View Full Version : $10 hiking pole
gollwoods
01-29-2008, 20:23
walmart has a $10 hiking pole, which has a cork handle, that can't be durable, can it?
I hiked at Red River Gorge this past summer with someone and his broke in very short order. I'd rather spend a few extra bucks and get kwality gear insted of having to replace it in short order. But that's just me. :D
Lone Wolf
01-29-2008, 20:26
they're free in the woods
dessertrat
01-29-2008, 20:52
I have one. It is 6000 series aluminum, which means it is not as strong as 7000 series, which is what more expensive poles are made of. But mine works OK.
Lanthar Mandragoran
01-29-2008, 22:38
I don't have the cork one... I've got the (apparently) older one, no problems so far...
I have the older one as well and they have served me well over tha last 2 years.
I've seen some broken and thrown on the trail, and I've seen some that have a couple thousand miles on them. They seem to be all over the beard with their reliability. I say it's worth $10 for the chance that they will last you for years. If they break, it's a $10 lesson.
I have cross country ski poles with cork grips. They're over 10 years old, and have hundreds of miles of skiing on them.
A lot of good hiking poles have cork grips. They are meant to give better grip when wet than plastic, but they probably aren't as durable when they're tossed over rock faces before you climb them. For $10.00, you should give them a shot. If they don't last, get some Komperdells on Sierra Trading Post. They usually have great deals on them.
Pokey2006
01-30-2008, 00:17
Mine have around 2,000 miles on them and counting...
dessertrat
01-30-2008, 00:29
They seem to be all over the beard with their reliability. .
I guess "all over the beard" is a thru-hiker's term, or at least a hippie term?
Bulldawg
01-30-2008, 00:30
I've got a set of these with a few miles on them. I like them for the price. I actually saw them on clearance at my local WalMart this week and I am going back tomorrow to buy every single one they have left for my wife and kids. They are on clearance for $5. You really can't beat a $5 hiking pole.............................:eek::eek:
They seem to be all over the beard with their reliability. I say it's worth $10 for the chance that they will last you for years. If they break, it's a $10 lesson.
I can second that. I made it all the way to Damascus on my first two poles but then had to replace three in the next 150 miles.
I finally decided to give them up when one snapped coming down Dragon's Tooth and literally almost resulting in my death! Good times.....
I guess that, after reading the last post, you're probably better off buying some quality poles. I can attest to the number of times that, had I had cheap poles, they might have broken under most of my weight and skewered me through. I have some relatively heavy but strong Lekis.
Pokey2006
01-30-2008, 01:31
Snarf, what are you doing to those poles to make them keep breaking??? You shouldn't be going through that many, whether they are cheapies or high quality. That's just nuts.
Tennessee Viking
01-30-2008, 02:03
I used an Eddie Bauer pole that I got at Target until I got my Mountainsmiths. $14 for a single pole. But it kept up with me. My only concern was that it looked like it was made out of cheap aluminum. So I only used them for day hikes and overnight sections.
But as long as you dont pull them all the way out to their ends. They should last for a while.
Would I use them for a long section or a thru, maybe not. They are good for a weekend hikes.
Tennessee Viking
01-30-2008, 02:05
I can second that. I made it all the way to Damascus on my first two poles but then had to replace three in the next 150 miles.
I finally decided to give them up when one snapped coming down Dragon's Tooth and literally almost resulting in my death! Good times.....If you were going up into Mt Rogers. Thats what did them in. Rocky and steep.
Pokey2006
01-30-2008, 02:16
Geez, it's not that rocky and steep! Nothing down there is so rocky and steep that you'd be going through 3-5 sets of hiking poles! I'm still trying to figure that out...
Lone Wolf
01-30-2008, 08:39
If you were going up into Mt Rogers. Thats what did them in. Rocky and steep.
since when is the mt. rogers area rocky and steep? :-?
They won't be able to handle PA rocks unless you are as careful about where you "stick it" as you are with where you put your feet down.
warren doyle
01-30-2008, 09:15
A $1 ski pole bought at a thrift stors lasts the whole trail for me.
I have found this to be true, you get what you pay for.
Pedaling Fool
01-30-2008, 12:12
walmart has a $10 hiking pole, which has a cork handle, that can't be durable, can it?
I understand your skepticism, I would never buy a bicycle from walmart, but I do buy their hiking sticks. I'm sure the Lekis are better, but not enough (at least for me) to spend the extra bucks. If you're just getting into hiking than those SwissGear poles are good, to at least start with.
dessertrat
01-30-2008, 13:06
I have found this to be true, you get what you pay for.
Unless you're buying clothes from The North Face.
dgrimes21
01-30-2008, 14:52
I use the walmart poles. No problems so far. Definately got my 20 bucks out of 'em!
Rockhound
01-30-2008, 15:00
i picked up 2 sticks in GA. last year. they are sturdy, light weight with a slight curve that actually helps going up & down mountains. they cost me nothing & if they break i know where i can find another pair. Leki can kiss my butt
Snarf, what are you doing to those poles to make them keep breaking??? You shouldn't be going through that many, whether they are cheapies or high quality. That's just nuts.
The newer ones (cork handles) seemed have an extremely delicate (and crappy) locking mechanism.
Oh, and also, I tend to balance on them to see how far I can hike without my feet touching the ground. But that's probably unrelated.
Pedaling Fool
01-30-2008, 15:45
The newer ones (cork handles) seemed have an extremely delicate (and crappy) locking mechanism.
