Walking Poles

[Gleams]

Looking for some advice on walking poles.

I want one to enable me to try out diff setups of my tarp.

But i guess it will also be useful when hiking especially with a big bag on my back.

Ive seen some really cheap ones on the bay but my gut is telling me to stay clear. Anyone had any experience with these.

 

[sandbender]

I wouldn't only use them when carrying a big sack, your future self will thank you if you use them with a small one too.

Conceivably there will be times when you support your bodyweight on these pole (during a descent) so I'd want to make sure they were not going to fail at the wrong time. The cheap ones may be fine, or then again may not be.

 

[peaks]

I've had cheap + expensive ones. With sensible use, I've not found much difference between the two to be honest. Not had a failure.
If you want to be on the safe safe side and not spend a fortune (and you can) I'd suggest something from the lower price end of the Leki range.

Like any tool which you need to rely on, a bit of maintenance on a regular basis goes a long way.

 

[Graham_S]

I've been using some Blacks own brand ones for years.
Not much difference between the cheap ones and the expensive ones in my opinion.

 

[nic a char]

Got an eBay pair for a friend @ £8.99 delivered from China - as others say, don't see much difference from expensive - so far they work well and feel strong.
I use 2 old bamboo ski poles - light, strong, & still going well after 50 years' triple use for ski, trek, shelters...

 

[Macaroon]

Do yourself the biggest favour you ever could in walking comfort and get yourself a set of Pacer poles. They're a different world compared to most others, the most efficient handla type I've ever come across, and they relieve the forces on the knees up to 40%.

They're designed and made in UK, you'll get a set with all the bits and bobs ( spare tips, snow baskets etc.) for £80, and great after service from Heather, who you can speak to personally by 'phone. These poles are the best single thing I've done for my health and comfort in many years. Look 'em up, that costs nothing

 

[Kerne]

Also on the lookout for new poles but I've had several pairs over the years and all have failed - usually at the joints (Bit like me) Now I walk on day walks and bushy ventures with a hazel stick but I'm doing the first week of the GR5 in the summer and need a decent set of lightweight poles. As peaks said, I've also had cheap and expensive ones and there's not been a great deal of difference. The reason I made a stick is reliability but it's just too heavy and cumbersome for a multi day alpine trek so I'm also interested in opinions on reliable lightweight poles. Not using them is not an option thanks to a dodgy knee that hates steep descents!

I'll have a look at Pacer poles - any comments on reliability in the long term?

 

[Dave]

I've had the leki poles and I can be a bit heavy handed. I broke the twist mechanism they use almost immeadiately.

Ive had the black mountain expedition poles, [£60] for a while now, and their ratchet locking system seems bombproof.

 

[Macaroon]

Quite a few here have used the Pacer poles for a good while now and I've not heard a bad word about them. I've been waiting for a replacement knee for a long time now and without these poles my walking would be impossible; with them I can get between six and ten miles in a day and keep my springer Molly fit and heathy. My orthopeadic consultant has had a good look at them and has given them an enthusiastic and positive opinion, he's even said they'll be suitable for the recovery period ( hopefully next week, after five cancellations in the past six weeks!) instead of crutches.

I can't think of anything I've done that's been more beneficial to both health and comfort - these things really are the business, I've had mine now for over a year and they're looking set to carry on a fair while. I also use them as bivvy poles and they work well; Pacer do make some sort of adaptor for joining two poles together for shelter use but I've not explored this yet.

I nearly forgot...........You need to be very careful about walking with a single pole if you have any defect at all in one leg which makes you use the single pole for support, however little; that sets up a very bad imbalance in your gait, which will be imperceptible to you for a long time but will cause extremely serious bias to the base of the spine with potentially very severe consequences. This was partly the cause of my present predicament and I now realise that you're far better off without pole/stick at all than to use one unless it's purely for balance.

 

[tartanferret]

I'll have a look at Pacer poles - any comments on reliability in the long term?

Only a minor Quibble..

Shame they don't have flick locks on them I did think about converting mine at some point but since buying my Komperdells I'd forgotten.

Black Diamond Trail poles are quite popular for this feature. Some of the cheaper brand ones are copying nowadays too.

 

[tedw]

I started with a Brasher pole and bent it. Upgraded to a pair of Leki poles 15 or so years ago and they have never let me down. Spare are easy to come by, even tho' the poles are well outdated now. Mine also have a smooth wooden knob top, covering the screw for a camera, so don't stress my tarp fabric if I use them to set it up. Recommended.

