These points of connection also are their greatest weaknesses, so a quality locking mechanism is highly recommended we discuss this in more detail below.
In this category, we prefer light poles with simple feature sets: secure locking mechanisms, quality aluminum or carbon fiber construction, and comfortable grips. Black Diamond pioneered the ultralight folding category with their Z-Pole line. Much like the poles that come with a tent, you can separate the pieces and pack them down into a compact size oftentimes 10 inches shorter than a comparable telescoping pole. Most folding poles have very thin shafts, can bear less weight than their telescoping counterparts, and are either not adjustable or limited in their adjustments lengthwise.
Favored by fast hikers, trail runners, climbers, and travelers, these poles will cause the least amount of arm fatigue over long miles. A third category of trekking pole is the straight-shaft, fixed-length design. As such, no fixed-length poles made our list. Generally, trekking poles are made either from carbon fiber, aluminum, or a combination of the two a three-section pole may have two carbon upper pieces and an aluminum lower, for example.
High-end trekking poles are often made from carbon, which is lighter and stiffer but also more expensive and brittle and when carbon fiber breaks, it breaks; aluminum may just dent or bend and still be usable. Price and overall durability are the main reasons hikers opt for aluminum poles. There's something to be said about a confidence-inspiring design like the Black Diamond Trail Ergo , which is super stable and has virtually no wobble even on steep descents.
The classic style used a twist lock: to tighten you twist each section closed to lock the segments into place. These poles are haunted by inconsistent performance, with hikers either over-tightening to the point of seizing, or twisting too loose, resulting in perpetual issues with collapsing. Needless to say, the twist lock has gone out of vogue. And while there are a few models out there that do a good job—such as what you get on Gossamer Gear's LT5—we typically recommend avoiding the twist lock.
Enter the lever lock. Better still, the tendency for segments to slip when in the locked position is significantly reduced, giving additional confidence to the user.
The lever lock is the new standard. Materials: Cork, Foam, and Rubber Trekking pole grips come in three main types: cork, foam, and rubber, with cork being our personal favorite. A quality cork handle has an exceptionally comfortable feel in the hand and wicks sweat very well. It also will conform nicely to your hand over time, making it great for long-distance treks and multi-season use. EVA foam is soft, provides a measure of shock absorption, and does a decent job at wicking moisture in the summer months although it will typically retain more moisture than cork.
Rubber is the third option and usually found on budget trekking poles. Ergonomic Handle vs. Standard Handle Looking beyond the grip materials, another consideration is whether or not to get an ergonomic handle.
These types of grips have a slight forward angle, typically around 15 degrees, which is supposed to mimic where your hands would naturally rest. Choke-up Extensions Many poles will have a second, smaller grip below the main one. This is what we refer to as a choke-up extension, or extended grip. These predominantly foam grips are great for finding a secure hold lower on your poles while climbing steep hills or sidehilling, improving balance and leverage.
For those who often travel on steep or technical terrain, extended grips are a must-have feature. For a DIY alternative, you can wrap duct tape around your poles under the large grips for a more secure hold. Wrist Straps The final piece in the grip construction is the wrist strap. There is an impressive diversity of strap designs, ranging from heavily padded to simple nylon. In choosing a strap, the biggest consideration is noticing any potential irritants.
If a seam is rubbing against the back of your hand on a short walk, that can turn into serious chafing by mile In general, the straps on most quality trekking poles are very comfortable. At the other end of the spectrum, you get nearly full hand coverage with Leki's new Cross Trail 3, but many hikers and backpackers will find the design overkill and a bit polarizing.
A light pole will fatigue your arms less quickly, which is a big benefit on long treks. For moving light and fast, the lighter the better, with a caveat that durability diminishes once you get into the ultralight category we see it happen right around 1 pound. On the extreme end are poles like the Gossamer Gear LT5 These are great for ultralight backpackers and thru-hikers, but the shaft materials are too delicate for bushwhacking or 4-season use.
Our preference is to go lightweight without having to be constantly worried about snapping the poles, which is why we rank the BD Trail Ergo atop our list. Folding poles take the prize for the smallest packed size, which is as little as 13 inches. Not everyone puts such a high value on a compact size, which is partly why three-section poles remain the most popular style on the market. Their average minimum length is 24 to 27 inches, which is small enough to attach to the outside of a backpacking pack , and also can fit into most luggage.
Two-section telescoping designs are where it may become an issue for squeezing into a duffel or suitcase, and you can forget about traveling with a fixed-length pole. For trekking poles, durability and weight almost always go hand in hand.
