View Full Version : Trekking Poles
Bearbait
02-19-2010, 11:49
I was in Walmart the other day and saw where they had Ozark Trail hiking poles, 3 sections with the flic lock system for under $20 bucks. I was quit surprised considering I paid $80 bucks for my Black Diamonds with the flic lock system. For a novice hiker this might be the way to go.
Jester2000
02-19-2010, 12:44
Here's what I wrote about Ozark Trail sticks in a previous thread:
Went in to the local WalMart while I was waiting to have a pizza made next door.
The poles they sold were 15 dollars each (not sold by the pair). They had non-angled grips that looked like they would fall apart pretty quickly, were made of thin aluminum, and had a warning on them that they would not support your weight and were to be used for balance purposes only.
No description of what the tips were made of, and no phone number or any other info for repairs. I have a pretty good idea what I won't be buying next.
But heck, people hike with ski poles they find at Goodwill and sticks they find in the woods, so whatever works for you. I just figure that for me, if I'm going to spend money at all, I might as well buy actual hiking poles instead of something that looks just like hiking poles without the performance.
AUhiker90
02-19-2010, 13:21
you cant beat Leki's life time warranty
trailangelbronco
02-19-2010, 14:31
I like my Black Diamond Ergo Trail Cork poles.
JustaTouron
02-19-2010, 14:38
Here's what I wrote about Ozark Trail sticks in a previous thread:
But heck, people hike with ski poles they find at Goodwill and sticks they find in the woods, so whatever works for you. I just figure that for me, if I'm going to spend money at all, I might as well buy actual hiking poles instead of something that looks just like hiking poles without the performance.
I use ski poles that I got at a tag sale.
But I agree with Jester, if you are gonna spend money on hiking poles, get good ones. If you are willing to make do with a cheap substitute save $29 and buy a pair of used ski poles for a buck.
Rockhound
02-19-2010, 14:44
I use sticks. I think anyone who would pay any amount for essentially the same thing is throwing money away. There. I said it. I'll shut up now.
trailangelbronco
02-19-2010, 14:47
It is nice to be able to adjust height of the poles going up or down.
Appalachian Tater
02-19-2010, 14:50
Whatever you use, whether it is a stick you find on the ground or ski poles from somebody's garage sale or $300 custom carbon fiber poles, make sure it can support all of your weight because you sure as heck don't want it to break in the middle of a near fall. You can get hurt or die that way. It would be safer not to use anything at all than something that would fail when you were really relying on it.
Blissful
02-19-2010, 14:52
Whatever you use, whether it is a stick you find on the ground or ski poles from somebody's garage sale or $300 custom carbon fiber poles, make sure it can support all of your weight because you sure as heck don't want it to break in the middle of a near fall. You can get hurt or die that way. It would be safer not to use anything at all than something that would fail when you were really relying on it.
Good point. Cheapie poles can bend easily.
Our Boy Scout troop hikes a lot. I bought a set of BD carbon somethings last summer. A number of scouts and parents bought the wally world and Targe' cheapo's. Well I am still using mine, they don't look brand new but they are still in one piece and have the tips. The cheapo's were done after twenty miles.
Just my experience
paradoxb3
02-19-2010, 15:01
the only poles i've seen at the local walmarts were made by Swissgear, not ozark trail. i've got a pair of them. i think they're fairly sturdy and have no problem with them. i'll use them til they do break, and depending on how soon that is, i may buy some leki's, or i may just buy another set from walmart.
i DID own another set before that broke, but it was sort of my own fault -- i'd left them in the back of my truck a while and they got dirt down in them and got stuck. the twist lock mechanism is just plastic on the inside, and while twisting and hammering around on one of them to free it up and telescope down, i broke one. i suppose its all a matter of how well you take care of them, which can go for just about any gear, regardless of the price tag. i just dont telescope my current pair -- i figure this will solve the previous problem.
Blissful
02-19-2010, 15:01
Our Boy Scout troop hikes a lot. I bought a set of BD carbon somethings last summer. A number of scouts and parents bought the wally world and Targe' cheapo's. Well I am still using mine, they don't look brand new but they are still in one piece and have the tips. The cheapo's were done after twenty miles.
Just my experience
For Boy Scouts cheapie is fine. Glad they are out hiking, too. Good for them!
