View Full Version : Picking out trekking poles...
88BlueGT
04-14-2008, 01:28
Well, since I know I cannot get a correct answer from asking what "the best trekking poles" are since everyone has different experiences and buys them for different reasons. I'm having trouble finding a pair for myself though. What are some questions that I should be asking myself to help me narrow down my decision for poles? I search Leki poles and there are a million and one options (and there are many other brands besides LEKI obviously).
Some info:
I am looking for a lightweight pole set for use on the trail and for setting up my future tarp tent. I am looking for something adjustable and collapsible. For right now I do all my hiking in NJ/PA where it is very rocky, etc. I also carry about 25lbs pack (for a 2-3 day hiking giving 5 lbs playroom, most likely 5lbs more) weight if that makes a difference with anything. Money really isnt an issue. I don't mind paying mind paying extra money for a superior product.
Flush2wice
04-14-2008, 01:32
Try hiking without poles. Your 20 with a light pack hiking PA, NJ. You don't need them. But if you insist on buying them, I would recommend the most expensive pair you can find.
High Altitude
04-14-2008, 01:48
I just received a pair of these.
http://www.rei.com/REI-Outlet/product/763131
Light weight, strong, adjustable, no anti shock (which I prefer)
If I have problems I can always return them at my local REI.
I just returned my Komperdell C3s which one broke in half on my first hike with them! :eek:
I exchanged them for a little heavier, but aluminum REI poles (made by Komperdell) called, nicely enough, "Summit." The gear info REI form on trekking poles said that while the light weight of carbon fiber poles has made them very popular, they are more susceptible to breakage than the stronger aluminum poles. The difference between the C3s and the Summits are: $100 cheaper, and 6 oz. heavier!
That did it for me. But I must clarify (while giving real experience feedback) that I am a novice when it comes to trekking poles as I've only just begun using them. I have heard mostly negative comments about the anti-shock poles as they develop squeaks and to me, a pole should have a solid plant for stability, not a mushy one! ;)
NICKTHEGREEK
04-14-2008, 07:50
The most obvious tactile difference is hand grip type. There's hard plastic, cork and foam. Hand grip angle varies from none to a slight cant. Wrist straps are necessary if you use the poles properly that is with a very light grip, on relatively flat terrain. Straps serve more of a don't drop the pole function on hills or other times when you have a firm grip.
I haven't tried the canted grips and I like the foam much more than hard plastic. My first impressions in the outfitters were pretty much right, so go forth and grip as many as they have. Put your full weight on them in the store, then put some side load on them and see if they flex or wobble. Finally see if the wrist strap and grips feel comfortable. For me the locking devices are pretty much the same in purpose and efficiency. Both work well but the internal twistlocks are prone to corrosion problems when the poles get water inside. I take really good care of my stuff and only hike for a week at the max so it's not an issue.
KirkMcquest
04-14-2008, 07:57
Check out the leki macalusa ultra lights. I love mine, very lightweight, very well made. Adjustable (obviously) with excellent grip. They really are much lighter than most other poles, and in the long miles I feel it makes a difference.
bigcranky
04-14-2008, 08:15
I have lots of brands of poles floating around the house, from cheap REI Komperdells to expensive Lekis.
The grip makes a difference. I prefer cork over the hard plastic of the cheap poles, but the softer foam grip is okay too.
My usual poles are the Leki Super Makalu with angled cork grips and the anti-shock system. I dislike the a/s system, but otherwise they are decent poles.
However, I recently borrowed my daughter's Leki Ultralight Ti poles. They are a little shorter, but about half the weight. They felt great -- I may have to, er, steal them. My only concern is that they aren't strong enough for someone my size.
earlylight
04-14-2008, 09:12
If you want adjustable poles that never come undone get Black Diamond poles. I've had REI poles, Leki, etc. that twist to set and the insides always require fussing and often don't last. Save yourself the grief and go BD. I have the BD Trail model and they have an extended foam handgrip that is comfortable and prevents the need for constant readjustment.
