Nordic poles for hiling

[devoidapop]

I picked up a pair of nordic poles to replace my heavy trekking poles. Should I change out this tip and basket?

[wisscy]

I don't use them for hiking, but do ski and rollerski with them. When using them on pavement the recommendation is to put rollerski ferrules on them because the snow baskets aren't strong enough. Granted, it's a lot of stress hammering them into pavement that maybe you won't have but that I don't know.

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[nsherry61]

I picked up a pair of nordic poles to replace my heavy trekking poles. Should I change out this tip and basket?

Nordic poles are normally too long for hiking, but, hey, if you found some that work for you go for it.

Those pole tips will slip all over on rocks and/or ice in a way the trekking pole carbide tips do not.
The baskets are probably fine left on. If they catch on too much brush, cut them down or remove them. Lots of people hike with poles having not basket whatsoever.

[devoidapop]

Update on the nordic poles

I've been using them since October and they grip on rocks and ice just as well as the round carbide tips on trekking poles.

[nsherry61]

Update on the nordic poles
I've been using them since October and they grip on rocks and ice just as well as the round carbide tips on trekking poles.

Wow, that sure isn't my experience. I even ordered higher end ski poles for back-country skiing in Oregon because my standard x-country poles slid all over any hard ice or thick heavy crust I encountered. And, my x-country poles had exactly the tips you show in your image. And FWIW, I've actually had the same problem with two or three different pairs of x-country poles. So, it's not just a one bad pole experience on my part. There is a reason many of us pay good money for carbide tips on our trekking/ski poles instead of using less expensive steel.

Either you have magic x-country poles or the carbide tip trekking poles you are comparing them to are really bad. Don't get me wrong, if the poles work for you, that's truly awesome. Keep using them! I wish my x-country poles worked for me on the ice and rocks I have found them sorely lacking on.

My brother-in-law uses repurposed ski poles as trekking poles with complete satisfaction. They are definitely a viable option. But then, he also takes off his skis on icy traverses that I ski across, so there may also be an expectation gap here also.

[cmoulder]

I don't see how that tip holds on glare ice, but hey if it works for you.

I also like big ol' 5" snow baskets in the winter, which these won't take, at least not without some jerry-rigging.

[nsherry61]

. . . I also like big ol' 5" snow baskets in the winter, which these won't take, at least not without some jerry-rigging.

Speaking of . . . I've been dreaming of finding some really big old fashioned powder style snow baskets that would work on my trekking poles. You know, those baskets that are about an 8 inch hoop with flexible leather netting attaching them to the pole so as the pole moves forward and down, the basket stays mostly flat on the snow and doesn't lift the tip up on steep hard stuff. But big, to reducing sinking in powder better than the regular trekking pole "powder" baskets do.

Like these! Maybe I should just buy some and try and figure out how to attache them.

Oh, maybe something like these?

Anybody have any great solutions for this?

[cmoulder]

lol, well I guess "big ol' 5-inch" is relative... standard snow baskets these days are 4"

That's quite a range there between old-school and hi-tech!

[devoidapop]

Expectation gap is a great way to put it, and probably accurate.

[Traveler]

Speaking of . . . I've been dreaming of finding some really big old fashioned powder style snow baskets that would work on my trekking poles. You know, those baskets that are about an 8 inch hoop with flexible leather netting attaching them to the pole so as the pole moves forward and down, the basket stays mostly flat on the snow and doesn't lift the tip up on steep hard stuff. But big, to reducing sinking in powder better than the regular trekking pole "powder" baskets do.

Like these! Maybe I should just buy some and try and figure out how to attache them.

Oh, maybe something like these?

Anybody have any great solutions for this?

Komperdell may have these snow baskets. I have an old set that I put on as soon as theres about a foot of snow on the ground and they work far better than the new smaller plastic standard baskets that don't have much "float". I know I have seen these elsewhere too and will dig around a bit to see if I can find the source.