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hikathon
06-23-2013, 17:29
Had a question about trekking poles..

I see that among those available, some have spiked bottoms and others have flat bottomed rubber grippers like found at the base of most walking canes.

So, pros & cons of each from someone in the know would help in this decision..

My inexperienced impression would lead me to believe (maybe mistakenly) that a spike tip gives a more stable footing in loose soil/loose stone conditions and a rubber flat bottomed tip would hold better on rock. Am I on the right track? Is there anything further I should be made aware of???

I see also most telescope to adjust length for climb vs descent. Is there anything about this feature worth noting or that differentiates some from others (ease of adjustability, etc).

And finally, in sections where you may choose not to use them, I assume they telescope down to be more compact and strapped onto your pack.

Please recommend some of the brands/models to consider. I'm sorta at the beginner stage, so please recommend something that would be relatively budget conscious but also functional (if those two can co-exist).

rocketsocks
06-23-2013, 18:50
I got a pair from sports authority after piecing parts back together that were strewn about, think i paid about $12 buck, these are cheapy poles that will not likely last...but again cheap...I like cheap. They are not light like the more expensive ones, and should they fail(and they will) i may consider buying a pair that are more expensive, better built, lever lock...and yes lighter in weight.

the rubber vs hard tip I believe come both with most poles, never seen them sold one or the other.

oh, and the poles are "Swiss Gear" I think.

Alex Mills
06-25-2013, 23:51
The spiked bottoms are the naked tip of the poll. You have to buy the rubber tips to go on them. If you pull the rubber tip off the ones that come with the tip you will see the "spiked" tip.

TIDE-HSV
06-26-2013, 00:00
Had a question about trekking poles..

I see that among those available, some have spiked bottoms and others have flat bottomed rubber grippers like found at the base of most walking canes.

So, pros & cons of each from someone in the know would help in this decision..

My inexperienced impression would lead me to believe (maybe mistakenly) that a spike tip gives a more stable footing in loose soil/loose stone conditions and a rubber flat bottomed tip would hold better on rock. Am I on the right track? Is there anything further I should be made aware of???

I see also most telescope to adjust length for climb vs descent. Is there anything about this feature worth noting or that differentiates some from others (ease of adjustability, etc).

And finally, in sections where you may choose not to use them, I assume they telescope down to be more compact and strapped onto your pack.

Please recommend some of the brands/models to consider. I'm sorta at the beginner stage, so please recommend something that would be relatively budget conscious but also functional (if those two can co-exist).
I don't think the rubber tips will last very long in any event...

Double Wide
06-26-2013, 07:18
If you're going with trekking poles, which I heartily recommend that you do, just remember, like shoes or furniture, you get what you pay for. I have a pair of Black Diamond Ergo Cork poles, which I really like--I would never go hiking in the woods without them (on the town greenways, sure, but in the rocks and hills, they are essential). Lots of folks use Leki poles. I just happened to find the Black Diamond ones on sale at REI and couldn't be happier with them.

Whatever you do, get the kind with the flip-style lock, not the twist-locks. The twist locks seem to fail regularly.

My Black Diamond poles have a very comfortable cork handgrip, and just below that, about eight inches of the upper shaft is covered in foam. That makes them especially useful on very steep hills or even crawling out of my tent in the morning. And yes, having the ability to adjust the lengths is wonderful. I make them a few cm longer if I'm facing an extended downhill section, and on an extended narrow ridge hike, I make my downhill-side pole longer than the uphill-side one for a little extra stability. And when the trail gets easy or or roadwalking sections, I have elasticized pole loops on my Osprey pack, so it's easy to stow them instead of carrying them (I've heard that it's helpful on serious rock scrambles too, but so far I haven't had to do any of that here on the trails around Nashville).

When I was younger and more close-minded, I used to see people with trekking poles and would roll my eyes, thinking they looked as ridiculous as spandex-wearing bicyclists. But then I used them for the first time and became a believer. They make hiking and backpacking SO much easier, especially on the hills. Essentially, they turn you into a four-legged creature instead of a two-legged one. They've saved me from many falls.

Hope this helps.

Oh, almost forgot. As soon as I bought my poles, I removed those black rubber/plastic tips and immediately lost them. I never quite figured out what purpose they served except for protecting the toes of careless shoppers at the store...

marti038
06-26-2013, 11:31
I have a pair of Black Diamond Ergo Cork poles, which I really like

Just curious, did you have a bad experience with foam or rubber? I plan to buy a pair of these very poles soon and I am leaning toward cork, but I'd be happy to have that opinion reinforced.


When I was younger and more close-minded, I used to see people with trekking poles and would roll my eyes, thinking they looked as ridiculous as spandex-wearing bicyclists. But then I used them for the first time and became a believer. They make hiking and backpacking SO much easier, especially on the hills.

I've never used poles myself and formerly made fun of the "old folks" that needed them, but the more trail journals I read the more it appears that those who hike with poles cover more miles with fewer injuries. I have no hard data to support his, it's just an observation, but it's enough for me to give them a try.

peakbagger
06-26-2013, 16:04
I have had Leki Makulus for about 20 years. I have worn out or bent a few and mix and match parts. I have one pair with "cork"like grips, and a pair with rubber grips. The long term use of Deet has dissolved the rubber grips somewhat, but this is after the entire AT and 10 to 15 years of use. I have not yet changed out a set of expanders. I do wear out carbide tips every few years. I would not use the "shoe" style as they would get caught in cracks in rocks (the regular tips occasionally do). I have the spring poles. I swapped out the standard springs with heavier ones. The Leki "cork like" grips appear to be mostly rubber with some cork in it.

The key thing with poles is not to store them wet and collapsed. Aluminum "rusts" and forms a white powder that can screw up the expanders. I pull mine apart after every hike and let them dry out.

I don't use or recommend hand straps as its too easy to get the pole tip caught when slipping down rocks. I can let go but someone with a strap on their hands is going to wrench a shoulder or worse. I don't use my poles when walking level as it slows down my stride, I just carry them in one hand. In areas like the south with better graded trails, I could use the straps going up hill but its not worth the hassle.

Odd Man Out
06-26-2013, 18:48
...The long term use of Deet has dissolved the rubber grips somewhat...

Have you tried using Picaridin? It is the only repellent shown to be as effective as DEET and is safe on synthetic materials.


... I don't use or recommend hand straps as its too easy to get the pole tip caught when slipping down rocks. I can let go but someone with a strap on their hands is going to wrench a shoulder or worse.

Andrew Skurka makes the same claim in his gear book so you are in good company. I go back and forth on this myself.


...I don't use my poles when walking level as it slows down my stride...

I too have this problem (lots of level ground in MI). If I am walking faster than I can pole, then I just pole once for every 2 or 3 paces (instead of every step). I know someday someone will come by and tell me I'm not using my poles correctly and I will just smile and say have a nice day.

Double Wide
06-26-2013, 20:46
Just curious, did you have a bad experience with foam or rubber? I plan to buy a pair of these very poles soon and I am leaning toward cork, but I'd be happy to have that opinion reinforced.



I had no experience--I used a six-foot wooden walking stick like at old-skool Scoutmaster for a couple of years before going with trekking poles. I just like the feel of these Black Diamonds in my hand when I was at the store, and since they just happened to be on sale, I went with 'em. It's one of the few pieces of gear I got right on the first try. If I ever need to replace them, I'll get the exact same kind.