Pole tips

Quixoticgeek

Full Member
Aug 4, 2013
2,483
24
Europe
Seems my recent trip up Pen-y-Fan has killed the rubber tips on the ends of my poles.

poletip01_sm.jpg


The poles are made by Mckinley and I got them when on holiday in Austria. Are these a relatively standard fit across brands, or do I need to hunt down a new pair from Mckinley in the UK?

Cheers

Julia
 

Goatboy

Full Member
Jan 31, 2005
14,956
18
Scotland
Hi Julia,

Must say never came across a pair of them in nearly 20 in the outdoor trade but looking at them and from other pictures on the net I'd say that standard Edelrid (they make poles for heaps of folk) tips should be fine. Just take them with you when you go to your local shop and let them try, as I'd recon Edelrids or at a push Leki tips will fit. There tends not to be too much variances as you said.

Is there a reason that you're using the rubber tips on the hill rather than the carbide/steel ones underneath?
 

Quixoticgeek

Full Member
Aug 4, 2013
2,483
24
Europe
Hi Julia,

Must say never came across a pair of them in nearly 20 in the outdoor trade but looking at them and from other pictures on the net I'd say that standard Edelrid (they make poles for heaps of folk) tips should be fine. Just take them with you when you go to your local shop and let them try, as I'd recon Edelrids or at a push Leki tips will fit. There tends not to be too much variances as you said.

Cool, I'll give that a go.

Is there a reason that you're using the rubber tips on the hill rather than the carbide/steel ones underneath?

Yeah, stupidity. I had been using the rubber tips the day before when walking on the road, because the carbide tips are so damn noisy on tarmac that it was driving people mad. So I had the rubber bits on to keep it quiet. Then on Pen-y-Fan, I was so concentrating on just getting to the top that I didn't remember to take them off, and then of course they were worn through and I thought that I had. Not my finest moment that's for sure. Was surprised when nearing the end of the hike I found that the rubber had a carbide tip poking through it.

Julia
 

Goatboy

Full Member
Jan 31, 2005
14,956
18
Scotland
Cool, I'll give that a go.



Yeah, stupidity. I had been using the rubber tips the day before when walking on the road, because the carbide tips are so damn noisy on tarmac that it was driving people mad. So I had the rubber bits on to keep it quiet. Then on Pen-y-Fan, I was so concentrating on just getting to the top that I didn't remember to take them off, and then of course they were worn through and I thought that I had. Not my finest moment that's for sure. Was surprised when nearing the end of the hike I found that the rubber had a carbide tip poking through it.

Julia

You can rebuild the rubber tips with stuff like Shoe-goo or even some sort of mastic sealant which would be cheaper. Aye the tappity tap tap of carbide on tarmac can drive folks daft. Hope you get sorted.
 

cbr6fs

Native
Mar 30, 2011
1,620
0
Athens, Greece
You need to measure the diameter, there are many different sizes and even shapes of tips.

The stickpic site shows the more common sizes and how they correspond to different makes of poles, there are 4 main sizes.
11.5mm
12.5mm
12.4mm
13.5mm

If your pole tips come close to one of those sizes then they should fit.


Personally i stow my poles on road sections, tried the rubber tips but found them unpredictable off-road (grip wise) and i got miffed trying to store poop covered tips every time i removed them.
 

benp1

Nomad
Nov 30, 2006
473
0
43
London
Worst comes to worst sugru will help

I often use my poles with the rubber tips as it stops the tip sinking into the ground when it's soft
 

zornt

Nomad
Apr 6, 2014
273
129
70
Ohio, USA
Wonderif you could make some sortof removeable rubbertip to put overthe spikes. Something like a large rubber stopper or a rubber ball of some sorts to cover the tip.

I realize that it wouldbe an extrapiece of geartocarry, but I am a frugal (read cheep) type and like to save money where I can.
 

Quixoticgeek

Full Member
Aug 4, 2013
2,483
24
Europe
Wonderif you could make some sortof removeable rubbertip to put overthe spikes. Something like a large rubber stopper or a rubber ball of some sorts to cover the tip.

I realize that it wouldbe an extrapiece of geartocarry, but I am a frugal (read cheep) type and like to save money where I can.

The poles as bought came with a pair of rubber tips that you can place over the metal ones if you want to. They are in theory removable depending on terrain. I had them on, and wore through them...

Julia
 

Shewie

Mod
Dec 15, 2005
24,259
26
49
Yorkshire
I thought they were fairly universal and just pushed on, I've had a few different poles and the rubbers seem to fit any of them.

Bob at BPL sells spares as do ULOG
 

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