 

[cranmere]

The biggest difference between the cheap and the expensive ones is weight. I have arthritis in my feet and knees and poles make a huge difference, not so much for support but for stability on rough ground or when on steep hillsides. I have 2 pairs of Leki titanium poles these days, one stays in each car! THe twist lock ones tend to get jammed and need taking apart and the grit cleaning out periodically, the lever ones haven't been a problem in that respect and have been reliable.

 

[Macaroon]

The thing that makes the twistlock poles seize up is condensation - don't leave them in the car, don't keep them shut in a pack or bag of any sort that isn't breathable and as cranmere says above just give them a bit of a clean every now and then to keep the grit and grime at bay. Simple basic and quick storage and maintenance and they'll last as well as the camlocks.

 

[Toddy]

Just been reading that site that Macaroon recommended
Very interesting, and I admit I'm tempted.

http://www.pacerpole.com

I use whatever poles HWMBLT hasn't killed He walks an awful lot, and they slowly die a death, but there's usually at least two pairs in the cupboard. We've had Leki's, other expensive ones, assorted sports stores own brands, etc., but the latest sets came from Lidl's and we have to say that they've been every bit as good and reliable as the much more expensive brand name ones. They're carbon fibre, and he reckons they've a tendency to jam a wee bit, but that's it. (I think he needs to do what Mac said about cleaning and checking them over, instead of a quick wipe and hung up )
I know that some of the earlier poles were noticably heavier than others, so Cranmere's suggestion about the titanium ones bears thinking about if that's an issue.

I think to be honest, away into a big sports store and have a looksee at the range available, try the weights, see how the grips feel, figure out the adjustability of them, and then have a long think about how much use you'll give them and how much money you're happy to spend on them.

I admit, I'm thinking hard about the pacerpoles, and they'll give a four week trial period to see if they do suit.
I think that's pretty confident

atb,
Toddy

 

[bigjackbrass]

I bought a pair of Mountain King Trail Blaze poles for my first TGO Challenge walk across Scotland in 2009. Very lightweight aluminium, but surprisingly strong: they saved me on a couple of potentially very bad hillside slips as well as serving as tarp supports in some fairly fierce weather. The unusual thing about them is that they're more like tent poles than typical walking poles, with the sections snapping together rather than being adjustable. The only flaw in the design is the foam handle grip, both of which failed by coming unglued and sliding down the shaft; happily an easy fix with decent glue and a zip-tie for added security (a tip I learned from another hiker I met who was using a pair and who had also had the handles fail). Since my repair they've been no trouble.

A number of regular TGO Challenge hikers use Pacer Poles. Some have walked thousands of miles with them, both the aluminium and carbon types, and even those who have minor grumbles generally wouldn't change back to anything else. If I were to buy new poles today I'd go for Pacers.

 

[Kerne]

Going to have to look at Pacers - lots of positive comments, it seems.

 

[Harvestman]

I'm a fan of walking poles, and take them on any serious trip. Once you get used to the gait they really do make a difference, especially when you are tired. Fall prevention is something they do well.

Start with a cheap pair just to get a feel for them. I picked up poles in Aldi for £5 each, which is basically disposable, and they are perfectly fine for most use, and although they struggled with some severe winter weather in the mountains they still came through ok. No point spending lots of money if you find you don't get on with them. You can then keep the cheap ones as backups.

 

[Jack Bounder]

My wife, the kids and I all use a single pole each when walking. No issues over several years of use. My preference has been the budget end of the Leki range (Voyager). Gooutdoors have these for £16 at the moment. Bargain. http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/leki-voyager-trekking-pole-single-p284007

 

[Macaroon]

My wife, the kids and I all use a single pole each when walking. No issues over several years of use. My preference has been the budget end of the Leki range (Voyager). Gooutdoors have these for £16 at the moment. Bargain. http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/leki-voyager-trekking-pole-single-p284007

If you use a single pole for comfort and balance and just the general handiness of them it's fine; it's when you need the support because of something that's not right with your gait that problems present themselves as you then place all the strain on one side of the body. I too walked with a single stick for many years without any problems at all; and of course if you're not relying on the one pole for support you tend to change hands on a regular basis which in itself maintains a balance.

 

[Jack Bounder]

Yes, we use our single poles for balancing when traversing bogs, slippery logs and muddy paths in the New Forest. They're also useful for fending off dogs, ponies and unwanted attention from other beasts. We've also used them in the mountains (Wales, Lake District, Alps) for added confidence on steep slopes and crossing scree / boulder fields. We do not use them for power walking or to address problems with gait.