The first places manufacturers look to cut weight are the thickness of the material and the diameter of the pole. A smaller diameter and thinner pole logically will be less durable and flex more under pressure than its wider and thicker counterpart.
The other part of the equation is the material itself. As mentioned above, even though aluminum may not be as strong as carbon fiber, it is the better choice in terms of durability because it has a lesser chance of breaking. This is why some manufacturers make a hybrid carbon and aluminum pole with the aluminum section at the bottom. Banging up against trail debris or snagging the pole in between rocks may only dent or bend the aluminum rather than crack or shatter the carbon.
A durable trekking pole can be just that: great for simple day hikes or backpacking trips in the summer, but burly enough for snowshoeing or even the occasional ski tour. So what makes a trekking pole suitable for winter? Typically it will come from the telescoping category. The stiffer design and telescoping function is important for uphill and downhill travel, particularly for skiing or mountaineering. Beyond having a strong shaft material, interchangeable baskets are a must for winter use.
Many trekking poles come with, or offer as an accessory, powder snow baskets. The wide diameter baskets keep the poles from sinking in deep snow, just like a ski pole.
Not all trekking poles have this option, however, so make sure to verify prior to purchasing. Some of the testers even filled out survey sheets we left behind, too. I tried the poles in small batches for a series of hikes, some short less than 3 miles and some long about 10 miles , over as many different terrains as California in the late summer and early fall could muster: hard dirt, soft dirt, sand, and sandstone; oaky woods and scraggly chaparral; some desert, some beach, a little jaunt in foothills of the Sierras.
No good. What a sad pole! You have to use the pole. In this spirit, usability was by far our main concern and the metric we returned to most often in deciding the best set of poles overall. Adjusting mechanics: How easy is it to adjust the pole on the trail? Or to fold it away quickly into your pack? Ultimately, in our experience the easiest-to-use adjustment mechanisms were minimalist. Our other picks all use simple flick locks for adjustments and offer the added benefit of measurements for remembering your preferred height.
Portability: A lot of trekking-pole reviews heavily weigh how quickly and well the poles collapse for packing. We realize some hikers have some extreme portability needs for which these highly collapsible poles are ideal, but for most hikers we think our picks are perfectly portable during travel.
Not one of our plus testers had much of anything to say about how packable any set of poles was, because, of course, they were busy using the poles, but if you need something that packs small, our collapsible pick might be the best choice for you.
Despite all this, I spent several hours on several hikes swapping between pole sets, collapsing and adjusting, collapsing and adjusting, knowing in my heart of hearts that were I not researching these poles for review, I would not have been engaged in such mid-hike foolishness. The two-joint design means the poles are more packable, as they collapse smaller, but it also means more can go wrong. I was, because I crave as much silence as possible when I hike, except in bear country.
If portability is important to you, tentpole-style collapsible poles, like our pick in the category, the Black Diamond Alpine FLZ Z-Poles , are a great option. With a little practice, you can pull them apart and put them back together again in under a minute.
In our tests, this type also tended to be quieter and less rattly than the telescoping versions. A bonus. Comfort and versatility: What sort of options does the pole offer?
Can you exchange the baskets or tips for different terrain or weather conditions? Do you have a bunch of different ways to hold the stick? Grip shape and texture: One of the factors that most immediately determine whether someone will connect with a pole is how it feels in their hand. One tester—a physical therapist—gestured toward a clutter of poles in the corner of the office, where patients had been trying them out. Cork stays cooler than rubber but is heavier and sweatier than foam.
Aluminum versus carbon fiber: We were skeptical about the difference in feel between a carbon fiber pole and an aluminum pole—we thought the effect had more to do with weight and less to do with feel. Boy, were we wrong! Carbon fiber poles are lighter, of course, but also much stiffer. In our experience, we tended to like the feel of carbon fiber more, but plenty of reviewers say they barely notice the difference.
We found one upside to carbon fiber, too, in that it tended to be quieter on the trail. Tips: Carbide or steel tips offer good traction in most natural environments, even on ice. Rubber tips are good for stowing and for use around the house or town, or in sensitive natural areas; some poles have angled rubber walking tips sold separately for asphalt or urban walking. You can find a lot of poles with removable straps, but why would you want that? To avoid, like, a strap tan?
To us, a removable strap is just one more part to lose, one more unnecessary thing to fuss with. But the main thing about straps we found is that you are more likely to regret not having one when your pole careens halfway down a mountain or into a stream. Most of the poles we looked at either come with additional baskets or make it very easy to add a basket, but for the most part the majority of people are almost never going to think about the baskets on their poles.
