmart ones.
http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=21854782&memberId=12500226&storeId=226&catalogId=40000000226&langId=-1
I'd say that depends.
I got a set of the WalMart cheapo brand (Swiss Gear) for my last hike - no problems at all. Having said that, I'm on the short-side of average for a woman so I didn't have them fully extended, and while I'm not going to post my weight :p , I'm not overweight for my height, either.
One thing that I really liked was that I could try out hiking with poles without having much money sunk into them. I'm still not sure that I'll always hike with two poles, but my injured knee really appreciated the help on the downhills this time. This was our most challenging, longest distance, hike this year, and my knee came out of the woods feeling better than it had the day before the hike. Way cool!
If you're not sure, the Swiss Gear aren't a bad place to start.
werd... can't go wrong for $20. plus save the reciept and take it back if you want to upgrade later.
After this past weekend and subsequent knee pains I decided to get some poles. Some people said awww youll get used to it but my pack is kind of on the heavy side. Around 30 lbs. So im in the market for some poles. I saw REI had some for a pretty good price but didnt see any reviews on them. Any others that done cost a fortune?
Sent you a PM about a pair I have for sale.
kyhiker1
09-24-2006, 01:03
I have used the Wally World cheapo poles extensively now for several months with hardly any complaints.After around 150 trail miles one of the poles fails to tighten on the bottom section.For 20.00 it was well worth the effort.
FanaticFringer
09-24-2006, 01:22
I've used these for several years and they work fine.
www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?a=206318
SGT Rock
09-24-2006, 02:25
Get some bamboo and make a set.
Get some bamboo and make a set.
Or a couple of alder saplings, which are free and easier to find, no heavier, a bit more flexible and easier to carve into hand grips and to fit with crutch tips.
Tamarack
09-24-2006, 09:13
Newbie here so how do you walk with these poles? are they for throwing jauvlin style at bears or just walking? Silly question I know but I've never tried.
Some info here
http://www.backpacking.net/walkstik.html
But the best one is below listed. Most people apparently use them incorrectly. Here is a great discussion on how you should use them:
http://www.personal.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/poles.htm
But then, I just use a single pole.
And I put a rubber pad on the bottom of it so it doesnt punch all those little distracting and damaging holes alongside the trail:sun
I believe the REI brand poles are made by Kompredell. Also check Sierra Trading Post for discounted Kompredell poles.
Lanthar Mandragoran
09-25-2006, 16:15
On the other hand, I've been using my Walmart poles for over two years with no problems at all. They're heavier than the more expensive ones, but that doesn't bother me overmuch.
Ditto, I've seen very little to convince me that mine aren't bulletproof (unless of course one uses them as swords around camp, then it's pretty easy to bend them).
Then again, I'm not saying Blissful's poles didn't bend legitimately. All I'm saying is I'm pretty sure you could find someone who has had a Leki poles bend on them first time out.
Long feet
09-25-2006, 22:40
Newbie here so how do you walk with these poles? are they for throwing jauvlin style at bears or just walking? Silly question I know but I've never tried.
Hey Tamarack,
I will be bringing my Leki's next month. You can take a look at them then. I just love them. After my knee injury they sure do help. I am sure that at least 80% is psychological, but I'll take what I can get. They already saved me from a nasty fall, so the money was well spent. I think that I'm going to get a pair of the wally world poles for my wife. I'm trying what ever I can to go hiking with me :)
By the way, I think we are going to take a day hike in SNP this weekend to look at the fall colors.
I have the Swiss Gear's from Walmart, many trips, still here - they do the job. I personally don't know what the price thing is with poles, but they sure can get expensive. If you haven't been using any, buy cheap and upgrade as needed. Now if you find one that has a folding tripod on one end and camera attachment on the other, please let me know, I'd pay for that.
Blissful
09-26-2006, 15:01
Forget the Wal mart cheapo brand. My son bent his the first time out.
Yeah, I neglected to say that we did have them in the WHite Mtns. The only poles that didn't bend were mine (Komperdell) I got from Sierra Trading Post for $30. The again I prefer the two section poles via the three section. I think they may be sturdier for some reason. But they are also harder to find - the poles are all three section now.
I think it depends on where you want to spend money. If you have pretty good joints and want them more for stability and energy, you could go cheap. For me over forty with bad everything it seems, I want ones that I know are going to hold up okay. And mine have been doing well for over three years now. Plus Sierra Trading Post has a great "forever" return policy.
greentick
09-26-2006, 15:27
REI-outlet has a bunch of komperdell poles on sale now.
Forget the Wal mart cheapo brand. My son bent his the first time out.
How? I put over 100 miles on a wal-mart special over extremely difficult scree and larger unstable rock, that was after it went through thousands of miles of airline abuse packed! The basket did get pretty torn up, it was very close to breaking completely off, I abused it in mud as well, sunk in too far. Still, structurally it was nice, except the 98% deet or whatever I had on my hand did eat into the handle a little! :D
I have the Swiss Gear's from Walmart, many trips, still here - they do the job. I personally don't know what the price thing is with poles, but they sure can get expensive. If you haven't been using any, buy cheap and upgrade as needed. Now if you find one that has a folding tripod on one end and camera attachment on the other, please let me know, I'd pay for that.
I epoxied a hex head 1/4-20 screw into the top of my wooden hiking stick, creating a monopod, which combined with my two legs makes for a tripod.
Just drill a 7/16th hole in the end of the pole and insert the hex head screw. I add a couple of nuts to the screw to provide more surface for the glue to attach too. Leave a quarter inch or so of threads protuding.
I understand you can unscrew the top of some commercial hiking sticks and use them also as a monopod.
Weary
Big Dawg
09-27-2006, 21:00
Earl would pick up a fallen limb once in awhile then discard it. Y'all don't need $100 plus poles. Just walk. I'm 47 and have "bad" knees. Had major surgery. I don't need no stinkin poles. Pain is just weakness leaving the body.:)
hmmmmmmm:-?,,,, no poles,,,,, bad knees,,,,, got it, thanks!!:rolleyes:
I'll stick w/ my poles!!! :D