Kids Hiking Poles with Rubber Tips?

[John Hillyer]

My son is turning 5 next month and I want to get him a set of hiking poles for his birthday.
He currently needs poles that are about 30” (76cm) long.

I am looking for the following features:
-adjustability because he is growing like a weed
-small grips so that his small hands can fit around them
-be able to change from steel to rubber tips or have a rubber cap that fits over the steel tips for use on
pavement (we live in the city and even the trails around here are paved)

So far I have found these three poles but none of them have a rubber tip option:

Black Diamond First Strike Junior Trekking Poles
http://www.rei.com/product/830476/black-diamond-first-strike-junior-trekking-poles-pair

REI Traverse Junior Trekking Poles – Pair
http://www.rei.com/product/847930/rei-traverse-junior-trekking-poles-pair

LEKI KIDS' VARIO XS TREKKING POLES
http://www.o2gearshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=1&language=en&currency=USD&products_id=120093&utm_source=Shopzilla&utm_medium=Leki&utm_campaign=CSE&utm_term=Leki-Kids'-Vario-XS-Trekking-Poles—Pair—S13&zmam=55982562&zmas=1&zmac=799&zmap=120093

[Ken Thompson]

Look at Nordic Walking poles. Smaller grips and rubber tips.

[Mary D]

Leki and REI both sell the rubber tips separately.

http://www.rei.com/product/802064/rei-trekking-pole-rubber-walking-tips-12mm-pair

http://www.rei.com/product/750120/leki-rubber-walking-tips-pair

[Link .]

I bought a pair of the Black Diamond childrens flick lock poles for my 81 year old mother and she is about 4'10" and has tiny hands.She loves them and takes them everywhere.When I bought them they came with a rubber tip which she keeps on,but Mary is right REI does sell a separate rubber tip that will fit them.

[d k]

Speaking of rubber tips, I know that supposedly they are intended for pavement only, but I have generally used them all the time. On my last trip, I tried taking them off for the final day and found that I was really annoyed by the noise of the steel tips on the granite. I did decide that in wet conditions the steel tips would be superior on rock, but otherwise the rubber actually seems to grip more quickly, whereas the steel tips needed to slide into their niche first. But mostly it was the noise that got to me.

Anyone else feel the same way, or am I just weird?

[David Thomas]

Nordic ski poles from Goodwill and a hacksaw: about $5 per pair.

A 36- or 48-inch hardwood dowel, 7/16" or 1/2" from Home Depot: $1.75 each. Cut to length. 10 inches of webbing for a handle (ski pole style, so the strap can take body weight). Rubber bumper, screwed on the bottom (79 cents?)

If the poles are few dollars each, they don't need the weight or complexity of being adjustable, just make a selection of them for different ages.

[Nick Gatel]

Do kids need hiking poles?

[Desert Dweller]

Oh Nick, sure they do! Especially if they want to be hikers like Mom and Dad! :-)

[Dale Wambaugh]

I wouldn't sweat the rubber tip thing– I'll bet that one brand of tip or another will fit. The Leki's look like standard tips to me and I like them better than the other two that have ski pole style tips. The Leki's will be repairable as well.

Then again, I like the idea of hacking ski poles to suit. I see kids ski poles in thrift stores all the time. You could fake some rubber tips with chunks of rubber fuel line. He'll be grown out of them as fast as you can blink :)

[John Hillyer]

Nick- currently my son insists on using my poles so if I am ever going to get to use them again I have to get my son his own pair.

[John Hillyer]

David- I live in Florida so unfortunately I don't think I'll find any poles at Goodwill.

[John Hillyer]

Thanks everyone for your input. I ordered the Black Diamond First Strike Junior Trekking Poles. They are on sale from the manufacturer for $37. I'll wait until I receive them before tackling the rubber tip cover problem; either an outfitter will have set that fits these poles or I will have a MYOG project on my hands.

[D S]

I would have gotten a set of the OP Poles from Wally World and shortened them. If the grips were too big, replace them, as they have to come off for the shorten job anyways. And they come with rubber tips.

[Dale Wambaugh]

Sounds like a good buy. I would start with the REI/Komperdell style tip covers: http://www.rei.com/product/802064/rei-trekking-pole-rubber-walking-tips-12mm-pair

[Sam Farrington]

dk,
Yes, 1000%.
The carbide tip scratches on the Rainbow Ledges just south of Abol Bridge on the AT got so intense that comments got into the Maine Mountain Guide. This is NOT LNT.
With a little searching, rubber tips can be found for most poles that will not come off.

[Author]

Posts