titanium??

[House of Payne]

Do any of the pole manufacturers make titanium poles? Is the carbon fiber the best current material? I just returned a 10 yr old pair of aluminum poles to REI and they gave me my money back after they failed. I'm in the hunt for the next best thing...

[Don H]

Everyone I saw using carbon fiber poles broke them. Aluminum can sometimes be bent back straight, carbon shatters.

You returned a pair of 10 year old poles? How did they fail?

[Wise Old Owl]

after ten years? oh boy,CLICK

[Pedaling Fool]

OK, ten years, but what's the mileage

[House of Payne]

The interior of the poles failed. The aluminum oxidized from the inside out after getting wet on trips. The locking mechanisms started to not hold when pressured and eventually a hole appeared on the bottom of the shaft. When I brought them back to REI the manager said to me that I should have been taking the poles apart after using them and cleaning the insides (rinsing them) out. I thought that was kind of weird.

As far as mileage is concerned, they probably had about 800+/- miles on them .

[leaftye]

No, no poles that you can really say are titanium. Just alloys, some of which have small fractions of titanium.

There's no indestructible pole. Some have better warranties though.

It bothers me that some shelters that need straight poles don't have a way to set them up without poles. The TT Notch is an example. A couple loops on the outside should make that a prime candidate for hanging the peak like a hammock.

[QiWiz]

Titanium tubing exists but is very expensive.

[leaftye]

Titanium tubing exists but is very expensive.

Not talking about just tubing. Talking abou trekking poles.

[Wise Old Owl]

I found a pair I said Click and Loaded it with the Url ya all missed

[kayak karl]

i got over 2000 on 3pc. carbon fiber pacer poles. new tips, they never broke and i've taken some falls.

[leaftye]

I found a pair I said Click and Loaded it with the Url ya all missed

Nope.

No, no poles that you can really say are titanium. Just alloys, some of which have small fractions of titanium.

Since you missed it, what I mean is that the 'titanium' poles are aluminum alloys, not titanium alloys.

[cabbagehead]

All I know is that you shouldn't get the Leki Makalu Khumba poles (or any Lekis), and if you get aluminum poles, get something in the 7000 series that's heat treated. I believe that 7075 t6 might be the best.

[ny breakfast]

No, no poles that you can really say are titanium. Just alloys, some of which have small fractions of titanium.

There's no indestructible pole. Some have better warranties though.

It bothers me that some shelters that need straight poles don't have a way to set them up without poles. The TT Notch is an example. A couple loops on the outside should make that a prime candidate for hanging the peak like a hammock.

use what you have to make a gathered end, I've used as little as my soap bottle and belt to hang my shelter, think bear bag line and hand sanitizer, bottle of soap, small stone tucked in the peaks and gather end with what you have hang that shelter and good to go, no troubles at all. met few experienced hikers who gave me the same replies "why didn't i think of that" works well and now you don't have to let it bother you any more.

[Francis Sawyer]

I use bamboo poles. They are lightweight, biodegradable , adjustable and FREE!

[Franco]

Only the first one or two production runs of the Notch did not have apex guylines.
Problem solved....

[Dochartaigh]

Everyone I saw using carbon fiber poles broke them. Aluminum can sometimes be bent back straight, carbon shatters.

Were they all using the Gossamer Gear carbon fiber poles which are known to be pretty fragile? My Locus Gear CP3 carbon fiber poles seem to be pretty darn sturdy (and only an ounce heavier than the GG's) – only time will tell though.

[Havana]

When I brought them back to REI the manager said to me that I should have been taking the poles apart after using them and cleaning the insides (rinsing them) out. I thought that was kind of weird.

Maintenance on gear, weird? I think it's far weirder to be dissatisfied with a 10 year life on a product you didn't maintain. How long should it last? Forever?

[squeezebox]

So I'm hearing I should take apart my Al poles, wash with soap and water, let dry completely, reassemble, then store. Store them unlocked.

[Connie]

Huh? Did you hike a salt-water beach?

[Havana]

So I'm hearing I should take apart my Al poles, wash with soap and water, let dry completely, reassemble, then store. Store them unlocked.

In my opinion, once a year over ten years wouldn't have been too much to ask. I've since gone to poles with the clip locks but those twist locks were notorious for corroding, especially if you stored them wet (e.g. after a river crossing, four days of rain, etc). Drying them is a good idea. If the problem manifested itself after a year, I think the OP would have a legitimate beef, but after a decade, not so much. I highly recommend the carbon fiber poles with the clip locks. No corrosion. Plenty strong. But again, nothing lasts forever. Nor should it be expected to.