non-collapsible trekking poles

[shannon stoney]

I have a huge stand of black bamboo (Phylostachys nigra) on my farm and I’ve been making very nice walking sticks for people with it. I use the sticks myself on my walks around my neighborhood. I would like to figure out a way to use these light, flexible, free sticks on backpacking trips, but I am wondering if it will be a problem that they are not collapsible. I know that there are some trekking poles on the market that are also not collapsible, and I wonder if it bugs people that they have to carry them all the time and can’t put them in their backpack. Sometimes it is not practical, for example, to carry a camera and your walking sticks. Also sometimes you need two hands for other things, like picking berries. It would be nice to figure out a way to attach them temporarily to your pack. Has anybody found a good way to do this with the non-collapsible poles?

[paul johnson]

just strap them on by placing them under compression straps. split the diff in length b/t above & below the pack.

unless one is using very long poles (either b/c they’re of gigantic proportions/stature, or b/c they’re using LuxuryLite TrailStiks or equivalent), or if they’re very short (not a problem for me even though they don’t come much shorter than me), the poles shouldn’t be that close to the ground, or above the person’s head.

on some wide open spaces (not narrow trails) i’ve even placed them sideways b/t the pack & my upper back. depending upon which pack i was using & how full it was packed, the poles, having a wide surface to rest on & some compressive force against them from both my back & pack, just stayed put. i use GG LightTrek poles & at ~4.7oz for the pair (with trekking baskets), the are so light that they wouldn’t fall off.

i don’t see non-collapsible poles as an issue, except possibly for commercial air travel. even for tall shelter (e.g. GoLite Hex3), there are ways to combine two non-collapsible poles into a single unit of the proper length to be used as shelter support. shorter length required? that’s even easier to accomplish – just some tape around the pole at the correct height & your spectra guyline won’t slide down.

hope this perspective helps. give it a whirl on a day or overnight hike b/f venturing off on an extended trek.

[shannon stoney]

What are compression straps? Are they the same as bungie cords?

[Richard Nelridge]

Compression straps are straps on internal frame and many frameless packs that compress and tighten the load of the pack contents. They are used to increase stability of the load by keeping the pack contents closer together and and as a result closer to the body.

[paul johnson]

Shannon,

compression straps are exactly what Richard replied & said that they were. Sometimes it’s adjustable flat webbing using some type of buckle. Other times, when large amounts of compression is not required, elastic, like bungee/shock cords are used – so you in fact reasoned correctly.

did this brief explanation prove adequate to answer your question?

[shannon stoney]

My pack doesn’t have those, but perhaps I could sew some on. I know where to get the flat non-stretchy ones and the buckles, but where do you get the bungie-like stuff? I’ve seen those on kids’ school backpacks. I think they’re for your jacket or something.

[paul johnson]

flat webbing, various types of buckles & other hardware, as well as bungee/shock cord, and also hook&loop fabric (aka velcro), plus cord locks can all be purchased in various bulk amts at REI.com

[Douglas Frick]

> I would like to figure out a way to use these light, flexible, free sticks on backpacking trips, but I am wondering if it will be a problem that they are not collapsible.

You might try using a single, somewhat longer, bamboo pole. I have several bamboo poles that I picked up along the trail in Hawaii, and I generally cut them between nose-high and my full height. I use a single pole so I can hold it one- or two-handed, depending on how much support I need from it. It’s easy enough to switch from hand to hand so one side doesn’t get tired, and it’s not too difficult to hold something else in the same hand (GPS, kid-leash, etc.) as well as having the other hand free.

I haven’t found any problem with the pole not being collapsible. I’ve found my (collapsible) pair of trekking poles to be less convenient because I have to slip off the leashes, and I rarely collapse them anyway. Occasionally it’s easier to collapse the trekking poles when scrambling, but I just tuck the bamboo pole under my arm and it doesn’t usually get in the way too badly. A pair of them might be a lot more problem, though.

Typical weight of my 6-foot bamboo pole is 13oz.

[shannon stoney]

Do you switch off holding the pole in your left and right hands?

[Michael Schurr]

I do not change hands. It stays in my right hand.

[SAM LAMBERT]

What about the issue of commercial air travel with non-collapsible poles? Put the poles in a special case? I had to pay an extra $80 to bring an oversized box containing a bicycle on the plane.

[Richard Nelridge]

Sam,

Gossamer Gear has the cardboard Lightrek Travel Tube for non-collapsible trekking poles for $5.95:

http://tinyurl.com/bw5uk

I would think that the Trekking poles in the tube would be small enough to not be charged as an oversized package. Bicycles are another question when put into shipping boxes.

Rich

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