Wedge1173
04-14-2008, 09:32
I just recently bought my first set of hiking poles at Wally world for 20$. I have never used poles before and before I was going to invest a ton of money I wanted to see if I even liked using poles. Or if they even helped.
Just a thought.
minnesotasmith
04-14-2008, 10:04
Try hiking without poles. You don't need them.
A properly-selected hiking staff is has longer reach, better for stabilizing your balance by reaching out for a stream bottom/bank or rock in boulder scrambles that a trekking pole can't get to. A staff is far better for defense against dogs, having mass and strength enough to do the job on much larger beasts than a "easy-to-bend" thin aluminum pole. Staves can be used to knock down brush overgrowth impinging on trails that will laugh at trekking poles. And, a staff is FREE, taking thought and effort, but not money, to obtain.
Wooden hiking staves -- they're state of the art. :)
Try to collapse a stave when traveling, hitching or flying.
Whatever the style I recommend Leki. Their customer service is awesome (free replacement parts/repair at Trail Days, ADZPCTKO, via 800#) and with hiking poles you're bound to need it.
High Altitude
04-14-2008, 10:24
That's why I bought them through REI. No hassle return if needed.
Once the snow clears in the next few weeks I will be testing them out to make sure they are good to go for this summer's trips.
If I have any problems I will report back.
I just returned my Komperdell C3s which one broke in half on my first hike with them! :eek:
minnesotasmith
04-14-2008, 10:25
Try to collapse a stave when traveling, hitching or flying.
I've taken Greyhound with an up-to 7' staff on the floor under my outer foot multiple times with no problem. (I don't generally fly unless an employer pays for it, preferring to use my money for hiking, and not risking my gear being lost/damaged as airlines seem to be so good at these days.) In cars, my staff goes angled in fine, its tip out a window only occasionally. Anyway, many of my hitches were in pickup trucks, where my staff could have been 10' with no issue. People giving rides to hikers expect to see staves, so it's rarely an issue with them.
I switched from the heavy Leki's I'd been using for quite a few years to a pair of TiGoat adjustable carbon fiber poles. Got them when they first came out late last spring and have almost 1,000 rough trail miles on them now. I was using them with a TT Contrail last year and am now using them with an MLD Grace Solo Spectralite tarp. They weigh 6.4 oz a PAIR.
Rough as in Maine trail rough?
I can be a clod. Breaking stuff is a talent.
88BlueGT
04-14-2008, 11:56
I'm not getting them to take stress of my knees or anything like that. I am getting them because I enjoy using my hands (most of the time) when I'm hiking. Also, I think that poles will increase my speed by them giving me something to push off of every step and help my balance while rock scrambling. Plus, I want them for my tarptent.
Try hiking without poles. Your 20 with a light pack hiking PA, NJ. You don't need them. But if you insist on buying them, I would recommend the most expensive pair you can find.
Rough as in Maine trail rough?
I can be a clod. Breaking stuff is a talent.
I used them on the entire Long Trail as well as many AT sections in the northeast, including a portion of the White's. They are fine for normal use, but a little care would be prudent.
nearest appropriately sized stick.
I used them on the entire Long Trail as well as many AT sections in the northeast, including a portion of the White's. They are fine for normal use, but a little care would be prudent.
Thanks. Rugged enough for normal people.
I am apt to step on something expensive.
Good they have treated you so well!
Flush2wice
04-14-2008, 20:04
Try to collapse a stave when traveling, hitching or flying.
Whatever the style I recommend Leki. Their customer service is awesome (free replacement parts/repair at Trail Days, ADZPCTKO, via 800#) and with hiking poles you're bound to need it.
They have great customer service cause they're making a killing on gullible hikers. They're laughing all the way to the bank. But they keep the suckers happy with customer service.
warren doyle
04-14-2008, 20:05
$1 used ski pole at a thrift shop.
Length should be halfway between your waist and armpit.
88BlueGT
04-15-2008, 00:14
I just missed an awesome deal on a set of Leki Super Makalu's for $69 bucks on steep and cheap :(
I just missed an awesome deal on a set of Leki Super Makalu's for $69 bucks on steep and cheap :(
I've never missed a deal on a great stick...
