Trekking Poles....Great or Hype?

“Ive had three ankle surgeries over the last few years ( ski accident) and tend to have a lot of ankle pain when hiking, especially downhill. Ive seen people with hiking poles on the trail and usually laugh at them a little....right as they fly past me on a downhill or uphill slope.


So...are thee things all they seem to be on advertisements/trails, or just another way for the gear companies to make good money on an aluminum stick?


If youre pro trekking pole, can you reccomend a good entry level pole for a bigger guy that wont require a second mortgage? Also...is the shock absorbing feature really wortht he extra cash?

Thanks everyone!”

“Great

http://thebackpacker.com/trailtalk/index.php?title=Trekking+poles&age=9999
last edited: 3/07/07 12:45:01 PM”

“If folks are blowing past you that might be your answer.

I like the shock absorbers and I like the Leki poles with the cork grips but just pick something that fits your budget and will probably be fine.

Or just use a couple of sticks.”

“I love my trekking poles. If I forget them on a hike I really miss them and it is hard to remember what to do with my hands.
Leki is alittle more money than some but the lifetime warranty is great. I have broken mine twice and Leki has sent me new sections both times.

As far as the shocks go, not a beleiver. I have used them a couple times, they make the pole heavier and the springiness IMHO makes me unstable when I really need to lean on them.”

“Trekking poles are why I'm still packing.
A few years back my knees started hurting from all the downhills.
Superfeet insoles and trekking poles made the pain go away.
My poles do not have the shock absorbing feature. All that does is make the poles more heavy. You want a light 'swing' weight.”

“They make great shelter poles. My most used shelter is an 8X10 siltarp and two trekking poles.”

“Great Hype. No, just kidding. They saved my butt numerous times on the AT, both for balance and wear and tear on the knees. Especially in the Whites.”

“Thanks for the feedback, I hope to see more. As far as a warranty goes, REI guarantees everything they sell, so does anyone have any comments on REI brand poles?

The Lekis all seem REALLY expensive.”

“I always thought they were sort of whimpy..until I used them at Sipsey...HA!

I just bought Leki poles at REI..on sale for 65.00.
last edited: 3/07/07 12:57:34 PM”

“GREAT! Poles work extremely well. I love em, and they are quite useful.”

“Lekis are expensive.

I bought mine at www.northernmountain.com on closeout for like $58 (normally $100-ish)
Go look there and look in their "killer deals" section.

REI poles are made by Komperdell (last I checked) and are good quality poles”

“I have some "generic" REI poles that are adequate for my use and size.”

“Ski poles will work in a pinch.”

“Both Super Target and Super Wal-Mart carry cheap trekking poles. About $15-20.

Sieria Trading Post has killer deals on poles ever now and then.

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/

They had some $100 poles for $30 something a while back. I bought three sets.
last edited: 3/07/07 1:14:34 PM”

“My last two sets of poles have been REI brand and I've had very good luck with them.”

“Exactly what Creek Dancer said. Try ski poles if you have them or if someone you knoe has them. Try them out for free on a trip and invest in the real things if you like them.”

“I'm also a pole convert. Ton's of help going downhill. I just have the most basic pole, no shocks, but they do collapse. That can be helpful when flying with your camping gear.”

“I might be the only one that doesn't use trekking poles. I've hiked without them for so long I just don't have a need for them.”

“I appreciate everyone's feedback.

I guess my next question is...anybody have any spares laying around that are still ing ood working order that theyd like to part with for a good price?”

“hype. i've never used them. i've done 5 thru-hikes and never saw a need.”

“They are far from hype, I had a study some time back that showed they can reduce joint stress (ankles, knees, etc.) as much as 20%. As a long-time user I believe that!

I have an older pair of Leki's which I love, you can attach them to each other to convert them into an avalanche probe!

Maybe if you're a flat-lander they wouldn't make much difference, but I couldn't imagine doing without in the mountains.”

“I live in the Blue Ride Mountains now, but Im moving to Utah soon....”

“You mean Blue Ridge, as in out East? Those are hills, you're moving to the mountains, congrats!”

“Never used them until my left ankle suddenly started getting twisted badly every time I hit the trail. I laughed at pole-users, too. Then I had my first hike with then and now you'll pry them from my cold dead hands (if you gotta go, why not on the trail, right?)

Great for extra uphill power and saving your leg muscles, great downhill for stability and saving your knees, great for stability when going sideways on a hill, more power when level, great for stream crossings. You get more speed on all of the above.

Just make sure you use them right! Remember, the strap should be WIDE (not the cheap narrow straps like ski poles have), and that wide part ends up on the back of your hands if the strap is on right. Your weight is entirely borne by the strap even if you let completely go of the handle. Search the net for more info.

Anyway, yes, get them. Often found "off season" for $60, normally $90 for a good pair. I have the springs on mine and I'm sure when they eventually die my next pair will NOT have them. Also get a pair that is triple-telescoping (two joints each) so it can attach to your pack for rock scrambles.”

