I want poles that have a solid warranty from a company with exceptional customer service. 
While this technique may help you keep your balance, it adds no power to your walk and is hardly a smooth, efficient motion that uses little energy. As folding hiking poles only take seconds to deploy and fold back up, they have strong appeal for certain types of hikers.
I cant say it enough check the warranty and replacement policy before purchase. The use of poles went from enigmatic to being cool. They are fine to use on smooth trails, but a rugged trail environment will soon pull them off. There are those that believe hiking poles can cause ecological damage. Do your poles often sink into sand, mud and other soft terrain while youre hiking? Since that time, hikers without poles have become the minority. Leki and a few other companies also offer rubber curved foot-shaped walking-tip pieces for push-off efficiency on pavement. Then take a few short hikes on varied terrain until it starts to feel like second nature. In high-use areas with such soil, thousands of little pole holes can penetrate the dirt, loosening the soil so it is easily carried away by rain runoff. Adjust the strap length so that this position holding the pole with palm weight on the strap is comfortable. High grade aluminum poles are in the 16-20 ounce range.
Sweat and body oils from bare hands tend to make the rubber a bit slippery.
Ive read there are people that think a hiking pole can be used for defense against an animal attack.
Some flexible tips are designed to break away from the pole before the pole breaks, adding some peace-of-mind if youre many days into the outback.
River crossing with hiking poles helps you stabilize and balance against the current. Details to Explore Your Way, Yellowstones Best Trails and Advice for Hiking and Backpacking, Almost Everything You Need to Know about Hiking Mt St. Helens. Flats do not mean easy hiking flats could be rocky, boggy, swampy, muddy, or sandy. Telescoping hiking poles have been around since the 1980s and are well proven. The more efficient your hiking pole technique, the less energy you will use.
Sand hikers also use these baskets (be sure youre legally hiking any sand dunes as this is often forbidden on coastlines). The lower section of the pole wasnt all the way inside the rear hatch of my car. REI Co-op Trekking Pole Baskets for Mud or Sand.
A trekking basket/mud basket is fairly small, about 1.6 inches/4 cm in diameter, and prevents poles from sinking deep into mud, sand, and slipping into cracks between rocks, roots, or footbridge planks. Now push down with your palm on the strap (amount of force is hard to feel, but say 30 pounds for an idea). Check throughout the day when you stop for a break. Great for hikes where youll be doing a lot of scrambling and want to stow the poles away. What is difference in hiking is the pole is shorter to take advantage of your arms natural swinging motion (versus having to lift the pole tip to plant it ahead of your body). It is also beneficial for disposing of those pesky spider webs across the trail. While hiking with a naturalist one day, he pointed out how the pole holes helped aerate the soil, hard-packed from heavy hiker use. Demand for multi-section poles that are easy to pack and adjust prompted manufacturers to develop new designs and production techniques.
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. Tricky stream crossings without poles became easy as the poles helped support me against the current and loose rock bottoms. However, a walking stick is not a hiking/trekking pole. Try crossing a windy ridge in 40-50 mph gusts without hiking poles, and youll quickly appreciate the support they provide. Consider adding sand and mud baskets to your hiking poles!
These poles are good for occasional day hike use near home but not for heavy backpacking in rugged terrain and remote locations where you need total reliability.
Youd think a grip is a grip, but they actually vary quite a bit. Aluminum tubing is very durable and can take an amazing amount of bend before giving in (refer to tent poles). If you have to force the lever closed or opened, the tension is too tight. Initially called trekking poles (the more common term in Europe), cross country skiers and snowshoe hikers found the added benefit of using poles year-round, especially in the Nordic countries where such activities are a way of life for many. Compression fittings tend to be used on less expensive poles yet they weigh less than lever locks. I have a pair of poles from Komperdell that had a twist lock fitting failure when I forced it to collapse while it was stuck in the extended position. Check the warranty before purchasing. Trekking poles have saved me from ankle sprains dozens of times. The motion part of using poles came from cross country skiers and snowshoers, with the pole tip set to push you forward with each step. I have read of people having issues with push button locks, but the fix appears to be keeping the lock mechanism and hole clean. Folding hiking poles can use a lever lock on the top section and a push button lock on lower sections. Fortunately they are easy to replace yourself. Kudos to their warranty and customer service. As the pole reaches the limit of its forward arc, let the tip touch the ground. Many poles will have a little ledge molded into the bottom of the grip to help keep your hand in place. Some hikers claim that using a proper hiking pole technique helps them with speed on the flats, but my experience has been that poles slow me down on the flats. That is awesome service from both companies!
