View Full Version : Trekking Pole Question
Am new to recently purchased trekking poles. Poles included removable, rubber covers over tips, and baskets. Before I pitch these, thought I"d ask whether these are used? needed?
flemdawg1
01-11-2013, 16:20
They don't hurt and generally keep the metal tips from wearing as much, at least until they fall off, which they eventually do. So pretty much, do you care more about wearing out the tips or leaving trash on the trail?
The baskets are to keep the pole from driving deep into snow, mud, or crevices. Snow baskets will have wider diameters, as on ski poles. There are rubber tips for use where you want to leave less of a footprint, but if yours are just thin rubber covers they are just a protection sheath. I find neither the tips nor the covers particularly useful, but I do like a small diameter basket on my poles.
atmilkman
01-11-2013, 16:24
If you want just Gorilla Glue them boogers on and they ain't goin' nowhere.
I keep the little tip covers just in case I'm traveling with the poles and don't want to poke a hole in something. But I won't cry when I finally lose them.
I haven't found the small cups big enough to keep it from sinking into crusty spring snow. I think it's more problematic than anything because it creates a false sense of security, and then sinks and gets stuck, likely resulting in a broken or bent pole. I've taken off the small cups for the last couple of years and haven't missed them. Over snow, I'll use snow cups.
The tip covers are useful for preventing punctures. Some tips are meant for use on pavement, and do a great deal to make use on pavement more pleasant, or rather, much less unpleasant.
swjohnsey
01-11-2013, 19:25
The rubber tips don't last long. You will find the scattered along the first few miles of trail.
The Snowman
01-11-2013, 20:01
if you use your poles as tent poles you need the rubber tips to keep from poking holes in your tent floor also they help keep the metal tips from wearing out on long road walks. I have never a rubber tip fall off in years and years of use.
if you use your poles as tent poles you need the rubber tips to keep from poking holes in your tent floor also they help keep the metal tips from wearing out on long road walks. I have never a rubber tip fall off in years and years of use.
That's surprising. The last time I used mine was several years ago when I lost one in sucking mud.
Another Kevin
01-12-2013, 12:37
Is everyone talking about the same things here? The thin tips for storage and the rubber tips for pavement aren't the same. And the storage ones will indeed disintegrate in a couple of hours.
I don't often use poles on pavement, so I don't have much use for the rubber tips. I generally leave mud baskets on, unless I'm going to be in soft snow. Then, I'll elther have snow baskets on, or else remove a basket entirely to use a pole for self-belay.
The rubber tips do little and are not needed. The small baskets, approxd. 2", are best to keep. They prevent the tips from sinking in too far in soft ground and help to prevent the tips from getting caught between rocks. If you thru-hike you will find that the tips will need to be replaced a couple of times. Especialy when traveling through the northern mountains.
If you use the poles for tent support, the mud basket has to be removed (at least in my case). I didn't want to deal with removing them each night so I dumped them. Didn't miss them on my thru hike.