I want to modify a trek pole to function as.....a stick.

[Chris in TN]

When my daughter and I were in CO this fall there were several times that we climbed some fairly steep slopes and more than once that I needed, or at least wanted, to help her up/across a steep spot or while she was jumping a ditch full of water.

I used my trek poles for this a couple of times - just point it at her so she could grab the other end - and then stopped because I realized that the cam-lock leg adjustments could easily slip and cause the pole to fly apart and make her (or I) fall, and likely a worse fall than if we'd been climbing unassisted, because it would happen at the very moment she'd been trusting the pole the most.

I want to make some sort of lock for the poles. Or at least for one of them, to prevent disassembly under pressure. Is there a safe way to just tighten the cam and be sure it won't slip? I don't know where the upper limit is on the cams, where they'd be secure without crushing the CF tubes.

I suppose I could tie paracord to the wrist strap and tie the other end to the leg and make a sort of failsafe backup but I'd like something a bit more secure and less likely to get snagged in brush.

What are my options here for the typical trek pole with cam-locks on the legs?

 

[WeiserBucks]

You could look into one piece poles.

 

[TaperPin]

You might think about one piece ski poles for uses outside of what trekking poles are designed for since they seem rather indestructible. Personally I wouldn’t want to grab on the ground spike of a trekking pole, because they are not attached to resist pulling in the direction. My luck it would pull off, or the grip end would come off, the wrist strap would break, let alone the risk of sections coming apart. For any of those four reasons I’m out.

 

[Chris in TN]

Personally I wouldn’t want to grab on the ground spike of a trekking pole, because they are not attached to resist pulling in the direction. My luck it would pull off, or the grip end would come off, the wrist strap would break, let alone the risk of sections coming apart. For any of those four reasons I’m out.

I walked outside just now and took the pole, tightened the cam locks just a hair beyond where they already were, and looped the wrist strap onto my crane scale and had my daughter read it while I pulled on it.

At 80 pounds of pull (me pulling downward, right above the ground spike) the nail the scale was on, started to bend. So I had to stop the test. But I can test it further (I have a much stronger attachment point in the barn, for the crane scale). If I can get near 150 pounds without it flying apart, I'd likely trust it for use as a stick.

 

[zeroforhire]

Ski pole

 

[Chris in TN]

Ski pole

I want it to still be collapsible short enough for trek-pole-bipod use.

 

[huntsman22]

My poles are one-piece carbon fiber cow-pokers.......

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/weaver-leather-livestock-stierwalt-carbon-fiber-show-stick

add a set of Wiser quick-stick adapters and you now have a great rest....

 

[Chris in TN]

So I hung the crane scale in a better spot and pushed past 100 pounds just now, with the trek pole strap looped around the handle (so I didn't rip the handle cap attachment point off) and me holding it just above the spike with both hands. I couldn't pull hard enough with one hand to go anywhere close to 100 pounds and I'd have to reposition the thing to get much past 100 as it is. A guy my size would have to be really in a terrible position to put more than 100 pounds on this pole. I don't think my kids could do it at all unless they were dangling from it.

I may have underestimated the strength of the cam locks. Of course, they have to be pretty tight. I tried it with one of them loose and didn't make it to 30 pounds. So I guess the point is to be sure they're tight.

 

[Goodtimekiller]

Just carry 4-5’ of lightweight rope.


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