...I was wigging out about whether or not to get trekking poles, and then I found a stick. I saved me $150. And I'm not trying to be cute, I really don't see a reason for trekking poles if you can find a stick.
Another great place besides the thrift store :rolleyes: to get good trekking poles for a decent price is ebay. I got mine for about $50 new.
Wouldn't it be nice if threads dealing with gear that some folks choose not to use, which is fine, would not get interrupted by statements like "I don't use xyz so why should you?" Serves no purpose. If you don't see value in the item, find another thread of more interest and practicality for you and post there. For instance I use a Steripen for water treatment. I don't feel compelled to inject that fact in every water filter thread that comes along! :D
Flush2wice
04-15-2008, 21:11
Wouldn't it be nice if threads dealing with gear that some folks choose not to use, which is fine, would not get interrupted by statements like "I don't use xyz so why should you?" Serves no purpose. If you don't see value in the item, find another thread of more interest and practicality for you and post there. For instance I use a Steripen for water treatment. I don't feel compelled to inject that fact in every water filter thread that comes along! :D
You treat water??
warren doyle
04-15-2008, 21:35
You treat water??
I don't.
You treat water??
I don't.Only because you're too cheap to buy a filter or chemicals. :D
Originally Posted by Flush2wice
You treat water??
I don't.You should use a Steripen because I do! :p
warren doyle
04-15-2008, 22:16
You should use a Steripen because I do! :p
That's good for you.
So what's the point?
You feel comfortable using a Steripen and I feel comfortable using a Sierra Cup as my water filter.
Does what I use make you feel uncomfortable? (based on your post (s)?)
That's good for you.
So what's the point?
You feel comfortable using a Steripen and I feel comfortable using a Sierra Cup as my water filter.
Does what I use make you feel uncomfortable? (based on your post (s)?)
The man's joking. Don't get all snotty and condascending like you usually do when someone disagrees with you, WD. :D
warren doyle
04-15-2008, 22:25
The man's joking. Don't get all snotty and condascending like you usually do when someone disagrees with you, WD. :D
As if you could read my mind and be so sure of my motivation behind my post.
As if you could read my mind and be so sure of my motivation behind my post.And don't try to toss out your pseudo-intellectual BS either, dickhead.
dixicritter
04-15-2008, 22:35
OK let's not turn this into another thread about Warren Doyle please. Back to the topic of picking out trekking poles please.
OK let's not turn this into another thread about Warren Doyle please. Back to the topic of picking out trekking poles please.He is a dickhead, though. :D
dixicritter
04-15-2008, 22:40
He is a dickhead, though. :D
Warren will prove himself to be what he is I'm not worried about that. :D
That's good for you.
So what's the point?
You feel comfortable using a Steripen and I feel comfortable using a Sierra Cup as my water filter.
Does what I use make you feel uncomfortable? (based on your post (s)?)What Hooch said and as a joke I was violating my own plea in post # 25. Sorry the joke wasn't as obvious as I thought it was. :)
Lots of people getting very testy tonight . . . must be . . . oh it is . . . getting close to a full moon! :)
warren doyle
04-15-2008, 23:19
Another name-caller to add to my 'internegator' list. There hasn't been an addition in a long time. (I thought it was too good to be true)
Another name-caller to add to my 'internegator' list. There hasn't been an addition in a long time. (I thought it was too good to be true)I'll take "Things I Could Give a **** Less About" for $1000 please, Alex. :banana
Jack Tarlin
04-15-2008, 23:27
Isn't calling people "internegator" (whatever the hell THAT is) also a form of name calling? :D
Um, Mr. Doyle, unless your intent is to make Hooch's comments look good, prudent, and justified, you should probably stop while you're behind.
Or you can keep digging the hole.
