Trekking Poles

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Wushuplayer

Tenderfoot
Aug 16, 2020
77
22
42
London
Hi All,

Was thinking of getting a pair of trekking poles, mainly for propping up a tarp for shelters, camping and a little hiking.

I usually travel on Motorcycle so something which doesn't take up too much space would be good.

Anybody have any recommendations on foldable vs telescopic and preference materials wise?

Cheers
 

Herman30

Native
Aug 30, 2015
1,376
1,067
57
Finland
I have these: https://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_US/product/trail-ergo-cork-trek-poles/
Like `em a lot, folds down to about 60cm. But perhaps tilted handle and cork is a bit too flashy for your use, seeing as you travel most by motorbike. So some of the cheaper Black Diamond might be for you. But whater you choose, take one with the flick-lock, much better locking system than those where you twist the pole halves.
 

Wushuplayer

Tenderfoot
Aug 16, 2020
77
22
42
London
Yes, Black Diamond and Leki seem to be the poles to go for. Anybody have any experience with foldable poles being weaker than telescopic or carbon vs Al?
 

BigMonster

Full Member
Sep 6, 2011
1,322
220
Manchester
You can buy lightweight tarp poles which take much less space/weight.

For trekking poles cheap £5 hi gear from goutdoors are almost as good ad the fancy Leki or BD, you are paying for weight savings and a bit of extra durability. I would honestly look for a pair on facebook market, there is really nothing special in trekking poles world.
 
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C_Claycomb

Moderator staff
Mod
Oct 6, 2003
7,391
2,407
Bedfordshire
I haven't tried them, but the word I have heard regarding carbon is that they can be lovely and light, a joy, right up till you accidently stand on one, or it gets trapped between rocks and snaps. Aluminium will tend to bend under similar conditions, which means you are more likely to still have a useable pole. Snapping a pole would be annoying or difficult if all it was was for walking, but if it is the shelter pole too, that could get miserable rather fast.
 

Erbswurst

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 5, 2018
4,079
1,767
Berlin
In your case trekking poles are a bad idea in my opinion.

For hiking they are rather useless unless you really want to walk straight through middle sized streams. I personally can't imagine any other situation that could cause me to carry such stuff around

Look at the usual contracted dimensions, take two sticks in that length from the next hedge, try to attach that convincing to your motorbike. Imagine afterwards a traffic accident with lowest speed, and forget the idea!

There are folding tarp poles on the market, Luxe Outdoor for example offers such but surely others as well, that have shorter sections and these you can get into your motorbike bags.

I personally wouldn't do also that in your situation.
Your Akto is a stand alone solution that serves well in every situation. If there is no bush, tree, lamp or fence to attach tarp or poncho I would simply just do with the Akto or if hiking in the summer perhaps even just with the bivvy bag.

But although I don't know Britain very well I assume that you have a lot of walls with some kind of hooks, bushes, trees, lamp masts and fences on your island, that offer in 99,9 % of all cases the option to pitch minimum a plough point shelter that needs only one mast and three tent stakes on the ground.

You attach to a steel mast on a camping ground for example the tip of the plough point shelter with the clove hitch.
It works at trees too of course but isn't really needed because the bark isn't as slippery as a steel pole.
With your 2,5 mm cords you should end the knot with an additional quick release loop -as always (!)- to be able to open that afterwards. If you can't imagine the quick release loop at the knot I will send you a photo, just ask!


The short sectioned tarp poles might be an option on the motor bike. But I wouldn't carry them around on the back.

It's idiotic to spend that much money for lightweight equipment and to throw afterwards unneeded heavy stuff into the rucksack, just for very rare occasions. Or did you become much taller and stronger during the last winter?

If you are hiking you simply watch out for a tree or something else that you can use for your camp. Should you hike in areas where are no trees you take the Akto.
A tarp and aluminium poles are nearly as heavy as the Akto but if there are no trees you have to expect stronger wind and the Akto is the better idea in that case anyway. That's why you bought it.

The tarp poles would only serve for comfort glamping in the rare occasions when you can't find an already standing pole but want the additional large roof during the day or evening.
I would rather risk that I sometimes can't find it than transporting additional poles, but others may take them perhaps.

