![]() Other brands make similar Z-fold poles such as the Black Diamond Distance Z. Note: Update 11/2017 – The Carbon Exp Vario is no longer made. (Somehow we always find them on the trail or in parking lots just as we need to get replacements – I once lost one but found three others in the same day on the Appalachian Trail). Poles should come with them, but expect to lose tip covers despite your best efforts! It’s a good idea to have them if the poles are strapped on a pack, but also if they’re in your luggage. Most pole tips can be replaced if they get worn out… but we’ve never bothered to do so. Same with narrow, brushy trails – there is no where to plant the poles or they get caught on the vegetation. If you often hike in scrambly areas then you might not want to bother with poles. They are utterly in the way.Īnd especially here in Jersey, scrambling sections are usually short so it doesn’t make sense to stop to collapse them or put them in your pack. Scrambling up is fun, but holding poles totally ruins it. But to really get the full benefit you need to be using a pair.įor me, this is the biggest downside to using poles. Most poles are sold as a pair, but there are single hiking staffs available. Once in awhile the screw on the lock needs to be adjusted if they get tight to open. Instead of twisting to lock the sections in place, tabs that flip open to allow the sections to be telescoped to the desired length and then the locks get clamped back down. I totally prefer lever locks to twist locks (which just seem to fail eventually). If you often pack them away, consider going without the shocks. I am somewhat undecided as to which I prefer, but the shocks probably slightly edge out the weight savings for me. My first pair had them, then I got ultralites without, and now my current pair has them. These add weight but help cushion arms/elbows a bit. When handling all of our poles at once to shoot these photos, the weight difference between them was striking. ![]() Even a little less weight makes a difference over the course of a hike. Generally, you want the lightest you can afford because you’re holding them all day or carrying in a pack. Some will come with ones you can swap out, or you can buy them separate. These are wider than the normal disc at the bottom and prevents the pole from punching through the snow. Poles will do double-duty for you then – just make sure your poles can accept “snow baskets”. Tom seldom uses them unless we’re doing a tough/steep or really long hike, so a lighter and more packable pair makes more sense. ![]() I use trekking poles for nearly every hike that isn’t flat or short, so I need a good pair that can take a lot of use. Good walking sticks are often left at trailheads, propped up against a tree or trail sign.īut we’ve found trekking poles invaluable to reduce impact on joints, for cranky knees that hate downhills, and for stream crossings.īeing a bit of clutz, they’ve saved my butt countless times. Realistically, a sturdy stick found along the trail might do the trick for you – especially if your focus is on light hiking. There is plenty of discussion online as to whether poles are helpful or not.
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