The best poles attach the tip to the pole with a strong yet flexible material making the pole more durable and specially designed to flex up to 30 degrees without bending the pole shaft. You may want to mark that point on your poles with a Sharpie. 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). Metal lever locks are durable and often found on premium poles. Grip shape and fit is important, too. Aluminum poles can flex under pressure without breaking, bang against rocks harmlessly, and even survive a rear car hatch closure. A dent here or there will typically be tolerable, but a big dent could lead to failure (beware creased dents). Aerospace-quality aluminum shafts allowed the telescoping poles to be strong yet light in weight.
When the lever is closed (folded in next to the pole) it compresses a cam that squeezes the two poles together, one pole inside the other. Our product experts are happy to provide you with the parts you need and the assistance you deserve. Pull the pole sections apart and inspect every piece for dents, cracks, or worn out parts. Too much bend and it will stay there! Note that temperature and vibration contribute to changes at the pole connections during the course of a day. Would you benefit from anti-shock poles? Weight and collapsed length (for travel) are considerations.
Black Diamond Trail Back Trekking Poles with Non-slip EVA foam grip extension.
The philosophy of use may be the same, but the difference is how they are used and the adjustability they offer. 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 be remiss not to mention an observation Ive noticed with Fit For Trips readers: They are purchasing the two brands below, which have an impressive number of ratings at almost 5 stars. L.L.Bean Hikelite 4-Season Poles with Rubberized Grip. Poles in the cheaper spectrum, caveat emptor. They use a mechanism for locking the three pole sections together.
He likes to rock and boulder climb and wanted trekking poles he could quickly stash away. I want highly reliable poles for a variety of terrain and weather conditions around the world. The older I get (and the worse my knees get) the more I think of hiking poles as a safety feature my health and well-being have a relationship with my hiking poles. He chose an aluminum pair to replace the broken carbon ones. Leki Folding GUIDE EXTREME V Carbon pole showing the kevlar cord. 2009-2022 Fit For Trips . Initially, 3-section poles were produced with aluminum shafts.
As you transfer weight to your foot and it starts to slip, the hiking poles can brace you despite the slip and prevent you from falling. Founded in the Pacific Northwest by outdoor enthusiasts who believe that exploration belongs to everyone, Cascade Mountain Tech has been dedicated to the idea of achievable adventure since day one. A raccoon will probably just laugh at you.
BLACK DIAMOND ALPINE CARBON FIBER CORK WR TREKKING POLES. The one potential problem area with three section hiking poles is when the locking mechanism fails to work properly, in particular the twist lock mechanism. There are packs made by Osprey that have Stow-on-the-Go trekking pole attachment loops so you can stow a pole on the fly. They also use a twist lock fitting. Leki MICRO VARIO COR-TEC TA Trekking pole with rounded grip top for palm comfort. All of our baskets work with any and all Cascade Mountain Tech poles! Pole tips can become worn and lose traction.
However, the Kevlar cord has been known to break at friction points (despite the plastic liner) and the lower section will sometimes need adjustment due to slight cord stretch. So, what strap length is just right? As mountain trails often have switchbacks, a lower grip lends itself to quickly changing direction versus stopping to adjust pole length. A skinny little pole isnt going to stop a bear or wild boar thats after you. However, it wasnt exactly intuitive, either. Hiking poles tend to get caught up in brush and laurel. You will find cork grips on mid-priced and premium poles. Cheap poles do not have the engineering and quality control for long-term reliability. Day hikes or multi-day backpacking trips? They add about an ounce to a pole over a twist lock system. Choosing a set of hiking poles can become a bit confusing, especially with all the options out there. We will notify you when this product becomes available. After the trip we stopped by a mini LL Bean store inside the Pinkham Notch Lodge facility. Snow baskets are much larger, about four inches/10 cm in diameter. Carbon poles are fine for spider webs, but I dont think Ill be whacking anything with them in case theres rock or tree stump hiding.
Maintained trails or bushwhacking/rock hopping? Practice using this method on smooth terrain such as your yard or a park lawn. Plus, hiking pole summer baskets also help prevent mud and dirt from splashing up onto you! Better quality rubber grips have a bit of silicone in them, which give good grip in the rain.
Womens REI Co-op Flash Carbon Trekking Poles with Powerlock Adjustment. 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).
Where will you be hiking?
Lever locks are quick and easy to deploy even with gloves on.
The tension cord can develop a bit of stretch with use; it needs to be re-tensioned from time to time, which is no big deal and can be done in the field. When a lever is too tight on a carbon pole it could cause it to crack.