Make sure you pull the top in when you're done.
warren doyle
04-16-2008, 00:04
Another example of a "too good to be true" thought.
doyle do you think that little (30,000 mi) statement below your name gives you the freedom to be a douchebag? how about you take a glass of **** out of the fridge and pound it if you have nothing to add on the subject short of insults. ok? thank you
GT i think the best advice given was by whoever said to go get some cheap poles from wally world and just see how you like hiking w/ poles in the 1st place. i'd hate to see you spend a hundred bucks only to get out on the trail and say to yourself "i hate these". you can always upgrade later :D
Geez, the guy said he uses a dollar ski poll and that he doesn't treat water and you all act like he just assassinated the president, and sling expletives like "douchebag" and "dickhead" and he catches flack for calling someone an "internagator"?
You people need to look in the mirror and check the middle school gang mentality.
Lone Wolf
04-16-2008, 21:19
Geez, the guy said he uses a dollar ski poll and that he doesn't treat water and you all act like he just assassinated the president, and sling expletives like "douchebag" and "dickhead" and he catches flack for calling someone an "internagator"?
You people need to look in the mirror and check the middle school gang mentality.
it's jealousy
SunnyWalker
04-16-2008, 22:38
Hey Hooch: why don't you go grow up and quit calling people names. I would rather you just sign off if you are so upset. We surely don't need those kinds of comments and name calling.
dude was being a douchebag - so i said it. you're minimizing what he said. i often feel the same way about lone wolf. so i may as well say that here too. k i'm done with the negativity
88BlueGT
04-17-2008, 00:22
can't we all just be friends?.......... how about friends in my thread atleast? :D
ANYWAY, BACK TO TREKKING POLES, I wen't to EMS today and took a look at the Leki Super Maliku's (sp?) w/ the cork grip and I really like them. I get 15% off with my student I.D. and I have like a 30 or 40 dollar gift card so I should be able to score them for a decent price. I'm still undecided but it seems that if I do go with a good set right from the start these are the ones I will go with. They seem to be very popular also, I guess they are popular for a reason. I also like the fact that you adjust the AS. Nice feature...
Wedge1173
04-17-2008, 00:25
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icEjlW3VX34
Hope the AS system doesn't start squeaking on you after a few miles! I prefer my poles to have a solid plant rather than a mushy one.
NICKTHEGREEK
04-17-2008, 07:38
can't we all just be friends?.......... how about friends in my thread atleast? :D
ANYWAY, BACK TO TREKKING POLES, I wen't to EMS today and took a look at the Leki Super Maliku's (sp?) w/ the cork grip and I really like them. I get 15% off with my student I.D. and I have like a 30 or 40 dollar gift card so I should be able to score them for a decent price. I'm still undecided but it seems that if I do go with a good set right from the start these are the ones I will go with. They seem to be very popular also, I guess they are popular for a reason. I also like the fact that you adjust the AS. Nice feature...
Makalu, in Nepal, a mountain 8463 M high. Best wishes for happy miles regardless of your final choice
warren doyle
04-17-2008, 08:35
Thanks for your support posters #43, #44, #45.
I appreciate it.
From a grateful (but cheap) douchebag/dickhead.
Mrs Baggins
04-17-2008, 09:17
I love my Komperdell's. They're titanium, collapsible, adjustable, foam grips, incredibly strong and light. No bending and certainly no breakage problems. $100/set 5 years ago. I have the womens model and hubby uses the bigger mens model. Mine get so small I can lash them to the bottom of my fanny pack for long day hikes.
i apologize for talking **** in your thread GT, but not for what i said
i apologize for talking **** in your thread GT, but not for what i said
Same here. Ditto, etc. :D
iv had two pairs of poles both of which lasted about 3 hours befor breaking iv given up on them completly and gone for one good strong stick the gnarly stick and i have made many miles and i wouldent trade it for nothin
Hope the AS system doesn't start squeaking on you after a few miles! I prefer my poles to have a solid plant rather than a mushy one.
I've hiked with Leki Makalu's for about 6 yrs. No problems. No squeaking. Comfortable for me to carry and hike with.....
88BlueGT
04-17-2008, 17:42
Thats what I like about the Makalu's is you can set them to where there its solid and the spring is not being used, AT ALL. I should be able to get the SM's for around $80 bucks so, not a bad deal.
No need to apologize guys..... added some entertainment to the thread :)
My only input on poles is make sure what you get doesn't vibrate or "ring". My leki horizon will do that at times when jarring or glancing off rocks, and it drives me crazy.
