By Dawn Hammer
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Trekking poles are a great addition to your hiking kit. They add stability — especially on uneven surfaces or when carrying a heavy load — and they reduce the impact on hips, knees and ankles, especially when traveling downhill. They’re also excellent for brushing aside overgrowth on trails, discerning the depth of snow or water and creating a lightweight shelter when used in conjunction with a tarp or tent rainfly. If you’d like to give trekking poles a try, there are several features to consider. Here are some tips to get you started.
What to know: There are three types of trekking poles to choose from: telescoping, folding or fixed. In telescoping poles, one section slides out from inside another and locks into place. Folding poles are similar to tent poles: Sections slide out of the shaft and fold for compaction. Fixed length poles offer no adjustability. Folding poles are the most compact, shortening up to 10 inches more than telescoping poles. They also offer the lightest weight due to thinner shafts, but this also results in less durability.
Materials and components: Trekking pole shafts are made from aluminum, carbon fiber or a combination of both. Aluminum is heavier but more durable, while carbon fiber is lighter but can shatter more easily. Some manufacturers offer shafts that are a combination of both materials: a lower aluminum shaft that can bear the brunt of smashing into rocks and upper portions of carbon fiber that shed ounces.
Affordable, adjustable, lightweight and not bad on the eyes — what more do you need from a pair of trekking poles? These poles are designed specifically for those of shorter stature, cutting unnecessary length and weight with range of 31 inches to 49 inches. Coming in at only 17 ounces, these aluminum poles will hardly weigh you down as you ascend up classic Washington inclines. They collapse down to 23 inches when not in use. The cork handles help keep perspiring hands dry while the easily adjustable locks allow for quick tweaks in pole height. These poles kept us upright while traversing loose rocks, post-hole worthy snow and fast-flowing water crossings. And to boot, they helped make a rock-solid pitch for our non-freestanding tent. $69.95, kelty.com.
These folding poles are ideal for any hiker who wants poles that packs small. When folded, they’re just 15 inches long and come with a carrying pouch that makes them easy to stuff in any bag without worrying about snags. The poles have a single point for adjusting the length and a push-button mechanism locks them in place — and allows for easily unlocking and folding up the poles. The cork handle is well shaped, both the grip and the top. On steep sections or large steps, it feel comfortable and stable to rest your hand on top of the pole as you descend. The poles adjust from 43 to 51 inches and weigh 20 ounces per pair. $139.95, rei.com.
This simple, single pole has a snazzy feature. Screw off the top of the handle and the pole converts to a monopod for your camera. With a low price tag, it’s an affordable addition for hikers who prefer a single pole or photographers who want to add a bit of stability to their photos. The pole adjusts simply with twist-locks. You can quickly adjust the length for your photo and then just as quickly return it when you’re ready to hike again. We like that this pole is affordable and multiuse. Ours now lives in the back of our car for any unexpected photography or hiking needs. The aluminum pole adjusts from 35 to 54 inches and weighs 10 ounces. It’s 27 inches long when fully collapsed. $24.95, kelty.com.
These aluminum poles helped carry us easily up and down trails in the Cascades this summer. They have comfortable handles with especially easily adjustable wrist straps. The poles have a sturdy feel, without feeling rigid or transmitting vibrations into your hands. The poles collapse in two places, and the shafts are clearly marked. Once you know what length works best, you can easily find it again by using the markings along the shafts. The locking mechanism have adjustable tension, to ensure you get a secure lock. They weigh 19 ounces and adjust from 39.5 inches to 55 inches. They come with interchangeable baskets for either hiking or snow. $99.95, rei.com.
Trekking poles have increased in popularity among day hikers, backpackers, and even trail runners – for good reasons. Trekking poles can reduce the impact on your feet, ankles, knees, and hips. They provide stability on rough terrain and help with stream crossings. They can even be used in lieu of tent poles!
And with this explosion of popularity, manufacturers have responded by adding more and better features. That means choosing the right trekking poles can be a daunting task. It can be hard to know where to begin based on your style of hiking, body, and hiking destination.
This article will help you choose the best trekking poles (or hiking staff) for your needs. From there, head on over to our Best Trekking Poles for models we recommend and why.
Related: The Top 14 Reasons to Use Trekking Poles
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Trekking poles come in four styles: folding, telescoping, combination, and fixed.
If you intend to travel with your trekking poles, you won’t want to keep them at their full length. While TSA Guidelines suggest you can’t fly with trekking poles in your carry-on anymore, they can be checked in a suitcase or backpack.
