gear question

“i've heard mostly bad things about Komperdell trekking poles. Has anyone had any experience with them...I just want something thats light, sturdy and most inexpensive.

My old standby of picking up a stick while I hike isn't workin for me anymore. They seem to keep breaking right when I least expect it...lol.”

“I had Komperdell Titanal contour poles. They were nice and lite, had great contoured foam grips with foam below the handles too. I like that so I can drop my hands down on uphills. They were bought in 2002 I believe and they just blew up last weekend. They'd been dosed in sand numerous times and they were getting difficult to adjust. They only cost me $69 on clearance so I think I got my money's worth. I'd buy them again.”

“That's weird.  I don't remember seeing any bad reports about them.  I've got a pair of Lekis that I haven't managed to break in almost a decade.”

“I break things real well.
I bet Lekis are higher quality (and cost).”

“I've got the cheap ones. They look really beat up but I'm still using them after 10 years. When the aluminum wears out I'll prolly still use the cork grips on my next poles.”

“check out rei's 50% off sale. The ones that are 50% are better.(If there are any)”

“The thing to remember about poles is that they're all good, but the parts wear out. This usually happens first to the expanding plugs and the BD clips. BD clips can be adjusted, but there will come a time when plugs and clips will need to be replaced.

You can usually bring them back to the store where you bought them who ought to repair them or send them for repair at a very moderate cost. Failing that you can contact the distributor from a magazine ad and use the web or their e-mail address.

Bending them can make them pop. Compressing them and tightening the sections will strip the threads when you try to extend the poles if they have been in freezing temperatures (the car's trunk in winter) and it is important to keep the sections clean - just wipe them down after use.

Sometimes the tip breaks and must be replaced - same procedure.”

“I dunno. I bought a cheap pair of french (chamonix) hiking poles for $15 a pair (in fact got two pair). I abuse them sometimes, like throwing them down cliffsides when you suddenly have to scramble, and they are still going strong. They are even three section so fold up small. But I have a buddy with black diamond flip lock poles and they are really nice, shock absorber models.”

“i have never seen any value in the shock absorber other than it makes the pole heavier and adds more parts to the pole to break. i took mine out, took out the length adjuster too, and glued the pieces together. just as functional and weighs less. nothing to go wrong.

i am leaving my poles behind more and more often. this last year in the GC i didn't bring my poles and on the one night i had to put up my tarp i had to mooch poles from baume... haha... now THAT is saving weight.”

“I am thinking of bringing just one (for the tent setup) for the NCT hike. I have not really needed them since both knees got fixed.”

“I got a pair for 30...marked down from ~90 at REI in '05ish? Love 'em.”

“I've been checking out the Black Diamond poles because of their 'flick-lock' mechanism.... The usual twist-lock is kindof a pain when the temp drops.”

“i ended up buying a pair from Campmor made by Lexi...

I actually long for the days when I only had one trick knee. Now my "good knee" is acting up. I don't really know what I did to it either. I think I hurt it doing the breast stroke at the pool. At any rate, these trekking poles are now very much a necessity or at least thats what I'm telling myself to justify spending money on sticks.”

“sweetpeastu - A year or so ago I broke my hiking pole of six years in a fall. Not finding a replacement stick that I liked, I went to a martial arts supply store and bought a "Bo." I love it and receive a lot of favorable comments on it. I use it for help in walking as well as for backpacking.

Bo's are strong and most are lightweight. A few that I rejected were way too heavy. Mine is made of rattan.

A "Bo" is a weapon, too. You might be able to arrange some for some instructions on using one from a martial arts instructor.

After I bought the Bo, I visited an Ace Hardware Store and bought rubber caps to cover the ends. They protect the wood ends from the concrete, etc., and can be replaced easily.

http://www.amas.net/item.cfm/RecordId/1246.htm
Most of the bo's cost from $15 to 30.”

“If you buy Leki and come to trail days they will service them for free each year, new expanders, new carbon tips, grind the rust out, new springs, etc. And if you get a set with foam handles and get them in early they sometimes replace them with the nicer cork handles. Leki is awesome, had my for 6 years now.”

“Do you have to buy them directly from Lexi...or is it just good enough that they were made by Lexi?”

“As long as they have leki on them it doesn't matter iffin they were bought at a yard sale.”

“i picked up a couple pieces of bamboo from the dollar tree a few months ago for a whopping $1 a piece...i keep forgetting to grab them out of my garage when i go hiking so i have no idea how they'll do as hiking poles”