While this technique may help you keep your balance, it adds no power to your walk and is hardly a smooth, efficient motion that uses little energy. As folding hiking poles only take seconds to deploy and fold back up, they have strong appeal for certain types of hikers. I cant say it enough check the warranty and replacement policy before purchase. The use of poles went from enigmatic to being cool. They are fine to use on smooth trails, but a rugged trail environment will soon pull them off. There are those that believe hiking poles can cause ecological damage. Do your poles often sink into sand, mud and other soft terrain while youre hiking? Since that time, hikers without poles have become the minority. Leki and a few other companies also offer rubber curved foot-shaped walking-tip pieces for push-off efficiency on pavement. Then take a few short hikes on varied terrain until it starts to feel like second nature. In high-use areas with such soil, thousands of little pole holes can penetrate the dirt, loosening the soil so it is easily carried away by rain runoff. Adjust the strap length so that this position holding the pole with palm weight on the strap is comfortable. High grade aluminum poles are in the 16-20 ounce range.
Sweat and body oils from bare hands tend to make the rubber a bit slippery.
Ive read there are people that think a hiking pole can be used for defense against an animal attack.
Some flexible tips are designed to break away from the pole before the pole breaks, adding some peace-of-mind if youre many days into the outback.
River crossing with hiking poles helps you stabilize and balance against the current. Details to Explore Your Way, Yellowstones Best Trails and Advice for Hiking and Backpacking, Almost Everything You Need to Know about Hiking Mt St. Helens. Flats do not mean easy hiking flats could be rocky, boggy, swampy, muddy, or sandy. Telescoping hiking poles have been around since the 1980s and are well proven. The more efficient your hiking pole technique, the less energy you will use. Sand hikers also use these baskets (be sure youre legally hiking any sand dunes as this is often forbidden on coastlines). The lower section of the pole wasnt all the way inside the rear hatch of my car. REI Co-op Trekking Pole Baskets for Mud or Sand.
A trekking basket/mud basket is fairly small, about 1.6 inches/4 cm in diameter, and prevents poles from sinking deep into mud, sand, and slipping into cracks between rocks, roots, or footbridge planks. Now push down with your palm on the strap (amount of force is hard to feel, but say 30 pounds for an idea). Check throughout the day when you stop for a break. Great for hikes where youll be doing a lot of scrambling and want to stow the poles away. What is difference in hiking is the pole is shorter to take advantage of your arms natural swinging motion (versus having to lift the pole tip to plant it ahead of your body). It is also beneficial for disposing of those pesky spider webs across the trail. While hiking with a naturalist one day, he pointed out how the pole holes helped aerate the soil, hard-packed from heavy hiker use. Demand for multi-section poles that are easy to pack and adjust prompted manufacturers to develop new designs and production techniques.
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. Tricky stream crossings without poles became easy as the poles helped support me against the current and loose rock bottoms. However, a walking stick is not a hiking/trekking pole. Try crossing a windy ridge in 40-50 mph gusts without hiking poles, and youll quickly appreciate the support they provide. Consider adding sand and mud baskets to your hiking poles!
These poles are good for occasional day hike use near home but not for heavy backpacking in rugged terrain and remote locations where you need total reliability.
Youd think a grip is a grip, but they actually vary quite a bit. Aluminum tubing is very durable and can take an amazing amount of bend before giving in (refer to tent poles). If you have to force the lever closed or opened, the tension is too tight. Initially called trekking poles (the more common term in Europe), cross country skiers and snowshoe hikers found the added benefit of using poles year-round, especially in the Nordic countries where such activities are a way of life for many. Compression fittings tend to be used on less expensive poles yet they weigh less than lever locks. I have a pair of poles from Komperdell that had a twist lock fitting failure when I forced it to collapse while it was stuck in the extended position. Check the warranty before purchasing. Trekking poles have saved me from ankle sprains dozens of times. The motion part of using poles came from cross country skiers and snowshoers, with the pole tip set to push you forward with each step. I have read of people having issues with push button locks, but the fix appears to be keeping the lock mechanism and hole clean. Folding hiking poles can use a lever lock on the top section and a push button lock on lower sections. Fortunately they are easy to replace yourself. Kudos to their warranty and customer service. As the pole reaches the limit of its forward arc, let the tip touch the ground. Many poles will have a little ledge molded into the bottom of the grip to help keep your hand in place. Some hikers claim that using a proper hiking pole technique helps them with speed on the flats, but my experience has been that poles slow me down on the flats. That is awesome service from both companies!