Folding, telescoping, and combination poles have advantages over fixed-length poles. It is likely there will be conditions on your hike when you will want to put your poles away. For example, if you need to use your hands for scrambling around steep terrain, carrying an ice axe, or using an umbrella. On cold mornings, some hikers prefer to keep their hands in their pockets instead of using trekking poles. Folding, telescoping, and combination poles allow you to easily carry your poles strapped to your hiking day pack or your backpacking backpack.
Lastly, folding, telescoping, and combination poles are the best option for folks doing multi-sport activities. For example, bikepackers or packrafters who add a hiking component to their trip. For multi-sport athletes, we recommend poles the shortest poles you can find. You will want a pole that can easily fit on your bikepacking bike or packraft. In our experience, the Black Diamond Distance Carbon FLZ folds down to the smallest size at 34 cm (size small) or 40 cm (size large).
Folding poles disassemble into a z-shape and often have a cable connecting all the parts together, much like tent poles.
The shape and length of the grips on your trekking poles can affect the strain and comfort on your wrists and hands – especially over long distances or multi-day trips. Here's what to look for.
Ergonomic grips are shaped to match the contours of your hands. In addition, some grips are angled such that your wrists are in a neutral position rather than bent. Some grips are even further contoured for left and right hands to reduce pronation.
Comfort is subjective, so the choice of grip comes down to personal preference. We know hikers from both extremes – die-hard fans of Pacer Poles, and people who prefer straight shafts with no ergonomics.
Are you interested in learning more about Telescopic Poles? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!
Wrist straps are an essential part of trekking poles. When properly used, they reduce strain on your hands by reducing the squeezing power needed to grip the poles. Comfort is key here – you want the wrist strap material to be soft yet durable to reduce the possibility of chafing.
The proper way to use wrist straps is to raise your hand from underneath the strap. Once your hand is through the strap, bring it back down slightly onto the strap and the rest the side of your hand and wrist on the strap. Then grip the pole with your hand (but not too hard).
The material used for wrist straps varies among manufacturers. Personal preference is paramount here. If the strap material isn't comfortable, then you likely won't use the straps at all. Test before you buy to see what works for you.
If you have sensitive skin, look for wrist straps with a soft fabric and padding.
Some manufacturers sell trekking poles with shock absorption properties. A system including a small spring, located in one of the joints or near the tip of the pole, purports to reduce impact and vibration on the downhill.
However, all of our testers agree that shock-absorbing poles have serious drawbacks. They tend to make uphill travel harder, make poles weightier, cost more, and have more moving parts that can fail. But most of all, they really don’t do much.
Minor increase in comfort
More expensive than standard trekking poles
Weigh more than standard trekking poles
The shock mechanism isn't durable
People with weak ankles or knees
A great pair of trekking poles will meet all of your needs for function while also fitting into a reasonable budget. With some exceptions, a great pair of trekking poles generally cost between $50 and $200.
Though there are exceptions, our analysis of consumer reviews indicated that most trekking poles under $50 have flaws that lead to cracking, bending, snapping, or unexpected collapse. And while other models can cost $200 or more with shipping—including the Gossamer Gear LT5 poles, which won for Best Ultralight Trekking poles—we think that the small decrease in weight isn’t worth the large increase in price for most hikers.
Most trekking poles have optional accessories, which will expand the usage range of your trekking poles into winter and urban environments.
Look for trekking poles with optional interchangeable baskets for snow and mud. If you plan on hiking through snow, we highly recommend bringing snow baskets. Without them, your poles will become almost useless. As you apply pressure, your hiking stick will simply sink into the snow and throw you off balance.
Rubber tips are a must if you plan on using your poles for Urban Hiking or nordic walking. Rubber grips to cement and pavement (which is essential for nordic walking poles), whereas metal pole tips will scrape and have little traction on harder surfaces.
Rubber also can provide better grip in certain situations in the backcountry and keep your poles from scarring the rocks. Indeed, many Leave No Trace experts believe that rubber tips are better for the trail.
I personally have hiked over miles, including thru-hikes of the Pacific Crest Trail and Colorado Trail and a LASH (long-*ahem* section hike) of the Grand Enchantment Trail. Between those hikes and a stint as a Traveling Trainer for theLeave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, I've slept outside for nearly a year of my life.
Whether it's living on the road or living out of a backpack, traveling and just being in the outdoors is second nature to me. I’m anAmerican Hiking Society Next Generation Trail Leader and a board member at theAmerican Long Distance Hiking Association-West, which awards the Triple Crown of Hiking. I run the popular blogBrown Girl on the National Scenic Trail, a space for intersectional writing to encourage folks of all colors and all walks of life to experience our wild spaces and preserve them for the future.
You can read all of Amanda’s stories on her author page.
If you want to learn more, please visit our website Extension Pole.