“Thanks....I love the NC mountains. Small...but incredibly beautiful.

Im very excited about utah, even though family and friends are being left behind for now.

Time to move from a place where "high" elevation is 5k to where high elevation is 11k.”

“damn, i've never had much interest in them but now everyone's making me want to try them out”

“techntrek makes some good points, if you know what you're doing, you don't "carry" your poles, you "USE" your poles!”

“"triple-telescoping (two joints each) so it can attach to your pack for rock scrambles"

Also, they fit better in your carry on if you fly to go backpacking.”

“With the place Ive got set up to live in Salt lake... getting to a place to go backpacking will simply involve walking out the back door and down the street a little.


I d appreciate everyone's feedback a lot. This is a good board full of informative people.


Again, is anyone looking to sell any poles?”

“Great.

They definitely have reduced a lot of pounding on my knees. Not always enough at times. I guess eventually I’ll have to move out west so I can hike on those nice trails with all those switchbacks to help reduce the impact (just having a little fun with you wanderer ;-) ).”

“Had I had my "stick" I probly would not have torn the tendon on my little finger New Year's Eve.

They can clear scree out of the way going downhill so the footing is more secure and going up they can save your bacon any number of ways. I am considering leaving my "stick" and going with collapsible poles for weight and packing size”

“....This is a good board full of informative people.....
solidude
1:57:35 PM
3/07/07

Yep, we are full of something. ;-)”

“(just having a little fun with you wanderer ;-) ).”

That's OK, I like to have fun with the flat-landers, can't imagine a BP trip thru the cornfields! :)

Solidude, I hadn't thought about it but have two pairs lying in my gear cabinet, maybe I do have a pair I'd sell, send me an email.”

“I can't say anything for sure about ankles, but I imagine poles would be a great help. I can, however, attest to the fact that they will help keep your face intact. My Leki's have saved me from quite a few faceplants in their day.”

“I'm keeping my deals! ;-)”

“Thanks wanderer...email sent.


StoveStomper...I dont blame you. I hoarde deals at times too. Cleaned REI out of $100 Polar pod 20 degree sleeping bags when they were 29 bucks...sold them to pals for 50 and still saved them money though ;)”

“Almost bent a pole a bunch of times in the Sipsey this past weekend. Offtrail bushwacking is rough on them. I kept finding holes for the pole to get stuck in.”

“I resisted using poles. Now I'm a believer.
It's like having 4 legs instead of 2.
I just use an old pair of ski poles.”

“Im a big guy ( 250 at the moment...gotta hike some of it off)....do these poles bend often?”

““Almost bent a pole a bunch of times in the Sipsey this past weekend. Offtrail bushwacking is rough on them. I kept finding holes for the pole to get stuck in.”
StoveStomper
3:14:21 PM
3/07/07

When I go off trail, I normally will only carry one, if at all. It's one less thing for the carnivorous spruce to grab onto and when going down hill there’s generally enough trees to grab onto that the poles aren’t always necessary.”

“My rock maple stick has never once bent... :)

But I am worried about that too...”

“....do these poles bend often?”
solidude
2:17:11 PM

When you are making good time and jam that pole about 8" deep into a hole, you tend to jerk that strap when it doesn't pull out, LOL.
No bends last weekend, but several jerks.”

“Just thought of something else. Make sure you buy a name brand or from a local company that will do part replacements for free. No matter how great you treat them the tip will eventually get caught between two rocks some day and bend, or the locks between the sections fail. I've had both problems and the local EMS has replaced the parts for free. They are Leki-made and I'm not sure if this is a EMS or Leki policy. It makes the few extra bucks worth it.”

“Get a muddy or icy trail and you'll think they are worth thier weight in gold. I like them for muddy hiking, icy hiking or winter when I'm carrying heavier loads. With my summer pack weight, I don't bother with them.”

“Yeah...I dont mind paying for a guaranteed product. Otherwise, Id have already bought a 20 dollar pair on ebay.”

“I believe that is a Leki policy”

“That's not a nice thing to call your hiking partners SS. ;-)


I've only bent one pole in the past 5 years since I started using them. I took a tumble after wedging one of my Black Diamond Switchbacks between two rocks. The result bent the lower section of the pole, but not enough that I couldn’t use it after. In fact that section can still collapse into the top section.”

“Most poles are aluminum so you can bend small bends right back with no problems.”

“Lekis are great poles and have a 100% warranty. Mine broke on a muddy down hill in connecticut, just when I put my full weight on them. I skidded down the trail on my belly and thighs, but did manage to save my purty face. I went to an outfitter in the next town and he replaced it under the warranty even though the purchase was not made at his establishment.

I consider them to be a vital piece of safety gear and would buy the best I could possibly afford. Only you know what you're worth.”

“My Komperdells still work fine and have never let me down. A lot of paint is knocked off and they aren't as pretty as new, but they still work that way.”