Fixed Length or Variable Length Hiking Poles?

[Gary Dunckel]

I knew I could count on you, Bob. Yeah – strapless during 3 seasons, and using them during winter. But yes, the barrage goes on…

Todd says: “If you need quick access to your bear spray, just let go of the poles and grab it–no need to take the straps off your wrists. Just like taking a picture or grabbing a snack.”

That sounds like conjecture on your part, Todd. I don’t know if you’ve had to pull out spray during a full-on griz encounter, but it’s not at all like taking a photo or grabbing a snack. When one is confronted by a huge bear, he/she doesn’t want anything to interfere with rapid access to getting out of harm’s way, which implies fast access to the pepper spray. Trying to properly aim pepper spray while tripping over one’s poles during retreat is a challenge. Better to have both poles in the other hand to be able to maybe throw them at the bear if necessary (Skurka pulled that off in the Brooks Range, if you recall).

Your griz encounters may vary…

[Todd T]

Todd says: “If you need quick access to your bear spray, just let go of the poles and grab it–no need to take the straps off your wrists. Just like taking a picture or grabbing a snack.”

That sounds like conjecture on your part, Todd. I don’t know if you’ve had to pull out spray during a full-on griz encounter, …

I’ve never had to deploy spray, but I’ve certainly tested to see if I could quick draw it with my poles on.  No doubt it depends on where you carry the spray and how long you set your poles.  We can argue about the proper pole length now if you like.  :-)

Better to have both poles in the other hand to be able to maybe throw them at the bear if necessary (Skurka pulled that off in the Brooks Range, if you recall).

So switching a pole to the other hand and then drawing the spray is faster than letting go of the pole and drawing?  Sounds like this can only be settled at the O.K. Corral…meet me at 3 o’clock?  :-)  I did see Skurka’s video, BTW, and do wonder if tossing things at a grizz is generally useful.  Nerf darts would be lighter than bear spray!

[Gary Dunckel]

I wasn’t trying to be confrontational, Todd, I was just relating my personal experience and opinion. One thing I didn’t mention – in those days, I carried the pepper spray on my sternum strap, which of course required 2 hands to release the buckle and get the spray. That was slower to do in the heat of the encounter than it was in my living room. I have since made a custom cuben sleeve that is securely attached to my left pack strap (I’m right handed). This is by far the quickest one-hand draw, and also the lightest I know of (13.6 gm). Here’s what it looks like:

But heck yes, I’d be glad to meet you and Bob at the O.K. Corral. That’s a bar, right, and happy hour starts at 3 PM? We can discuss in depth the merits of various trekking poles, griz behavior, and the effectiveness of Nerf darts against critters big and small.

I will now offer my squirrel-thwarting version of such a thing. It also doubles as a way to get your hang cord over a bear pole (as well as a goofy conversation piece around the campfire; it works very well to keep the pesky chipmunks at bay during dinner). 1.5 oz of good funk…

Am I the master of thread drift, or what?

[Todd T]

Didn’t take it as confrontational, Gary; didn’t mean to sound that way coming back at ya.  If I hiked in grizzly country more often, I’d want to find a better way to mount my spray.  Now I just loop the little scabbard that came with it over the front of my hipbelt before buckling it.  Works very well there, but is a pain to keep up with every time I take the pack off/on.

Love the rodent pistol.

[John W]

Another BD Distance Carbon Z user here.

Never really felt the need to adjust. On uphills I grip them lower, on downhills I might hold them at their handle tops.

I got 130 cm poles, my GF got 110 cm ones. The 110 cm are usually preferred for setting up ZPacks Duplex. If setting up on tall grass, I prefer to use my 130 cm poles with a little trick – push that button and the pole becomes 5″ (12.5 cm) shorter.

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