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The trekking pole thread.

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    • The trekking pole thread.

      i like the BD ergo cork handled ones. The cork seems to soak up some of the sweat and not be so slippery. I also use one to hold up my tarp.
      Cons: critters may want to chew on the cork at night because of the salt absorbed. It hasn't happened to me on the trail yet, but my dog took a little bite out of one handle- but now I always know which is the right and which is left.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference

    • The trekking pole thread.

      thousands of miles of trails and i never needed poles. coupla years ago when i was planning my maine section hike, i figured i needed something to assist with stream crossings, as sometimes sticks arent handily available, so i bought a pair of black diamond carbon fibre with cork handles. i only used them a couple of times before i went to maine, and they probably led to me getting hurt,
      i had found i was focusing too much on pole placement instead of just walking naturally the way i had always been used to.as i was focusing too much on the poles and not where i was placing my feet, i slipped and rammed my shin right above my ankle bone against a log fallen across the trail.
      ive since learned that like most of my gear, there are times for me to use them, and times i put them away. ironically, i like to use them more on terrain where the footing is fairly easy.on rougher terrain where im skipping over rocks, boulders and roots, i prefer to either carry them or put them away and trust my natural balance.
      they do help me power up the long climbs, and definitely help save these old knees on the downhills.
      and they keep my tent up.
      im a convert
      its all good

    • The trekking pole thread.

      Anything I can pull on to help me get uphill is a blessing. Downhill, I'm always afraid of falling and use them to steady and increase balance. Balance during stream crossings. They are a pain sometimes and my biggest complaint is that my hands aren't free to do the myriad of other things I want to do as I amble down the trail...

    • The trekking pole thread.

      Uses:

      They've saved me from falls numerous times. My balance isn't that great.
      My knees hurt a lot less when I hike with them.
      They hold my tent up.
      I keep using them with snowshoes by changing out to winter baskets.

      Preferences:

      Aluminium. I still fall down a lot, and I'm always afraid I'll break a carbon one. Carbon is stronger, but aluminium is tougher.
      Without shock absorbers. I used a staff for a long time before I got poles. I like to be able to plant a pole and feel that it's planted. I tried a friend's Leki's with the shock absorbers. They felt mushy and I felt unsafe.
      Cork grips. The Leki's I tried had foam grips. They felt sweaty, and I wound up taping my left hand because I was starting to raise a blister at the angle of my thumb. (And yes, I know how to use the wrist straps!)
      Lever locks. I've seen my hiking partners after their twist locks have either let go or seized up, and heard what they had to say. I want gear I can swear by, not swear at.

      My Komperdell poles (branded REI Traverse, but Komperdell makes the house-branded poles for several outfitters, including REI and LL Bean) have the above combination of features. I've had them a couple of years now, and had no complaints with them.

      I've zip tied mitten hooks onto them just below the grips, and threaded little D-rings onto the load lifters of my pack. Without taking my pack off, I can collapse my poles, clip them on the pack, swing them around my back, and tuck the tips into the bungee web on the side of my pack in about 15 seconds, to have my hands free for scrambling. This is for summer. In winter the poles go on an ice axe loop, and the snowshoes go on the sides of the pack.

      Opinions:

      They aren't for everyone. And there are a lot of choices, because those that like them, like different things. My preferences are likely not to be yours.
      And what's the difference between a BirdBrain with one wing and a BirdBrain with two? A difference of a pinion.
      I'm not lost. I know where I am. I'm right here.

    • The trekking pole thread.

      Didn't like hiking poles at first, tried em several times and did without. Then hiked a real rocky section in PA and would never want to be without them anymore..i'm a convert. I have cheap poles set, and will like upgrade one day.

    • The trekking pole thread.

      I use a pair of Leki Malibu Trails. Help me immensely both uphill and down. They are twist lock. If I had known about cam locks would have probably opted for them. I find however that most problems folks have with the twist locks is because they never clean them and don't know how to adjust the tension.
      I have heard that poles take 25 percent of the stress off your knees but also that you burn 20 percent more calories because of the upper body work. At my age I need all the help my knees can get.

    • The trekking pole thread.

      back in the dark ages when i thru'd not a single hiker -- not one - used 2 trekking poles.

      i did see one local use 2 ski poles in vermont. he was a skier and was out for a training run. the sight of someone using 2 poles so unusual that i made mention of it in my journal and talked to him about it for a minute when our paths crossed.
      2,000 miler

    • The trekking pole thread.

      I have been using the same pair of Leki Super Makalu w/ Anti-Shock since 2005, I use them even just walking to the Post, 4 mile round trip, I use the rubber tips when I'm not on the trail... Was lucky enough to become friends with Chris, the Leki Rep when I lived in Dahlonega...Storm is right, Chris showed me the proper way to maintain them, and have never had an issue in 10,000+ miles...
      He has since started his own company making trekking poles from Bamboo...
      1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish...