Oh, and also, I tend to balance on them to see how far I can hike without my feet touching the ground. But that's probably unrelated.
When I first bought my pair (black plastic grips) I went through about 10 before I found two with good locking mechanisms, I'd expect it'd be the same for the cork grips. So check the locking mechanism before buying.
Blissful
01-30-2008, 16:15
they're free in the woods
Paul Bunyan still has his walking stick that he picked up near the VA border. Huge heavy thing but he loved it all the way to ME.
For me, used my four-year-old Komperdells from Sierra Trading Post for four years until I reached the Whites when the final tip on one pole fell off (lost the other very early in the hike). Then I bought ultralight Lekis at Gorham and loved them.
Blissful
01-30-2008, 16:16
The newer ones (cork handles) seemed have an extremely delicate (and crappy) locking mechanism.
Don't certain animals like cork too? I seem to recall hikers complaining about critters chewing on the cork. Maybe porkies.
Pedaling Fool
01-30-2008, 16:25
Don't certain animals like cork too? I seem to recall hikers complaining about critters chewing on the cork. Maybe porkies.
Don't know, but I can see that since they'll chew on anything with salt in/on it.
atraildreamer
01-30-2008, 16:43
I understand your skepticism, I would never buy a bicycle from walmart, but I do buy their hiking sticks. I'm sure the Lekis are better, but not enough (at least for me) to spend the extra bucks. If you're just getting into hiking than those SwissGear poles are good, to at least start with.
But....they took the little compass off of the top of the pole!!!:(:banana
Pedaling Fool
01-30-2008, 16:47
The compass was a good idea, but it was useless. That reminds me, the other day I was at the outfitter and saw a compass made by leki. I could not get it to point a north cosistently as I turned around. Moral of the story: Gotta be careful when purchasing a compass.
I actually have a picture somewhere that shows both of my hiking poles and the respective compasses pointing in wildly different directions.
The compass was a good idea, but it was useless.
I had a pair of those cheap, red Swiss Gear poles from Wal-Mart. I had one break within 10 feet from the AT. They replaced that one and I got a hundred miles out of it before I passed them to my son. He still uses them. Thru-hikers may not want to gamble like that and expect to get lucky like we did. You DO usually get what you pay for.
NICKTHEGREEK
01-31-2008, 06:57
I've got a set of these with a few miles on them. I like them for the price. I actually saw them on clearance at my local WalMart this week and I am going back tomorrow to buy every single one they have left for my wife and kids. They are on clearance for $5. You really can't beat a $5 hiking pole.............................:eek::eek:
Of course you can- with that $1 dollar WalMart hammer.
NICKTHEGREEK
01-31-2008, 06:59
The compass was a good idea, but it was useless. That reminds me, the other day I was at the outfitter and saw a compass made by leki. I could not get it to point a north cosistently as I turned around. Moral of the story: Gotta be careful when purchasing a compass.
Jeeze just cause you were inside standing next to the anvil display is noreason for a compass not to wotk dead on:D
SunnyWalker
02-02-2008, 00:01
Thanks for the idea Doyle. I had not thought about ski poles at a thrift store. I'm off to the store.
they're free in the woods
You know, I was thinking “why not use wood” it’s inexpensive or free, there’s a lot of it around. Buy a broom, cut the head off it, wrap some rope around it and put a rubber foot from an old table on it. Stronger then the fold up ones.
I guess it doesn’t look trendy?
warren doyle
02-02-2008, 13:47
...for you have nothing more to lose than your expensive Lekis!
Thanks for the idea Doyle. I had not thought about ski poles at a thrift store. I'm off to the store.
You're welcome. This promotes reuse/recycle. I also feel it is better to give your money to Goodwill/Salvation Army/or other charitable organizations instead of Leki, etc.
It also serves as a small, quiet rebuke of capitalist-driven consumerism.
Happy used ski-pole trails!
Bulldawg
02-06-2008, 23:20
Well, I found out why the red ones were on clearance. They have some new blue ones now. Sold by the pair, with the non working compasses, $14.98 a pair. I can buy an awful lot of $14.98 poles if I needed too. I bought the kids a pair of the red ones on clearance and bought me a set of the new blue ones with the non working compasses.
I "take" the hiking poles over walking with crutches.
my blue $15 ones work fine, as do the compasses.
I had one "break" once, when it wouldn't lock up, but I took it apart, stuck a knife blade in it and was able to get it to move again. Only 100 miles or so on them this year, but they're Ok.
questions like this one and the ensuing answers just tickle the hell out of me.
It doesn't matter what piece of equipment you ask about. You get four or five stock answers
1.Only the best will do. cheap stuff is ****!!
2. I bought one and love I have hiked around the world and it still looks like new.
3. I bought the best and broke it. The best is no good.
4. You don't even need it, you sissy!!
Whoops!! that's only four varieties of reply.
Oh Yeah!! 5. I made one. it's better. I hiked around the world with it. It still looks home made.
carry on hiking, people
Miles of Smiles
Tom
Mad Hatter 08
02-07-2008, 14:01
yeah but the asker is looking for say 20 people to say that they bought them and they were crap and 5 people to say the bought them and they were great which means they only have a 25% chance of the item working for them. or the other way around as well, this is just an example.
spittinpigeon
02-07-2008, 16:06
Mine have around 2,000 miles on them and counting...
Same here, I bought extras too. I think I'll start with the new ones, or at least oil up the old ones so I can close em' up when hitching.