Shock absorbers: Do you need them? Do you want them? This design helps save weight and add strength, as there are no adjustment components, which are heavy and add weak points to the shaft. To mountain-runners, fast hikers, and those wishing to shave every ounce from their kit, poles using fixed-length designs may be desirable. But they lack the versatility and adjustability desired by most users.
Carbon is a light and stiff material used in products that need to support a lot of weight, but also need to be light. Carbon fiber poles are extremely strong when loaded vertically, and are the lightest pole options on the market.
However, they are weak when bent horizontally. They also can chip or crack easily on rocks, which makes them more likely to snap. Carbon fiber poles are best for light to moderate duty use where weight is the most important consideration, like ultralight backpacking, climbing, and running. Be prepared to pay more for carbon fiber poles. Aluminum poles are heavier than carbon fiber poles, but they are much more durable. They also tend to be cheaper. Aluminum bends without snapping, which can be a lifesaver on long trips where breaking a pole would be a major problem.
These poles are best for long-distance trekking, trips where durability is the primary concern, and for hikers on a budget. All of the adjustable poles in our review use a lever lock adjustment system. This system has replaced the old twist-lock system used extensively in the past. If you are new to the lever lock system, you will be impressed by the ease of use and secure locking that this system provides.
Some poles use plastic lever locks to save weight, which are more prone to snapping or getting smashed when thrown down onto the ground. The more durable options feature aluminum lever locks that rarely break in the field.
Different activities require different size pole baskets. Some poles come with fixed baskets, while others have the option to use interchangeable baskets.
Larger baskets are better for snowshoeing, mountaineering, and skiing or snowboarding, but get hung up on roots and bushes if you're hiking through the woods in the summer. Smaller baskets are better for dry hiking on dirt, gravel, and rocky trails. Many options come with a small basket for the summer and a large basket for snowy conditions. Many users don't pay attention to how much their equipment weighs. Early adventurers picked up their equipment from the nearest military surplus store and bolted off into the wilderness with heavy loads and positive attitudes.
Luckily, the explosion of interest in outdoor activities has brought major advances in materials and design to outdoor gear of all types, including trekking poles. While old-school thinkers may eschew these advances as unnecessary, we can't deny the increased possibilities that lighter, stronger gear provides.
As such, weight should be a concern in proportion to how lofty your objectives are. Aerospace-quality aluminum shafts allowed the telescoping poles to be strong yet light in weight. The widespread adoption of hiking poles in the USA spread through several avenues of experience.
People returned with poles in their luggage from hiking in Europe where trekking pole use was common. Mountaineers and outdoor guides quickly adopted the adjustable poles and got them for client use. Three-section poles were carried by ski shops and outdoor specialty stores, but poles really took off when they got the stamp of approval from outdoor magazines like Backpacker and Outside.
The use of poles went from enigmatic to being cool. Despite being half the price of the better known brands, Cascade Mountain has a very good reputation and are recommended by a number of reputable long distance hikers:.
I would recommend that you use these for day hikes just incase there are some durability issues. Although there are some thru-hikers that swear by them. My first experience with real hiking poles was mountaineering school at Mt. Rainier during the summer of But I quickly found the advantage of poles extended beyond their use on snow fields.
Of course the poles helped ease the load going downhill, but I was amazed at how much they helped going uphill, like being in 4-wheel drive! Hiking downhill with trekking poles.
The hiking poles helped me maintain my balance and footing while I crossed talus slopes and rock slides. Tricky stream crossings without poles became easy as the poles helped support me against the current and loose rock bottoms. The poles saved me from ankle sprains more than a few times, and they certainly kept me from busting my behind regularly! River crossing with hiking poles helps you stabilize and balance against the current. Grips come in different shapes, widths, and materials.
Forget the nomenclature and get what fits your hand comfortably. Good quality poles use three different grip materials or a combination of them: foam, rubber and cork. Dense EVA foam is popular, has good grip when wet, and is relatively cool in the hand in hot weather. Modern foam is surprisingly tough, though it is the least durable of popular grip materials. Foam can absorb some moisture, which could feel very cold in the hand in winter conditions.
Foam is used on poles at all price points, but not all foams are equal. Premium poles use premium foam. Poles in the cheaper spectrum, caveat emptor. Rubber grips are very durable and grip well in cold conditions.
