Trekking Poles...I need some...what do I buy?

I've got a pair of BD Carbon poles. I think they are the Alpine ergo cork or something like that. I like them a lot but at some point some grit got inside them and when I adjusted them it scratched the carbon real bad. They also have a spot or two where the carbon is chipped and could easily snag and peel off for a ways.
 
Really? You guys started this thread 3 hours after I placed an order for my first pair of trekking poles?

I did a little "research", weighed the options, shopped for price and came up with a pair to try. Not even sure if I will use them long term but figured I should check out their value on/off the trail. I found a sale and placed an order before they went out of stock.

Then I found this thread.
Then I checked my order status to see if thy shipped today and found they were discounted another $5 after I placed my order.

Anyway, just wanted to say that many places are having sales. I ordered from Backcountry Edge (dot com) and they seem to have a lot of poles on sale right now. If you figure out what you want it would be worth a minute to see if they have it discounted.

I went with an aluminum three piece pole with flip lock sections and cork handles for $75 (now available for $70).
 
I have both BD and Leki cork. I like the BD grip better in my hands but I use both. I personally prefer the cork handles and mine are aluminum. I get all my poles at STP but you can find some good deals on some other sites as well. One thing to consider is the pole length when reduced. Some are longer than others and how they fit on your pack is something to consider. I lost my Leki poles going through brush this year because they were sticking out and I didn't have them secure enough. I found them in a couple of days but something ate the strap on one of them. I never considered the minimum length before buying which is something I should have considered.
 
REI carbon composite power locks. Got them on sale for $100 and wasn't sure what I wanted, so I went the cheaper route. they did well for me last season and in training. Was really close to picking up a pair of Leki's this summer as my wife used mine for our entire yellowstone/Grand Teton trip last summer.

Don't get twist locks is one of the main things I have heard.....
 
I prefer adjustable poles with the flip lock rather than the twist lock. I'm happy with my black diamond. My cousin bought his poles at Costco for 1/3 to 1/4 of the price. There is no noticeable difference to functionality or long term reliability. If I buy another pair, they will be from Costco.
 
I'm a fan of the Coscto ones. Had mine for a few years and have definitely used and abused them. Broke the lower section of one on a late season elk hunt this year. It got caught in between some rocks and I slipped, bending it and breaking it. I still used it to get off the mountain and it only cost something like $10 for a new section. Replaced the lower section and I'm still using them.
If they don't have them in Costco, they're the Cascade Mountain Tech Carbon poles, and I like the quick lock over the twist lock. Can be found on amazon for around $45.
 
I'm more of a fan of aluminum than carbon poles for a few reasons. The main benefit being weight, but my arms have never gotten tired because my trekking poles are too heavy, so the main advantage is a moot point IMO. I prefer the better durability of aluminum. I also prefer the flip lock over the twist lock mainly as a personal preference. I prefer foam over cork mainly because I get sweaty/clammy hands when pushing it. Again, handle is a personal preference, so try both. I ended up Komperdell Aluminum with flip locks and foam grips.

Sierra Trading has some good deals a lot of the time so sign up for their news letter and one of the 5 coupons they send out per day should give you a pretty good deal on Leki or Komperdell.
 
I ran a pair of Black Diamond Flick Lock for years. Had great luck with them until I got one stuck on some rocks and fell over it bending it. On whim, and when I saw a sale, I ordered up a pair of MSR Poles. Pretty happy with them so far, but will know more after further use. Black Diamond poles are pretty hard to beat, so curious how these will stack up.
 
Definitely go with a flip lock. I'm debating purchasing a new pair and "handing down" my 6 year old Leki Super Makalu to my wife. They've got the twist lock and every once in a while it will slip out or not want to release when I twist. They're a little bit of a pain.

Are people really noticing that aluminum poles are more durable? I've bent my poles a little a few times and some friends have bent theirs enough so they're not usable anymore. Exposed roots are very common where I hike. When you go down the trail and your pole gets stuck between a couple roots, but you keep going, a bent aluminum pole is bound to happen. I was always under the impression that carbon fiber will bend but come back to straight, provided you don't snap them. The ultralight carbon ones will definitely snap easier than aluminum poles.
 
I've been using a set of Cabelas xpg poles for about 10 years.....


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I just bought two sets of poles. I would recommend not buying the Mountain Smith Carbonlite 7075. They have the nice shock system and are very light but the problem is they are WAY to loud. The internal shock system seems to rattle in the poles each time you place them down. I'm using the Leki Cristallo at the moment. I like these poles very quiet, but the extension tubes are silver, I wish they were black. I'm afraid to try to paint, that might mess up the sliding mechanics. Has anyone ever painted poles before?
 
I love my Loki poles so far. I got them for $99@ The Alpine Shop.

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I would second the votes for BD and Leki. I would steer clear of Easton trekking poles unless you get them super cheap. I've got 3 pairs and have had one of them tear on the foam handle, one has a basket that fell off, and the last pair are still good. 1 out of 3 sets isn't a great percentage IMO. I find the Easton are a little heavy compared to BD and Leki as well.
 
I was looking at a pair of kelty trekking poles at sportsmans the other day. Haven't heard them mentioned here so I was just wondering if the kelty equipment is worth anything?

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RBRowser said:
I was looking at a pair of kelty trekking poles at sportsmans the other day. Haven't heard them mentioned here so I was just wondering if the kelty equipment is worth anything?

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Click to expand...

I can't really speak about their poles, but I'm a big fan of the backpacks. Their customer service is awesome too. They gave me a 50% off coupon + free shipping because they couldn't fix a 13 or 14 year old backpack that I had. Squirrels ate a hole through the bottom panel to get to some trail mix.
 
As stated above, their CS is top notch. I had a couple bears tear apart my camp and they shredded two Kelty sunshades. Kelty repaired/replaced everything in a very timely fashion and it only cost me shipping to them.


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