Just got back from my 80-mile Foothills Trail hike and my REI Summit trekking poles were absolutely awesome. I'm not even sore today after a grueling downhill finish at Table Rock and 5-hr drive home, which combination in the past has left me extremely stiff for days. The difference? Definitely the use of trekking poles. My legs didn't get "the shakes" going down steep descents!
Another plus for trekking poles is a fully retracted one serves as a pretty doggone good self-defense device. Short of carrying a gun, I think a retracked, 20-inch reach trekking pole with carbon tip can inflict some serious damage or death to a bear / human attacker! ;)
Here is my standard answer to this question:
Check out PacerPoles. They are unique and much more effective than anything else on the market or found in the woods. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!
http://www.pacerpole.com/
leki makalu for me. i like the different shock settings and the cork grip. i never had a problem with a sqweek in 6 years. if it ever does, i'll probably hit it with a little lube in the sqweeky part.
rdpolete
04-27-2008, 01:01
Currently I use an old pair of bamboo ski poles that I picked up at an antique mall a few years back, but if money was no option i would be looking at the Ti Goat poles and be buying the fly rod attachment to go with them. Just my 2 cents.
88BlueGT
04-27-2008, 01:58
are basic skiing poles the same as trekking poles with just different tips? They seem to be the same to me, if they are, thats a good thing because I do a decent amount of skiing so it would help me justify spending a hundred bucks on poles lol
minnesotasmith
04-27-2008, 04:21
My only input on poles is make sure what you get doesn't vibrate or "ring". My leki horizon will do that at times when jarring or glancing off rocks, and it drives me crazy.
Is undoubtedly due to trekking poles being hollow. My wooden hiking staves are solid, so don't make any kind of continuing sound when they strike a hard object, even the ones with copper-clad bottoms. For trekking poles, I suppose that either adding holes or stuffing some kind of sound-dampening fiber inside (like cotton, but a synthetic so it won't rot) would likely help with this.
The REI Summit trekking poles (made by Komperdell) are $59. Wait for a sale or 20% off one item for members, which REI does two or three times a year, and there you'll have a very cheap, great set of poles. I bought the carbon fiber Komperdell C3s and had one break in half on my first hike in Shining Rock Wilderness a few weeks ago. Took them back and after reading the REI fact sheet on trekking poles that light weight carbon fiber poles are not as strong as aluminum ones, I got the Summits and $43 back! (had bought the C3s on sale for $99 - retail is $159) :eek:
I absolutely love the aluminum REI Summit poles, which actually only weight 3 oz. more per pole. Didn't even notice the weight difference - certainly not as much as I felt the sturdiness difference over the C3 carbon fiber ones. During my 80-mile Foothills Trail hike last week these poles had me blowing up long steep ascents without stopping and no shaking legs doing long steep descents. I had no stiffness / soreness at the end of the hike as I always have in the past.
A fully retracted trekking pole offers excellent self-protection. I feel certain I could inflict major damage / death to a bear / human attacker with one if it came down to a life or death struggle. I don't think a wooden stick, although longer, would be nearly as effective. :-?
NICKTHEGREEK
04-27-2008, 07:48
Is undoubtedly due to trekking poles being hollow. My wooden hiking staves are solid, so don't make any kind of continuing sound when they strike a hard object, even the ones with copper-clad bottoms. For trekking poles, I suppose that either adding holes or stuffing some kind of sound-dampening fiber inside (like cotton, but a synthetic so it won't rot) would likely help with this.
Wrong. Tuning forks aren't hollow but they do resonate
minnesotasmith
04-27-2008, 08:05
A fully retracted trekking pole offers excellent self-protection. I feel certain I could inflict major damage / death to a bear / human attacker with one if it came down to a life or death struggle. I don't think a wooden stick, although longer, would be nearly as effective. :-?
A proper (2"+ at top, 2.5"+ at top, made of oak/hickory/ash/dogwood) wooden hiking staff has mass, so swinging it results in momentum for striking. It's stronger, so can be poked with much harder with no fear it will fold up. (Poking better than swinging on large mean dogs.)
