MYOG 3.7 oz Fixed Length Trekking Poles

[Bruce Thibeault]

Great info here David. 3 ounces! That's fantastic, and at a great price. The strap adapter/camera mount/crevasse probe idea is very clever also.

[Rusty Beaver]

Thanks, Samuel. Makes sense.

And David. Excellent job! Post more pics if you have time. I have pondered for a long time how to make my own. Problem is, I want them adjustable so I can change the height of my shelter to match weather conditions. Still, I love seeing the ingenuity of others. Inspires me.

[Rusty Beaver]

"If I were determined to make my own carbon trekking or shelter pole, I might want to wait until the end of ski season, and look at sales for carbon ski poles…."

Thrift stores are a great place to pick these up for just a few dollars.

[David Gardner]

Thanks Rusty.

I call these poles "adjustable" fixed length poles. My idea as expressed in an earlier post is "Here's an idea for "adjustable" fixed-length trekking poles: Use a long golf driver shaft (46"-47" available) and a long (9"-14" available) fishing pole grip. When you need a long pole you grip higher up, when you need a short pole you grip lower down. Long straps can be added too, so you don't have to rely only on your ability to grip."

With the long grips, the effective length of these poles can be adjusted between 48" (122 cm) and 35" (89 cm), depending on where you grip and how you have the straps adjusted.

I use a tarp shelter which, depending on conditions, I pitch between 48" and 32" high. I use the poles in their upright position and run the ridge line cord through the strap. Adjusting the height and/or tautness of the pitch is a simple matter of adjusting the strap length.

[Rusty Beaver]

Thanks, David. I really like (& prefer) the simplicity of what you present. However, I'm using a Zpacks Hexamid where the pole goes inside. I also ride my trail bike to remote and not easily assessable trailheads. So, ideally, the poles need to collapse enough that when attached to my pack, they don't snag on overhanging trees while riding. Early on, I tried mounting fixed length poles to my bike but I couldn't figure out a way to do so without interfering with me or presenting a snagging hazard.

[Bruce Thibeault]

Great idea David. Ive never used straps in the past, and have even cut them off mass produced poles that Ive owned. It never occurred to me that I could run my guy lines in this manner and adjust the straps to the desired height. Thanks.

[David Gardner]

How long does your Hexamid pole need to be? You can make a pole jack of the appropriate length from a third golf shaft cut down and plugged with an adapter to screw onto the stud on one of the trekking poles.

What kind of bike do you ride? Did you try bungee cording the poles along the sides of the top frame tube?

[Rusty Beaver]

I adjust my trekking pole for the Hexamid to be in the neighborhood of 36"-42".

I should have clarified my "bike". It's actually a motorcycle…Suzuki DRZ 400S to be exact. If it were open roads, attaching them would be no problem. However, there's brush and overhanging trees.

[David Gardner]

Yep, sounds like you need adjustable poles.

[Jordo _99]

David, do you do any touring? If so, do you use a backpack (I don't see rack mounts on the bike)? It seems to me that having the poles like that could potentially cause issues if you use a handlebar bag. Also potential for issues with tall rear/front panniers (my current rear panniers would be very unlikely to work with that setup.

A side note, I use velcro to attach spare spokes and a folding aluminum tarp pole (for a 1/2 pyramid) and it works great…I'd imagine that bungies, while they function just fine, aren't as good as velcro.

[David Gardner]

JP,

Yes, I do some touring (I guess the rack mounts don't show in the photo, but they are there). Biked through England and Ireland a few years back. I don't use a handlebar bag, I use two low-slung front panniers. My rear panniers also fit low enough that the poles would not interfere. Usually I put my sleeping bag on top of the rear rack, but the poles would interfere with that. Maybe I could attach the sleeping bag to the poles; haven't tried it.

You're right about the Velcro. Lighter and more secure.

[David Gardner]

So….I'm thinking of bridging from MYOG to MGFOP (Make Gear For Other People) on these trekking poles, and adding them to my line of cottage industry products. Would $70 sound like a reasonable price?

Hope I'm not violating any BPL protocols by asking.

[Bruce Thibeault]

Seems perfectly reasonable to me. The comparable Gossamer Gear poles cost $110 and weigh only a bit less and the Ruta Locura poles cost $100 and weigh a bit more. Then consider that both are often out of stock and $70 seems like a real bargain.

[David Gardner]

Thanks Bruce. Do you know if there is a permissible/appropriate way to announce to the BPL community that I'm opening a cottage business?

[Rusty Beaver]

Seems reasonable to me as well.

[David Gardner]

Thanks Rusty.

[Bruce Thibeault]

David – if you want to post a link to your site the "on the web" forum would probably be the most appropriate place to do so. You should also be able to make a general announcement in the "Gear" and "Gear Deals" forums without upsetting anyone. Of course anything goes in "chaff"

[David Gardner]

Cool. Thank you very much again Bruce.

[David Gardner]

Adapted a new Tenkara fishing pole to my trekking poles, resulting in an 11' fishing pole. As an added feature, the Tenkara pole fits inside one of the trekking poles for storage.

[Rusty Beaver]

Nice! Now if one of you guys would just figure out a light and inexpensive adjustable pole, I'd be happier than pig in p00p!
:-)

EDIT: Note the way "p00p" is spelled. BPL wouldn't let me post cause it was "profanity" otherwise. Hahahaha…..

[J R]

Samuel wrote: "The [Costco] do have Yukon Charlies that are part carbon for $50, but no idea what they weigh."

I called Yukon Charlie and they weighed a pair for me, but they don't have an ounce/gram scale only pounds. On that these poles came in at "just under a pound" for a pair with baskets.

Samuel also wrote: "if a finished carbon pole were available for around $50-75 a pair, it might make more sense to buy them instead of MYOG"…Currently Sierra Trading Post has carbon Komperdells, 13.2oz for the pair, for $78 after 35% off through an e-mail offer that expires tomorrow 2/14, plus free ship if you bump the order to $100+. These poles are back-ordered to ship March 1.

[Sam Farrington]

J R,

One thing to watch is for the quality of the carbon. There is another pole thread on GEAR where the OP notes some "famous" carbon poles that sell for under $30 on Amazon. The even look nice, with rubber grip extensions; but when I looked at the Amazon reviews, right out of the box were comments about 6 of the poles breaking on one day hike.

Komperdel carbon is OK, but never heard of them being that light. Bought a STP pair a few years ago, and there have been issues with the twist-locks. Would never use them for a shelter where the length of the poles had to be adjusted with each pitch.

The Gabel pair I have were under $50 at Costco when they sold them that cheap, and so far have no issues with the twist-locks. A golf pro put short sections of golf grips under the pole grips for choking, that brought them up to over 7 oz each.

Also on GEAR, it has just been said that the LT4s will be available again from GG in a month or so. Nice, but not inclined to spend $175 to save a couple oz. on the one Gabel that I use. Then again, I've never had the opportunity to enjoy the incredible lightness of the LT4s that people rave about. Maybe it's better not knowing.

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