Trekking poles – help from Gear demigods or other experts

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What exactly is your concern? Looks like the handle is splitting. You could try injecting some low viscosity epoxy into the split and clamping it shut, or you could try to replace with new grips, say from gossamer gear. Getting the old grips off without damaging the pole may take some patience.

Perhaps a furniture repair shop is a better place to ask, if it is just the split you are worried about.

If you want a finish that will stand the test of time, you want a hand-rubbed (preferably real tongue oil) finish. It is a whole lot more work that simple polyurethane but it will stand the test of time better than any other wood finish. I have a rifle I inherited from my dad with a stock he put a hand-rubbed finish on 20 years ago. It's as nice today as the day he finished it. You put somewhere between 6 and 20 coats on using fine steel wool in between coats. Real tongue oil is a bit hard to fins, most hardware stores carry a synthetic substitute that's nice but not quite as great as the real thing.

Is you want to keep the wood, that's the best bet.

+1 on epoxy for the crack. I would stick with polyurethane finish now that you have used it. I think you would have to do a lot of sanding to switch to another finish without uneven penetration.

You have our permission to buy new poles for your big trip :)

>"You could try injecting some low viscosity epoxy"

+1

And, if you haven't done that before, you start with a clear epoxy (West Systems, System Three, etc) and add fine sawdust until it is the consistency of peanut butter or a bit thicker. That has the added benefit of it taking a finish a bit more like word rather than completely like epoxy.

Rather than inject it in, I'd pack it in and tamp it down, leaving it a little high to be sanded down once fully cured.

…and treat yourself to some new ones.

Take a good look at Pacer Poles, from England.

Theyr'e a little expensive and it takes a couple weeks to get them delivered to the US, but they're worth the $$$ and the wait.

between the poles, the pace, and the paradigm, they just might change the way you walk… no kidding!

I feel compelled to say this, since no one has mentioned it, but is those are as antique as you suspect, you may want to put them up on ebay and see if anyone bites. The might be a Japanese gentleman willing to buy them for $300.

I've heard great things about these pole grips:
http://gossamergear.com/trekking/trekking-accessories/lightrek-replacement-grips.html

perhaps switching out the wood heads for those?

Thanks for all the comments, guys. Haven't decided what to try yet, but the epoxi sounds promising.

Oh, and Dale and Richard, thanks especially. I'll tell my wife that the experts at BPL tell me I have to buy some new poles – what else can i do?

Duane,
what do those old puppies weigh???
I would guess being that old they are heavy as clubs.
I bet you got your money's worth out of them by now.
Why not treat yourself to a new, light weight set of poles???

billy

That's the problem these days – no respect for the elder members of our community!

But seriously, the poles weight about 9 oz apiece. That's one reason I've been reluctant to spend the $100 or so to replace them. Lots of the "new improved" carbon poles still weigh in at around 8oz per (REI Carbonlock – 15.7 oz for the pair. Leki Micro Vario Carbon – 15.7 (and $200! at REI), or Leki Carbonlite – 14.3 oz (but $220).

I have been thinking seriously about eh Ruta Locura Yana poles weighing in at 7.4 oz (with baskets). I do want adjustable poles for my tarp setup. ANyone have experience with those? I'm not too rough on my equipment…

I'm liking my Locus Gear CP3 carbon fiber poles at about 11oz for the pair… including baskets:

http://locusgear.com/products-2/trekking-poles/cp3?lang=en

have to order them from Japan, but mine came in about 5 days.

If you're lucky, like I was, the lower aluminum sections of your Lekis will fit the CP3s and not increase the weight, thus making them more durable for rocky situations.

Billy

Boy Im surprised they don't weight twice that much. I might be inclined to scoop up another set for something a little more ergo but I wouldn't part with those, they certainly have some character. Wonder exactly how old they are?

If you go the route of the epoxy like the West Systems you may want to get marine grade varnish or something similar while your at it. Problem with polyurethane is not much UV protection. Marine grade finishes are made the elements especially the beating sun.

jimmyb