Hiking staff for hexamid shelter?

[R Banks]

Hey guys,

I'm wondering if anyone uses a good hiking staff instead of trekking poles? I really do not like trekking poles, but I'm not a fan of carrying a tent pole either. Are there decent adjustable hiking staffs out there? Does anybody use it with a hexamid?

Thanks,
-Richard.

[Franco Darioli]

What is the advantage to you of a staff over a pole ?

[R Banks]

None, really. I just don't like carrying a pole (Zpacks one is too flimsy) and having it as dead weight. I would carry a pole if it was durable and under 4oz or so.

[JP]

–

[Derek M.]

+1 on contacting Joe at Zpacks.

I believe he made himself a 60" carbon fiber walking staff that weighs 8.5oz. From the looks of it, I suspect that the staff can separate into parts to provide the right length to support a Hexamid shelter.

Check out one of his recent photo albums here where you can see his staff in a bunch of the pictures:
https://plus.google.com/photos/106405242027708744767/albums/5910638921593978897?banner=pwa

Maybe he'd be willing to make you one?

I have a feeling you are going to have a hard time finding a sturdy hiking staff in the 4oz weight range. You might try modifying a long carbon fiber golf shaft though. I seem to recall somebody on the forum making hiking poles for himself with golf shaft blanks…

[USA Duane Hall]

SMD's tent poles are pretty heavy duty, I'd hate to get hit by one. I found ZPacks poles fine, of course when the length gets out there, I can see it could flex possibly. Pretty light, not much dead weight to me, but then I hike without poles or a staff.
Duane

[Nick Gatel]

Sometimes I use a hiking staff. Don't think it helps much for hiking, but I have been using it since before my kids were born and they both graduated from college a few years ago. I don't care for trekking poles.

A single LT4 could be used as a staff, meets your weight requirements, and is stiff enough to make a great pole for the Hexamid. I believe Yama makes a trekking pole that would fit the bill too — you could use just one and call it a hiking staff.

I agree, the standard zPacks pole is too flimsy. I bought a sturdy pole from Ruta Locura that is stiff enough for the Hexamid, and if I remember correctly, weighs around 4 ounces. But alas, it is a dedicated tent pole.

Sometimes you can't have your cake and eat it too.

@Derek, What Joe uses is the "LuxuryLite BigStik".

[Derrick White]

My situation is similar: have used trekking poles but don't like them; still need a support for balance when fording rivers and need a tent pole. I have destroyed 4 trekking poles in one year doing river crossings. I am currently in discussions with Josh at RL to make me a custom staffpyramid mid pole. Will let you know what we come up with.

Derrick

[Dustin Short]

I'd second the LT4 suggestion. They're pretty stiff. Mine only broke when a buddy stepped on it directly and crushed the lower section on talus.

You can buy them individually now and they're in stock.

[Derek M.]

@John Abela,
I think Joe used a 60" LuxuryLite BigStick on his CDT thru-hike:
http://www.zpacks.com/about/cdt_gear.shtml

…But later switched to a homemade 60" carbon fiber walking stick for his Te Araroa thru-hike:
http://www.zpacks.com/about/te_araroa_gear.shtml

I'm assuming he did this to save the 2.2oz weight difference that he's listed between the two items.

@Derek, well, shiver me timbers. Had no idea. Last he and I talked about such things he was using the BigStick. I don't tend to go around reading everybody elses gear list line-by-line, so had no idea he did up his own. /mesah stands corrected.

[Derek M.]

"I don't tend to go around reading everybody elses gear list line-by-line, so had no idea he did up his own."

@John Abela
Yeah, it's not exactly something to brag about is it? In this case, I actually was specifically interested in the walking staff and had looked up that minor detail some time ago. I couldn't tell you the rest of his gear selection though, I swear ;-)

sorry, didn't mean for that to sound like smack talk… too many pirate references ;)

ps: I have always wondered how he handles using the staff for a hexamid… if the staff is 60 inches and you use a ~48 inch pole for a hexamid… I wonder if his new staff breaks down into pieces (?????)

[Derek M.]

@John Abela,
I can tell from your previous posts that you aren't a malicious smack talker, so no worries :]. Regardless, it was pretty nerdy for me to point the detail out anyway.

As far as Joe's homemade staff being separable or not, I think this picture from one of his photo albums gives a clue:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Xu6l-oQGgzA/UgbXIwAX7kI/AAAAAAAAJm8/Lk6UuIHmKJc/w919-h689-no/IMGP0252.JPG

In that photo you can see what appears to be the upper (or lower?) part of his staff hanging down vertically while the main shaft of the staff is slanted at an angle to support the hexamid. Maybe the separable part is on some sort of shock cord?

We could, of course, just ask Joe, but that almost feels like cheating at this point :)

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