Jester2000
02-19-2010, 15:36
. . .make sure it can support all of your weight because you sure as heck don't want it to break in the middle of a near fall. You can get hurt or die that way. It would be safer not to use anything at all than something that would fail when you were really relying on it.
That's the reason I mentioned the warning I found on them about them not supporting your weight. I agree with you completely.
Our Boy Scout troop hikes a lot. I bought a set of BD carbon somethings last summer. A number of scouts and parents bought the wally world and Targe' cheapo's. Well I am still using mine, they don't look brand new but they are still in one piece and have the tips. The cheapo's were done after twenty miles.
Just my experience
Your experience mirrors what I've seen. I have to think that at a certain point people that buy these poles come to realize that it might be better to just buy a pair of good poles than buy the same crappy poles over and over again. You could go through five pairs of Ozark Trail poles that don't support your weight, or you could buy one pair of Lekis and get a lifetime warranty against shaft breakage.
Rain Man
02-19-2010, 18:10
That's the reason I mentioned the warning I found on them about them not supporting your weight. I agree with you completely.
I thought all hiking poles by every manufacturer contained that same warning. None of them will support your whole weight to my knowledge. They are for balance, not pole vaulting.
As far as plastic innards, that's cheap rubbish that angers me. Only purchase poles with critical internal parts of metal.
Rain:sunMan
.
DrRichardCranium
02-19-2010, 18:18
I bought some cheapos at Target. They were absolute crap. After I brought them home one of them became hopelessly jammed, and the other one sounded like it had something loose rattling around inside it. I got my money back & went to REI & bought some REAL trekking poles.
Rockhound
02-19-2010, 18:29
It is nice to be able to adjust height of the poles going up or down.
You just grip sticks wherever they need to be held. No wasting time constantly adjusting those $80 poles. The Whole A.T is up down up down up down. I could not justify stopping to adjust my poles 50+ times a day when I can just use sticks and adjust on the fly.
I thought all hiking poles by every manufacturer contained that same warning. None of them will support your whole weight to my knowledge. They are for balance, not pole vaulting.
As far as plastic innards, that's cheap rubbish that angers me. Only purchase poles with critical internal parts of metal.
Rain:sunMan
.
Lekis are rated for a minimum of 80KN (force), considerably more than body weight.
Or were you speaking of ALL other poles? :rolleyes:
JustaTouron
02-19-2010, 18:36
You just grip sticks wherever they need to be held. No wasting time constantly adjusting those $80 poles. The Whole A.T is up down up down up down. I could not justify stopping to adjust my poles 50+ times a day when I can just use sticks and adjust on the fly.
Yeah, but does your sticks come with a lifetime warranty against termites like the $300 ones?
You just grip sticks wherever they need to be held. No wasting time constantly adjusting those $80 poles. The Whole A.T is up down up down up down. I could not justify stopping to adjust my poles 50+ times a day when I can just use sticks and adjust on the fly.
:-? edit first three answers...you either have never given them a real try, and you have not been on the AT much.
Of course you Can adjust them a lot, but most hikers, on the AT, only adjust occasionally, some not at all.
Never met anyone who adjusted them 50 times a day...the second day!
They adjust them to set up their shelter,and to hitch/shuttle.
Using the straps correctly means not having to waste energy by gripping.
Much less holding kindling. :rolleyes:
Rockhound
02-19-2010, 18:46
Yeah, but does your sticks come with a lifetime warranty against termites like the $300 ones?
If they are ever lost, stolen, broken and... er... I guess eaten by termites the can be replaced at no charge. So yes, they have a lifetime warranty and it did not cost me $300
Jester2000
02-19-2010, 18:57
I thought all hiking poles by every manufacturer contained that same warning. . .
Lekis are rated for a minimum of 80KN (force), considerably more than body weight. . .
Yeah, I've checked the Leki packaging. I don't know about other brands, but none of the packaging for the various Leki products we carry have a warning regarding them not supporting you. And it's not just about the poles not bending or breaking -- the SLS has 140kg of holding force. So I can be reasonably confident that if I'm taking proper care of my poles, and I'm tightening them when they need tightening, they won't collapse on me during those times when I have to use them to maintain my balance by putting a fair amount of my weight on them.
I've had times when my poles have been the difference between me staying on trail and pitching off the side of a drop that might have killed me. That was all in the name of "maintaining my balance," but involved me putting my body weight on the poles.
I've been very, very happy, during those few instances, that I had poles I felt I could count on, instead of ones that I got for really cheap.