Usually you find some branches or something that you can use for that purpose. Only on touristic camping grounds you sometimes don't find it, but there you also can ask the captain and he surely can borrow you something, for example long handled garden tools or whatever.

But such problems I got perhaps in 1% of all cases, especially when the camping ground was full and no choices left.
Otherwise I simply take the place at the tree, hedge, lamp or fence.

There is a lot of stuff on the market that you could buy. But you can't carry that all.
The lighter your rucksack the nicer will be your hike!

I recommend to leave these poles where they are, take the money and spend the evening in a nice Taiwanese restaurant.
 
Last edited:

Wushuplayer

Tenderfoot
Aug 16, 2020
77
22
42
London
I've decided I don't really like tent camping, if the weather is really bad then I would rather stay in a bed and breakfast or Airbnb.

I'm doing a partial Wild Atlantic Way tour in Ireland next month and would rather leave the Akto at home, so I was thinking some light weight poles would give me more options or at least would involve less thinking! Problem is, the tree, wall, fences aren't always in the right place in relation to flat ground.

The poles would mainly go in my motorcycle roll top duffle bag when travelling.
 

Herman30

Native
Aug 30, 2015
1,376
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57
Finland
For hiking they are rather useless unless you really want to walk straight through middle sized streams. I personally can't imagine any other situation that could cause me to carry such stuff around
Good for you. You have no medical condition, I take it.
For me with troubled knees and overweight trekking poles are godsent.

Also used them when I was young and fit. Without poles hands swell when hanging down, with poles no swelling.
 

C_Claycomb

Moderator staff
Mod
Oct 6, 2003
7,391
2,407
Bedfordshire
Few years back on my first time climbing Scafell pike I partnered with another solo walker I met at the bottom. He was fitter and faster than I except when we reached boulder fields and the third point of contact with the ground provided by my walking stick gave me an big advantage, such that I would have to wait for him for a change.

I can think of very few camp sites I have been where it would have been convenient or even practical to get a shelter pole from local trees or bushes. I am a fan of taking all you need when using commercial organised sites.
 

Erbswurst

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 5, 2018
4,079
1,767
Berlin
I have no idea about the weather conditions along the Irish coast.
That's why I would take my Nallo2 although I don't like tents as well. And I would take the Decfon 5 poncho and the Snugpak SF bivvy bag.
If there is a tree or whatever I use a poncho shelter, if the weather is fine I use just the bivvy bag, if I get storm and rain I take the tent.

Once during the summer I got suddendly in Biarritz the impression it was autum in Ireland. I don't know, but may be that there you sometimes get the impression that you are in Iceland?
 

TLM

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 16, 2019
3,129
1,650
Vantaa, Finland
I once met a study about the usefulness of walking poles. The result was that one can go either the normal speed with slightly less energy consumption or faster with normal energy. I don't remember what kind of surface they used in the test but as a first guess fairly even.

I think that people with some lower joint or balance problems would find them useful. Adventure racing people use them but they are crazy anyway and after two days spend their time in a state of sleeplessness comparable to fairly drunk so it's to keep them somewhat upright and going.
 

henchy3rd

Settler
Apr 16, 2012
611
423
Derby
Trekology folding walking poles, adjustable from 1100-1300mm & folds to 365mm, very light & reasonably compact too.
I use mine for tarps to tents & off course walking as I’ve worn out joints.
They’ve replaced my Fairydown poles.
 

Erbswurst

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 5, 2018
4,079
1,767
Berlin
No. The difference between man and animal is that he walks upright on two legs.
 

Nice65

Brilliant!
Apr 16, 2009
6,502
2,912
W.Sussex
Trekology folding walking poles, adjustable from 1100-1300mm & folds to 365mm, very light & reasonably compact too.
I use mine for tarps to tents & off course walking as I’ve worn out joints.
They’ve replaced my Fairydown poles.
Excellent recommendation. I have carbon fibre Leki Instructors (car boot find), some telescopic alu ones, and the Trekology. Having had 3 hip ops over the years, I’ve tried all sorts from Hazel thumb sticks, Blackthorn, etc. The Trekology poles are the ones I use most for hill walking and occasionally for tarpage. I’m a bell tent, hammock, campervan sleeper these days, less bothered to do the hiking in bit and lying on the ground.
 
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