Sweat and body oils from bare hands tend to make the rubber a bit slippery. Better quality rubber grips have a bit of silicone in them, which give good grip in the rain. Rubber grips are also available on hiking poles at many price ranges. Shy away from stiff feeling rubber — that is the type that gets slippery when wet. Softer rubber has good grip in all conditions. The grip material considered to have the best all-around performance is cork. Ground cork is molded with a polymer to make a durable grip that absorbs very little moisture, has good grip even when sweaty, and is fairly cool in the hand.
You will find cork grips on mid-priced and premium poles. Grip shape and fit is important , too. Some grips will have an index finger bump as an aid for holding the pole. Many poles will have a little ledge molded into the bottom of the grip to help keep your hand in place. These days, premium hiking poles have an ergonomically angled grip lower price poles typically have a straight grip. The angle allows your wrist to rest at a more natural angle when the poles are pushing behind you on the ground.
There are times when use of the very top of the pole with your palm may be required, such as negotiating a steep step down off a boulder. A grip that is somewhat rounded and smooth on the top to fit your palm will be much appreciated in such situations. Grip tops do vary quite a bit and some poles are much more ergonomically designed than others. See how it is going to feel with the center of your palm on top of the grip with most of your weight on it before buying.
Some poles usually the expensive ones have a covered section beneath the hand grip for grabbing the lower part of the pole choking down in steep-sided traverses where the pole on the uphill side needs to be shorter than the pole on the downhill side.
As mountain trails often have switchbacks, a lower grip lends itself to quickly changing direction versus stopping to adjust pole length. Grip extensions can also be handy when you need to choke-down in steep terrain, such as stepping up on a boulder.
Grip extensions can be added to any hiking pole by using tennis racket or gold club grip tape, hockey tape, or grippy bicycle bar tape. Nylon straps positioned at the top of the grips are adjustable. Straps are an integral part of efficient pole use for most hikers. Quality straps include some type of soft material that contacts your skin, such as airbrushed nylon, microfiber, or neoprene.
I see this method most often on ultralight, single piece carbon fiber poles. Such poles are so light they must be fully held by the grip, and the strap may get in the way. The downside is despite how light the poles are, your hand is always in the grip position which can produce hand fatigue.
Some hikers inevitably get blisters while using hiking poles, often from strap rub that develops with sweaty hands. If you feel a hot spot developing on your hand or fingers while using poles, stop and put some first aid tape or duct tape on the spot before it develops into a blister. Experienced hikers with sensitive skin often wear fingerless gloves to reduce friction. Fingerless gloves made for paddling, working out, sailing, or rappelling will fit snugly and have no paddling.
Bicycle gloves are not as ideal because the paddling tends to get in the way. Fingerless gloves weigh next to nothing and take up no more space than a pair of thin socks, so carrying a bit of insurance could be worth it. Initially, 3-section poles were produced with aluminum shafts.
Aluminum is very durable and reliable, but the search for lighter weight materials continued. Quality aluminum poles use aerospace grade aluminum alloy and are anodized to prevent corrosion galvanic, such as salt air coastal regions. High grade aluminum poles are in the ounce range.
Aluminum tubing is very durable and can take an amazing amount of bend before giving in refer to tent poles. Too much bend and it will stay there! A dent here or there will typically be tolerable, but a big dent could lead to failure beware creased dents. Carbon fiber hiking poles began to appear as materials in science progressed. Originally marketed for their light weight, they proved to be unreliable, splitting apart from compression or snapping in half at the slightest nick from a rock.
Manufacturers then started making three section carbon fiber poles with thicker tubes for strength and better lamination for durability.
They weighed about the same or slightly less than light aluminum poles. Carbon fiber is a good choice for dispersing vibration, thus reducing the amount of shock transmitted to your hands. The big feature of carbon besides weight is stiffness. Carbon fiber is stiffer than steel for its weight, which is why NASA uses carbon in the space shuttle not to mention high performance cars, motorcycles, and bicycles.
Once the reliability was there, carbon fiber poles became widely accepted and are used in premium models from all the major manufacturers as is aluminum. A pair of three section carbon fiber poles can weigh ounces about the same as quality aluminum poles or slightly lighter for a three section pole or as little as nine ounces for fixed length poles.
Carbon fiber poles have been well proven in every environment on earth, but they do have their limitations; you should know about these before buying.
Quality carbon poles from a quality manufacturer are not cheap. Cheap poles do not have the engineering and quality control for long-term reliability. Check the warranty before purchasing. Aluminum inherently weighs slightly more than carbon fiber, but is much more durable.
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