The best poles attach the tip to the pole with a strong yet flexible material making the pole more durable and specially designed to flex up to 30 degrees without bending the pole shaft. You may want to mark that point on your poles with a Sharpie. 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). Metal lever locks are durable and often found on premium poles. Grip shape and fit is important, too. Aluminum poles can flex under pressure without breaking, bang against rocks harmlessly, and even survive a rear car hatch closure. A dent here or there will typically be tolerable, but a big dent could lead to failure (beware creased dents). Aerospace-quality aluminum shafts allowed the telescoping poles to be strong yet light in weight.
When the lever is closed (folded in next to the pole) it compresses a cam that squeezes the two poles together, one pole inside the other. Our product experts are happy to provide you with the parts you need and the assistance you deserve. Pull the pole sections apart and inspect every piece for dents, cracks, or worn out parts. Too much bend and it will stay there! Note that temperature and vibration contribute to changes at the pole connections during the course of a day. Would you benefit from anti-shock poles? Weight and collapsed length (for travel) are considerations.
Black Diamond Trail Back Trekking Poles with Non-slip EVA foam grip extension.
The philosophy of use may be the same, but the difference is how they are used and the adjustability they offer. 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 be remiss not to mention an observation Ive noticed with Fit For Trips readers: They are purchasing the two brands below, which have an impressive number of ratings at almost 5 stars. L.L.Bean Hikelite 4-Season Poles with Rubberized Grip. Poles in the cheaper spectrum, caveat emptor. They use a mechanism for locking the three pole sections together.
He likes to rock and boulder climb and wanted trekking poles he could quickly stash away. I want highly reliable poles for a variety of terrain and weather conditions around the world. The older I get (and the worse my knees get) the more I think of hiking poles as a safety feature my health and well-being have a relationship with my hiking poles. He chose an aluminum pair to replace the broken carbon ones. Leki Folding GUIDE EXTREME V Carbon pole showing the kevlar cord. 2009-2022 Fit For Trips . Initially, 3-section poles were produced with aluminum shafts.
As you transfer weight to your foot and it starts to slip, the hiking poles can brace you despite the slip and prevent you from falling. Founded in the Pacific Northwest by outdoor enthusiasts who believe that exploration belongs to everyone, Cascade Mountain Tech has been dedicated to the idea of achievable adventure since day one. A raccoon will probably just laugh at you.
BLACK DIAMOND ALPINE CARBON FIBER CORK WR TREKKING POLES. The one potential problem area with three section hiking poles is when the locking mechanism fails to work properly, in particular the twist lock mechanism. There are packs made by Osprey that have Stow-on-the-Go trekking pole attachment loops so you can stow a pole on the fly. They also use a twist lock fitting. Leki MICRO VARIO COR-TEC TA Trekking pole with rounded grip top for palm comfort. All of our baskets work with any and all Cascade Mountain Tech poles! Pole tips can become worn and lose traction.
However, the Kevlar cord has been known to break at friction points (despite the plastic liner) and the lower section will sometimes need adjustment due to slight cord stretch. So, what strap length is just right? As mountain trails often have switchbacks, a lower grip lends itself to quickly changing direction versus stopping to adjust pole length. A skinny little pole isnt going to stop a bear or wild boar thats after you. However, it wasnt exactly intuitive, either. Hiking poles tend to get caught up in brush and laurel. You will find cork grips on mid-priced and premium poles. Cheap poles do not have the engineering and quality control for long-term reliability. Day hikes or multi-day backpacking trips? They add about an ounce to a pole over a twist lock system. Choosing a set of hiking poles can become a bit confusing, especially with all the options out there. We will notify you when this product becomes available. After the trip we stopped by a mini LL Bean store inside the Pinkham Notch Lodge facility. Snow baskets are much larger, about four inches/10 cm in diameter. Carbon poles are fine for spider webs, but I dont think Ill be whacking anything with them in case theres rock or tree stump hiding.
Maintained trails or bushwhacking/rock hopping? Practice using this method on smooth terrain such as your yard or a park lawn. Plus, hiking pole summer baskets also help prevent mud and dirt from splashing up onto you! Better quality rubber grips have a bit of silicone in them, which give good grip in the rain.
Womens REI Co-op Flash Carbon Trekking Poles with Powerlock Adjustment. 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).
Where will you be hiking?
Lever locks are quick and easy to deploy even with gloves on.
The tension cord can develop a bit of stretch with use; it needs to be re-tensioned from time to time, which is no big deal and can be done in the field. When a lever is too tight on a carbon pole it could cause it to crack.