Note that a bear, or a human armed with a firearm, will both shrug off any trekking pole OR hiking staff. Those are better used to discourage dogs.
minnesotasmith
04-27-2008, 08:06
Wrong. Tuning forks aren't hollow but they do resonate
How the Liberty Bell stopped ringing when it got a crack in it.
A proper (2"+ at top, 2.5"+ at top, made of oak/hickory/ash/dogwood) wooden hiking staff has mass, so swinging it results in momentum for striking. It's stronger, so can be poked with much harder with no fear it will fold up. (Poking better than swinging on large mean dogs.)
Note that a bear, or a human armed with a firearm, will both shrug off any trekking pole OR hiking staff. Those are better used to discourage dogs.Not to enter a debate/argument on this, but first of all, I don't think I've seen a person using a 2 - 2.5" thick wooden hiking stick. It would be massive and very heavy. Second, a "fully retracted" trekking pole is not going to "fold up." It now has three aluminum shafts one inside the other. It is as strong or stronger than your 2-2.5" thick stick, although lighter. I wouldn't use it as a club anyway. I would use it as a short spear! And if my life were on the line, I would fully intend to drive it clean through my attacker! :eek: If that attacker is a bear, I'm betting it would be highly discouraged on continuing the attack if I can drive my short spear into its torso.
Obviously, I did not have confrontation with someone with a firearm in mind, but rather a Gary Hilton-like attack on either male or female. In the instance where an assailant has a firearm, and the assailed person doesn't, diplomacy or flight are the best reasonable recourses.
minnesotasmith
04-28-2008, 03:02
Not to enter a debate/argument on this, but first of all, I don't think I've seen a person using a 2 - 2.5" thick wooden hiking stick. It would be massive and very heavy.
I see we've never met on the Trail. ;)
I see we've never met on the Trail. ;)Apparently not . . . you must look like Little John (of Robin Hood) with your weaver's beam in hand! :eek: :p
Take a look at the Black Diamonds with the flip lock. I had a problem with the Leki twist locks coming loose. I adjust length so that my forearm is level with the ground. Works for me.
88BlueGT
04-28-2008, 17:02
I was looking at some BD's at EMS but didn't care for the grip. I'll certainly keep looking though since I do like the idea of the flip lock.
MoBill122
04-28-2008, 17:15
I'm new to hiking and I just bought Eddie Bauer Hiking Poles at Target, I think for like $20 each.
Much like you, have never used poles, and since was new to hiking, thought I'd go cheap to see if an old 56 year old could even hike! <s>
My first hike was the Alabama Pinhoti Trail, about 140 miles, and I never had even a slight problem with the poles. Maybe 33% of this trail is rock too.
Equipment is just part of the equation.... lots of folks quit a trail due to physical weakness or mental weakness... not because their top of the line hiking pole broke.
Just my thoughts...
Anyone ever try the Life-Link Aide de Camp poles? I saw them in the store and they looked pretty nice. I have the Leki Makalu's with the foam grip, great poles that hold up well on all sorts of terrain.
I have a Tracks hiking staff I like. It can be used as a monopod for photography. This is very handy. It collapses for packing, nevertheless it is strong. I have used it to pole-vault over wet places on the trail. Really.
My Leki poles seem weak at the joints, however there is something to walking with two hiking poles that takes stress off knees. Perhaps it is the striding gait. I think I will make my next selection based on handgrip position, avoiding sweaty plastic handgrips of course.
I am very interested to try the ultralight carbon fiber poles from Gossamer Gear.
kdholmwood
05-01-2008, 11:39
Here is my standard answer to this question:
Check out PacerPoles. They are unique and much more effective than anything else on the market or found in the woods. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!
http://www.pacerpole.com/
I'd warmly recommend Pacer Poles. They weigh about 24 oz but the ergonomic grip means that no exertion is needed to hold or place the pole as you move. The handle cups the heel of your hand, making it easy to push back hard when you need to and supporting your weight automatically when you stumble. After sales service is excellent.
Keith