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  1. #1

    Default Inexpensive Hiking Poles

    At Cheaper Than Dirt: Chinook Technical Outdoors Back Country 3 lightweight (weight unknown) aluminum FLIP LOCK poles for just over $16 per pair + shipping.

    All time favorites are Cascade Mountain Lightweight (less than 8 ounces per) composite flip lock cork handled for about $45 per pair on Amazon.

  2. #2
    Registered User The Cleaner's Avatar
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    There's a ton of free ones at most trailheads.They're called hiking sticks and last week I picked up a friend of mine currently thru hiking at Hot Springs.He made it from Springer Mtn. in 28 days using only one free,reusable all natural stick.
    Sleep on the ground, rise with the sun and hike with the wind....

  3. #3
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  4. #4

    Default

    I also have the Cascade Mtn Tech flip-lock poles. I was advised very intently to avoid anything with twist lock.

  5. #5

    Default

    Head on over to wallyworld. Under $20 gets u a pair. Mine have been holding up for months

  6. #6
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    I bought $20 adjustable poles from walmart and they haven't broken yet!

  7. #7
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    I, too, recommend the stick. Found this one in a cave at Turkey Run SP in eastern Indiana.

    13007210_10209627091460386_1267003845538099291_n.jpg
    Quote Originally Posted by The Cleaner View Post
    There's a ton of free ones at most trailheads.They're called hiking sticks and last week I picked up a friend of mine currently thru hiking at Hot Springs.He made it from Springer Mtn. in 28 days using only one free,reusable all natural stick.




  8. #8
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    FWIW: I find a stick or a single walking pole of any kind to be of marginal use.

    They help occasionally on obstacles, but in 45 years of backpacking and experimenting with them, I've never found the trade-off of dealing with a single pole to be worth the occasional advantage.

    Conversely, after the first time I tried trekking poles (about 5 years ago) I have become a complete convert. Trekking poles are a pain to deal with, especially on bushy trails, but wow, the performance advantage of using them is profound for me!

    And, the performance advantage has increased significantly with time.

    In my first year of using trekking poles, they helped noticeably, especially on steeper and longer climbs. But, over the last few years of using them, my body has acclimated to them such that I don't pay close attention to where I place them anymore, they just go naturally where they need to (most of the time) just like my feet. And more importantly, my body has started using them in subtle ways that have substantially increased my power and endurance, even on level ground, which I wouldn't have believed would happen the first year I used them.
    I'm not lost. I'm exploring.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pots View Post
    I bought $20 adjustable poles from walmart and they haven't broken yet!
    I used these for a year until I was going up a creek like trail and put one thru a bed of moss, I went down and bent the pole over a log.
    But best part of these is you can go get another pair for $20....

  10. #10
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    ...though if i was thru hiking Id probably would get higher quality...

  11. #11
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    Default

    Not a fan of carbon poles. Rockslyvania is tough on them

  12. #12

    Default

    I haven't had any hiking poles ever break down.

    I have had Komperdells and before that, a "real" hiking stick made of wood. I used that hiking stick for pole vaulting over marshy places on the trail.

    No kidding!

    Now, I have a 7 oz. YoYo single hiking stick. It is so compact, broken down for my backpack, and so lightweight, it is a pleasure to have. It is user serviceable, if the webbing cord needs replacement. I like that. I was never good at replacing the shock cord. It seems sturdy enough for any use I anticipate. I do not have "rocksylvania" in my hiking future plans, and I avoid the rock scree slopes in The Rocky Mountains. The single YoYo hiking stick is certainly sturdy enough for my Deschutes tarp.

  13. #13

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Bktourer1 View Post
    Head on over to wallyworld. Under $20 gets u a pair. Mine have been holding up for months
    With FLIP LOCKS?

  14. #14

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by pesphoto View Post
    I used these for a year until I was going up a creek like trail and put one thru a bed of moss, I went down and bent the pole over a log.
    But best part of these is you can go get another pair for $20....
    Exactly. All trekking poles can break under ABOUT the same stresses so replacing a $20 set is far less painful then replacing a $100+ set.

  15. #15
    lemon b's Avatar
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    Wal marts are ok. Currently, I have Komperdells, and a single Wal Mart. Three thru hikers walked into a hardware store I was working at in Lee, Ma. They were about to get tossed out on account of smelling till i caught wind and got en what they needed. Only one was having real hiking pole issues so I brought him in back to our general repair stuff room with tools, sprays all that stuff. A place customers ain't suppose to go, except for family. Don't know what he did, but he left with good as new poles. Guess what I'm saying is thru hikers figure stuff out and make adjustments, but there all gonna need some tlc once in awhile. Don't even remember the trail names but they were family to me.

  16. #16

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by The Cleaner View Post
    There's a ton of free ones at most trailheads.They're called hiking sticks and last week I picked up a friend of mine currently thru hiking at Hot Springs.He made it from Springer Mtn. in 28 days using only one free,reusable all natural stick.
    Doesn't get out of pocket cheaper than that. I have the same found hickory stick weighing 9 oz that has saved me countless times from falling and assisting with fords that I picked up in Ga on a 06 AT NOBO thru-hike that I also thru-hiked the Long Trail with. Has tape wrapped around it for multi purpose uses, a hallowed out handle that I store a survival kit in, and 100's of signatures on it of people I met traveling those two trails.

  17. #17

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    A few years ago there was a barrel full of beautiful hand made wood swirl hiking poles at Wood's Hole Hostel, for a donation as I recall. I think they were made by a relative of the owners... I got one and stowed away my techie pole in my pack, just to hold up my Gatewood Cape at night. I got so many comments and nice conversations because of this unique wood pole (never happens with techie poles). And the fingers and hand love to worry all the bumps and lumps on the handle, gives them something to do while hiking.

    I left it in my friend's garage and he later returned it to me, laser engraved with my trail name! What a prize. Thanks Woods Hole folks!

  18. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by RockDoc View Post
    A few years ago there was a barrel full of beautiful hand made wood swirl hiking poles at Wood's Hole Hostel, for a donation as I recall. I think they were made by a relative of the owners... I got one and stowed away my techie pole in my pack, just to hold up my Gatewood Cape at night. I got so many comments and nice conversations because of this unique wood pole (never happens with techie poles). And the fingers and hand love to worry all the bumps and lumps on the handle, gives them something to do while hiking.

    I left it in my friend's garage and he later returned it to me, laser engraved with my trail name! What a prize. Thanks Woods Hole folks!
    That account brings back many good memories at Wood's Hole Hostel. I remember seeing the barrel many yrs ago and then later. Good story.

  19. #19
    Registered User Abi's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Singto View Post
    At Cheaper Than Dirt: Chinook Technical Outdoors Back Country 3 lightweight (weight unknown) aluminum FLIP LOCK poles for just over $16 per pair + shipping.

    All time favorites are Cascade Mountain Lightweight (less than 8 ounces per) composite flip lock cork handled for about $45 per pair on Amazon.

    Looks like maybe a single pole not a pair?

  20. #20

    Default

    Twist locks. 6 months later still in good shape

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