Carbon Fiber Vs. Aluminum Trekking Poles

[Lawson Kline]

Which one do you prefer and why?

[Travis Leanna]

Lawson, would you mind if I added to that question?

Are the carbon fiber poles any more or less durable than the aluminum? Meaning, I can trust my Leki Super Makalu's to really hold some weight if I need them to. Will carbon fiber be as robust?

[Lawson Kline]

Hey Travis,

Go for it!

[Mike S]

I have aluminum…well cause these were my first set and they still work great 4 years later.

I have the BD elliptical design poles. The extra stability is great considering I am 6'6" 200lbs.

[Lawson Kline]

I have a pair of aluminum poles that I use for hiking and skiing. They have a few bends in them but it add's character and has made the poles more "custom".

[BlackHatGuy]

"Will carbon fiber be as robust?"

The scientists can probably give you a great answer. As for me, I love my CF poles, but I don't grip my poles very tightly. I palm them going downhill, and really only use them robustly when going up a steep incline. Because I use a very loose grip, if they get stuck between rocks or something they'll easily come out of my hand before I snap them. They have certainly held my weight when I was tipping over.

[Lawson Kline]

Who thinks one is far better than the other?

[EndoftheTrail]

Travis:

To me, it isn't really a question of which one is more robust. The question I asked is this: is the lighter weight pair robust enough for me? Be they hiking poles, backpacks or tents — I start with the lightest, simplest option and move up the weight and features scale — until I find something that is robust enough for my needs and has the features I really want — and no further.

So if you have the budget and light weight is also important to you, then I would start with a pair of CF poles — read up on it and get feeback from hikers in your weight class who do the types of hikes you do. If they are happy, then I would give the CF poles a try. And if they don't work (or you don't think they will work) — then you move up the weight scale for sturdier alternatives.

But answering your questions specifically, I weigh 150lbs and I use my poles mainly when going downhill — which I think puts in the most stress. Both my Ti Goat and GG LT4 poles are plenty sturdy.

[BlackHatGuy]

No one thing is far better than another for all audiences.

[Rick Dreher]

Carbon is better, as far as I'm concerned. I have used Komperdell and Leki 3-piece exclusively the last several years, and hope to try CF one-piece at some point (half or less the weight while potentially stronger).

Reduced weight is an obvious advantage, less widely known is the superior vibration damping. Both reduce fatigue.

Cheers,

Rick

[Lori P]

I've seen more bent up and un-collapsible aluminum poles than shattered CF poles, but that may just be due to the higher occurrence of aluminum poles in my hiking group.

The Lightreks are the lightest poles I've ever held and they hold up fine – part of the shelter, catching my weight when they are asked to, and perhaps at some point I'll break one. I'm under no delusion that any trekking pole lasts forever.

[Ken Thompson]

You can make your own set of carbon poles for less than $50 a pair. Mine have been going strong for 4 years. I'm 220 lbs. No problems. 7.5 ounces for the pair. My Lekis now reside in the back of the closet.

[Andrew Lush]

I've used both types. Carbon fibre poles are more comfortable and much nicer to use. They have noticeably less flex so give more immediate support. However they are also more liable to catastrophic failure than aluminium poles. Where aluminium bends, carbon shatters. So you get a second chance with aluminium if they bend while you using them. You can carefully straighten them out and keep going.

I have had this happen to me on two occasions while on multi-week walks. I bent an aluminium pole and was able to re-straighten it and was able to continue using it on the rest of the trip.

On another occasion I was using a set of carbon fibre poles and one of them broke about 250mm from the tip. Luckily I was only two days away from the trail head. However, there's no second chance with carbon fibre.

[Andrew Lush]

>>Ken wrote: You can make your own set of carbon poles for less than $50 a pair.

Well you've got my interest Ken. Please tell us more…

[David Rowenhorst]

As Andrew states, Al will fail more gracefully than CF. It really depends on the construction, but all else being equal, I would expect that the CF pole to be stronger, but generally they are made closer to equal strength, with CF being lighter.

I like the feel of CF much more, I find it to be not as stiff as Al, picking up some shock absorption just from the material.

[jeffrey bennett]

Just wondering but are aluminum poles lighting magnets. Because if they are I will have an excuse to buy some LT4s. Got to give the wife some reason why all this new gear keeps showing up.

[Ken Thompson]

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/make_your_own_gear_carbon_fiber_trekking_poles.html

[BlackHatGuy]

"Just wondering but are aluminum poles lighting magnets. Because if they are I will have an excuse to buy some LT4s."

They are if she'll buy the story….. ;-)

[Rick Dreher]

Hi Jeffrey,

Yes, but of course so is carbon. But bamboo should be good :-)

Win some, lose some….

Cheers,

Rick

[Travis Leanna]

Thanks for all that info everyone!

[drowning in spam]

I prefer my aluminum poles because that's what I already have. The new carbon fiber poles look nice, but they're so much lighter that I doubt they'll have the same strength as my aluminum poles, and even so, they'd almost certainly be more fragile. Nevertheless, if my aluminum poles fail, they'll probably be succeeded by carbon fiber poles.

[Travis Leanna]

My big issue is that I use my 3-section aluminum poles for my Double Rainbow. They're long enough for the free standing mode, and can collapse short enough to work very well for propping up the porch.

[David Rowenhorst]

If lighting is going to bother to jump through a mile of non-conductive air, the conductivity of the last 3 feet makes little difference. But, you didn't hear that from me.

[Lawson Kline]

I have been experimenting with building wooden trekking poles for quite a while now using all kinds of wood species. I started out using bamboo but it has way to much deflection, plus its not as "green" as most people think it is. There is only one company in the world that grows FSC certified bamboo.

Its actually funny how "offshoring" works. As we moved our jobs and manufacturing to Asia all of a sudden bamboo became the greenest building product on earth. No one ever talks about all the forests they clear cut to grow the stuff. Im sure profits had nothing to do with that marketing plan.

[jeffrey bennett]

Rick and David. I have decided to ignore your reality and substitute my own. Your answers to my question will not get me new Gossamear LT4s.

"They are if she'll buy the story….. ;-)"

I am going with douglas.
They are lighting magnets honey. Had to buy them. You don't want me turned into toast do you?

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