    • The trekking pole thread.

      hikerboy wrote:

      thousands of miles of trails and i never needed poles. coupla years ago when i was planning my maine section hike, i figured i needed something to assist with stream crossings, as sometimes sticks arent handily available, so i bought a pair of black diamond carbon fibre with cork handles. i only used them a couple of times before i went to maine, and they probably led to me getting hurt,
      i had found i was focusing too much on pole placement instead of just walking naturally the way i had always been used to.as i was focusing too much on the poles and not where i was placing my feet, i slipped and rammed my shin right above my ankle bone against a log fallen across the trail.
      ive since learned that like most of my gear, there are times for me to use them, and times i put them away. ironically, i like to use them more on terrain where the footing is fairly easy.on rougher terrain where im skipping over rocks, boulders and roots, i prefer to either carry them or put them away and trust my natural balance.
      they do help me power up the long climbs, and definitely help save these old knees on the downhills.
      and they keep my tent up.
      im a convert
      i've forded all of maine's streams and rivers including the kennebec without poles or sticks. the canoe is for weenies :P

    • The trekking pole thread.

      hikerboy wrote:


      and they keep my tent up.


      different things annoy different people...

      if i had to adjust poles to the correct length to fit my tent at nite, and then adjust them in the morning to the correct length to fit my stride, and repeat this process day after day it would annoy me to no end.
      2,000 miler

    • The trekking pole thread.

      max.patch wrote:

      hikerboy wrote:


      and they keep my tent up.


      different things annoy different people...

      if i had to adjust poles to the correct length to fit my tent at nite, and then adjust them in the morning to the correct length to fit my stride, and repeat this process day after day it would annoy me to no end.

      some of us "adjust"better than others.
      seriously, the poles are marked.it takes me about 10 seconds to lock in the lengths on both.
      its all good

    • The trekking pole thread.

      LoboSolo wrote:

      hikerboy wrote:

      thousands of miles of trails and i never needed poles. coupla years ago when i was planning my maine section hike, i figured i needed something to assist with stream crossings, as sometimes sticks arent handily available, so i bought a pair of black diamond carbon fibre with cork handles. i only used them a couple of times before i went to maine, and they probably led to me getting hurt,
      i had found i was focusing too much on pole placement instead of just walking naturally the way i had always been used to.as i was focusing too much on the poles and not where i was placing my feet, i slipped and rammed my shin right above my ankle bone against a log fallen across the trail.
      ive since learned that like most of my gear, there are times for me to use them, and times i put them away. ironically, i like to use them more on terrain where the footing is fairly easy.on rougher terrain where im skipping over rocks, boulders and roots, i prefer to either carry them or put them away and trust my natural balance.
      they do help me power up the long climbs, and definitely help save these old knees on the downhills.
      and they keep my tent up.
      im a convert
      i've forded all of maine's streams and rivers including the kennebec without poles or sticks. the canoe is for weenies :P
      where would you classify the seaplane?
      its all good

    • Re:The trekking pole thread.

      I use the REI Traverse made by Komperdale. Aluminum shafts with cork handles and flip locks. Half the price of Leki and Black Diamond. I'm a big guy at 6'6" and 250lbs and they have been holding up great for about 5 years and several hundred miles. Also used for holding up my Contrail.
      RIAP

    • Re:Re: The trekking pole thread.

      BirdBrain wrote:

      CoachLou wrote:

      Did I ever tell you guys about my new sticks?


      ......oh wait, I think I did :P


      You did, but I think it is worth describing them again.


      For some reason it always sounds a little dirty when coach wants to show his new sticks.
      Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.
      Dr. Seuss Cof123

    • The trekking pole thread.

      Okay... I guess my delay button is not going to win. Some of us "weenies" don't think it is intelligent to cross a wide river that has a dam that could open in a moments notice and likely kill you. I would not call a person stupid for trying unless someone called me a weenie for not trying. I am not bothered by the weenie tag. I have been on a lesser Maine river in a canoe when the dam opened (Saboomic) and I can assure you it was a good thing I was not on foot. I will gladly be a weenie there and on the Kennebec. I just don't think "you're stupid" in reaction to "you're a weenie" is worthy of "you're a douchbag and a packsniffing jerk". I definitely come down on the side of it is stupid to not heed such warnings, especially when a canoe is provided for safe passage.
      Non hikers are about a psi shy of a legal ball.

    • The trekking pole thread.

      BirdBrain wrote:

      Okay... I guess my delay button is not going to win. Some of us "weenies" don't think it is intelligent to cross a wide river that has a dam that could open in a moments notice and likely kill you. I would not call a person stupid for trying unless someone called me a weenie for not trying. I am not bothered by the weenie tag. I have been on a lesser Maine river in a canoe when the dam opened (Saboomic) and I can assure you it was a good thing I was not on foot. I will gladly be a weenie there and on the Kennebec. I just don't think "you're stupid" in reaction to "you're a weenie" is worthy of "you're a douchbag and a packsniffing jerk". I definitely come down on the side of it is stupid to not heed such warnings, especially when a canoe is provided for safe passage.
      find a sense of humor. i've forded that river half a dozen times, always early morning. it have to be one hell of an emergency to open the dam that early. Toli wants to play games i will too :lol: there's the smiley

    • The trekking pole thread.

      LoboSolo wrote:

      BirdBrain wrote:

      Okay... I guess my delay button is not going to win. Some of us "weenies" don't think it is intelligent to cross a wide river that has a dam that could open in a moments notice and likely kill you. I would not call a person stupid for trying unless someone called me a weenie for not trying. I am not bothered by the weenie tag. I have been on a lesser Maine river in a canoe when the dam opened (Saboomic) and I can assure you it was a good thing I was not on foot. I will gladly be a weenie there and on the Kennebec. I just don't think "you're stupid" in reaction to "you're a weenie" is worthy of "you're a douchbag and a packsniffing jerk". I definitely come down on the side of it is stupid to not heed such warnings, especially when a canoe is provided for safe passage.
      find a sense of humor. i've forded that river half a dozen times, always early morning. it have to be one hell of an emergency to open the dam that early. Toli wants to play games i will too :lol: there's the smiley


      I was not offended. I call my hiking partner a wimp often. He calls me one too. I though my "I have 3 canoes" retort was fitting. its all good.
      Non hikers are about a psi shy of a legal ball.