Jester2000
02-19-2010, 19:01
Using the straps correctly means not having to waste energy by gripping.
I'll sometimes really grip my poles when I'm going steeply uphill, but most of the time I only have enough contact with the grips to swing them forward.
I've been very, very happy, during those few instances, that I had poles I felt I could count on, instead of ones that I got for really cheap.
but..but, what if you get poles you can count on AND are cheap? :)
(e.g. used ski poles. Mine current ones are free. :banana)l
I don't claim it works for everyone, but all my post AT-hikes have been with used ski poles. I figure if they are strong enough to support an adult flying down a mountain on planks, then they are good enough for hiking. ;)
Just an option that can work for some people. (Notice I said option and not an absolute. I'll leave absolutes to my Catholic school days... ;) )
:cool: Hey Mags Good Point!
You might even find used Leki ski poles! (See Olympics :D)
The big difference is not strength, but adjustablity.
Jester2000
02-19-2010, 19:25
but..but, what if you get poles you can count on AND are cheap? :)
(e.g. used ski poles. Mine current ones are free. :banana)l
That works too! I'd much rather rely on ski poles than Ozark Trail poles. So like I said, whatever works. As long as it works. Nothing in my experience has led me to believe that's true of crappy poles.
But ski poles? Sure. I know people who have had success with them. And a good old fashioned stick isn't a bad option either. I prefer Lekis, 'cause I like the features and I'm happy with how they've performed for me (and I love the customer service).
The issue I'd have with ski poles --- at least typical ski poles that I have experience with --- would be weight. Maybe not too, as I have used cross-country ski poles that weren't super heavy.
If doing enough miles, I'm willing to pay up to reduce the weight of the poles.
IMO it's quite the same as the mantra about "a pound on your feet is equivalent to X pounds on your back" (where X is 5 or 6 or whatever you deem it to be). I.e., you're moving your arms (and poles) constantly while walking. And unlike shoes, which I replace every 500 miles or so, the poles should hopefully be good for thousands of miles --- I've got 3000 miles on my C.F. poles with one tip replacement so far.
With that kind of mileage, I think it just makes sense to be willing to spend a few more dollars to reduce the constant energy expenditure of moving those poles with every step.
I've been using fixed length Gossamer Gear carbon fiber poles for 3+ years with none of the problems the SUL naysayers said I'd have. I love them and they were only about $100.
i've got the carbon fiber Lekis...love'em!!! maddog:D
flemdawg1
02-19-2010, 23:14
I was in Walmart the other day and saw where they had Ozark Trail hiking poles, 3 sections with the flic lock system for under $20 bucks. I was quit surprised considering I paid $80 bucks for my Black Diamonds with the flic lock system. For a novice hiker this might be the way to go.
I own a pair of these. They work pretty good, esp for the price. I did break one in a fall in PA last summer. It completely buckled as I slipped on a wet rocky outcrop. All my weight (210lbs + 20 lbs in the pack) was applied on the pole and instead of snaping, it buckled and bent over. It snapped whenever I tried to straighten it back out. Instead of calling a 1-800 # and waiting 2 days to a week to get a new pole, I went straight to Walmart and bought another for $18. Since the 1st set was a gift, I figure I'm still $62 ahead of the guys that paid full price for BDs. :D
I hate adjustable poles... Too many parts and it violate the KISS principle for me. The fact that Leki has a repair stand at Traildays tells me everything I need to know. ;)
Nothing to repair on ski poles. They work..or they don't.
Don't know the difference in weight to be honest. (Really. I don't.)
Again, not saying it is the best option, but there is a third way between NO POLES and EXPENSIVE POLES that hikers should be aware of that has worked well for some hikers.
It is nice to be able to collapse them. I was on a Cub scout hike yesterday and ended up with a boy holding each hand. I collapsed them and tucked them in my jacket. all was well.
Yes we hiked in about a food of snow.
It is nice to be able to adjust height of the poles going up or down.
Funny... I just bend my elbows!
but..but, what if you get poles you can count on AND are cheap? :)
(e.g. used ski poles. Mine current ones are free. :banana)l
I don't claim it works for everyone, but all my post AT-hikes have been with used ski poles. I figure if they are strong enough to support an adult flying down a mountain on planks, then they are good enough for hiking. ;)
Just an option that can work for some people. (Notice I said option and not an absolute. I'll leave absolutes to my Catholic school days... ;) )
OMG, Mags... I LOVE my old Scott ski poles for hiking. Had them since I was a kid. Last used as ski poles in Vail's Back Bowls. Phew... That's been a few years!
