Fizan trekking poles grips…hmmm

Skurka’s (and others) argue against the use of trekking pole straps but I strongly prefer the use of them because they basically eliminate hand fatigue. Be sure that you are using them properly with your hand entering from below the strap.

Gas, brake, coast

I admit, I’m not a huge fan of Fizan handles, of the little I’ve used them.

They do seem a little small. However, that being said, while I don’t use straps, I only grip the poles with my index finger and thumb, especially mid-swing. If I were to hold the entire grip, I think I’d need something angled, like pacer poles.

One easy way for a manufacturer can claim a low(er) pole weight is by fitting smaller, i.e, lighter handles.  My BD Ultra Distance carbon poles have some of the smallest diameter grips I’ve ever seen. They never caused me a problem, but by current poles have the GG Cork-o-lons fitted and I have to say they are worlds superior.

If you like everything else about the Fizans, why not try to fit a replacement set of grips?

Thanks John H. Grips seem to be baked in to the pole. are grips repleacable?

Half way down the page Dan Durston’s post “How did you swap the LT4 grips onto to LG FL2 poles?”

and Stick’s Blog video “Gossamer Gear LighTrek” grips on my “Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork” trekking poles

Matt Weaver has posted about how he  replaced the grips on both Black Diamond carbon and aluminum poles with GG grips and added this comment in another post about changing grips

Just to note, I wouldn’t recommend using glue when swapping out grips. If ever you have to replace your grips again you have a crusty mess to have to scrape off, i.e. way too permanent. WD40 is the ticket. Installs better, equally good adhesion, and when it comes time to replacement you just seperate the grip seal a bit and work some water around the inside of the grip to reactivate the “lube”, grip will slide right off.I worked in bike shops for forever, used this trick on all of our grips.

THESE are the grips people are using as replacements

I am amazed at the comments about not using the straps by anyone.

If people had much real world experience with proper downhill and Nordic skiing they would know why straps are on poles.

If you have your straps adjusted properly for fit, and you are wearing straps properly (hand comes upward through the strap), they would realize the strap is meant to support your hand. You hardly ever need to grip the pole. The strap creates a comfortable platform to support your hand, so you do not need to clutch the pole. I rarely use more than lightly guiding the pole to the location I want to plant it, with my thumb, index, and middle finger.

If you have done much Alpine and Downhill skiing, you know the poles are used slightly different. My use for almost all uphill use is very much like the Nordic poling technique. Google some video of Nordic skiers poling technique if you are unfamiliar with it. Swing your arms naturally with your stride, and the pole tip will plant alongside your foot, ready for your extended arm to pull on. You’ll be engaging your whole upper body muscles. This is almost the same as using a railing going up some stairs.

Going downhill for me, is almost the same as proper pole planting while downhill skiing. You don’t need to stab the ground, you just need to position the pole tip where you need it to be, slightly downhill, again much like reaching for a rail going down stairs.

I am 6’2″ tall, and also use my poles much shorter than almost everything I read about. My poles are usually at or near 105cm long. Why?

If I use a shorter length setting on my poles my arms are almost straight, much like when I am hiking with out poles. I’m not having to bend my arms much at all. Reaching and bending requires more muscular effort. More importantly, with my arms almost straight, I can rely on my skeleton to support most of my body weight on the pole, instead of muscle.

We walk around with our legs slightly bent for a reason. Less effort. We don’t walk around in a squat position most of the time because that would require much more muscle use and we’d fatigue much faster. Try this. Stand away from a wall about 2 1/2 feet and lean on the wall with your arms straight or slightly bent. Count how long you can hold that position. Now do the same, except bend your arms at the elbow about 30-40 degrees bent. count how long you can hold that. Get the picture?

When your poles are too long you are having to “lift” your poles (effort) with every step to clear the ground with the pole, and you arm is in a more bent angle, which needs to use more muscle every time to press on the pole (effort).

If you are using the poles shorter you naturally swing your arms like you are walking without the poles, but the swing carries the shorter pole length and swings it to where it needs to get placed. Less effort. It also uses your skeleton structure as need to do more of the supporting or pulling effort as needs. This allows you to engage more shoulder and torso muscles into the effort, instead of just arm muscles.

If you give this a concentrated effort to learn it, I’m pretty sure you will be adopting it, and saving a lot of effort each mile, as you do it. Don’t dismiss it without giving it a few miles on a trail with elevation and mixed surface terrain.

At 6’2″ tall, and using a single pole for supporting my Tarptent Aeon Li tent, I use Black Diamond 105-125 cm. poles. Good for hiking and setting up my tent.

Hope this helps.

The above.

I’ve used Fizans for many years – great poles – use the straps, properly.

No grips? Never. Have you ever been on a steep side mountain trail and had your pole slip out of grip? Bye bye pole.

I don’t use straps because I move my hands up and down the poles way too frequently. Also, the squeezing motion helps keep my hands from swelling.

I have the Fizans and some BD Distance poles. I do think the Fizans’ grips are a little smaller. I just MYOG’d some cheap ski poles and they have a much narrower diameter grip. Once I get a chance to use them, if I don’t like it I’ll add another layer of bike handlebar tape.

My Black Diamond Z-Poles have infuriatingly slender grips.  They rattle around in my hands enough to make the poles hard to control, even though I use the straps correctly (i.e., I almost never actually squeeze my fingers around the pole).  I solved the problem by buying a couple of three-dollar ice scrapers at a convenience store and peeling the foam grips off them and adding them on top of the Z-Poles’ grips.  They’ve been surprisingly durable–years of hard use.

And for the record, poles without wrist straps make about as much sense as packs without shoulder straps. :-P