Here's how I adapted them for hiking... I went to the hardware store and bought 2 lawn sprinkler system, plastic male adapters (1/2' ID, I think). The kind you can clamp a hose on the other end. I jambed them on the tips of my old Scotts so the hose clamp part is up and the male adapter part is down. Then I went to the pharmacy and bought 2 hard rubber crutch ends. (I used to use table or chair leg rubber thingies, but they only lasted a hundred miles or so - and much less in the Whites.)
I've never once thought about the weight of my poles either. They are quiet... The rubber eliminates the tic- tic-tic of metal tips on rock, and usually, they grip great. However, one word of caution... They do not work as well on wet rock or on ice.
My poles have the old 'break-away' grips, so I find I palm them more than grip them. They are a snap to hang on a tree branch. (Just like dangling off the chair lifts!)
I'm 6'3" and 195 to 215 lbs depending on how recently I hiked. These poles support me vaulting over streams, or plunging deep to support my weight as I 'rock-hop' across rivers. (Never once cussed long legs on the AT!)
One last word about old ski poles. I've had several elderly friends fall on ice and injure themselves badly. I encourage everyone who lives in snowy/icy conditions to grab an old pair of ski poles and use them when you go out.
Chummin' for Bear
02-21-2010, 21:28
Sierratradingpost.com has a pair of anti-shock Leki Super Makalu Trekking Poles for less than $90. Not cheap, but worth every penny.
I hate adjustable poles... Too many parts and it violate the KISS principle for me.
You're going to regret that decision when you're facing off in an impromptu trekking pole jousting match.
You're going to regret that decision when you're facing off in an impromptu trekking pole jousting match.
better not bring a swiis gear to a Leki fight:D
Cool AT Breeze
02-22-2010, 01:34
Good one Elder
I know that commercial trekking poles (like Leki's) are lightweight, adjustable and versatile. (They can also be used for things like a tent pole). I really should get a pair of them--in order to be like all of the other kids (and to be like the gram counters).
However, I am still stuck on using a wooden hiking staff that I made from a (fallen) tree branch that I found in the woods near my house. It has a curve on the top (sort of a cross between a shepherd's staff and something that the biblical character Moses would be seen carrying in a movie). I coated it with several layers of polyurethane to protect it from the elements. It has a replaceable rubber tip on the bottom (the type used on canes). The wood is a blondish/white color. It is somewhat unique in its appearance.
In this world filled with "standard looking" trekking poles--my old, unique, wooden hiking staff is often a good conversation starter when people see me hiking with it.
Anyone else on here still using a wooden hiking staff?
Rocket Jones
02-22-2010, 07:34
In this world filled with "standard looking" trekking poles--my old, unique, wooden hiking staff is often a good conversation starter when people see me hiking with it.
Anyone else on here still using a wooden hiking staff?
I still use one, but Santa brought me a pair of Pacer Poles for Christmas. My staff may be passed down to my daughter if I like the poles.
I use sticks. I think anyone who would pay any amount for essentially the same thing is throwing money away. There. I said it. I'll shut up now.Those who use trekking poles (and the straps) correctly know the difference between trekking poles and sticks. Those who use sticks only know sticks.
Sticks help with balance as well as trekking poles, but actually add to expended energy due to weight and the gripping action required. Trekking poles' straps eliminate the white knuckles gripping. I can place my body weight on the planted pole with my fingers completely expanded (not gripping) with my body weight transferring down the pole from the heel of my palm against the strap. If you haven't experienced this, please refrain from calling trekking poles a waste of money. It's a very uninformed statement.
h. hastings
02-22-2010, 10:22
Anyone else on here still using a wooden hiking staff?
I am. Got two, both homemade. One is ash that I climbed all over the Adirondacks with in my younger days and the other, that I've been using lately, is walnut . Both have bronze tips.
There is just something about the warmth of a good piece of wood in your hand ......
LimpsAlong
02-22-2010, 11:42
There is just something about the warmth of a good piece of wood in your hand ......
I ain't touchin' that!
Jester2000
02-22-2010, 13:00
There is just something about the warmth of a good piece of wood in your hand ......
You may want to check into that. I believe your hiking poles are on fire.