Trekking Pole Tests Posted at AA&Co

I always wonder about the ones they didn’t test. I’ve had a pair of Leki poles for many years. Just under 500 grams. Twistlock, but it works well. CF is lighter. Not by much. I don’t usually carry them. Most of the time, they’re carrying my weight. Good video.

Nice test )

Terran: 500g is decent, but I think you would notice a pretty big difference if you try poles that weight half that. However effortless it is becomes a bit addictive. Obviously I’m partial to ours but the Locus Gear CP3 are another nice option that didn’t make this test.

Thanks Dan.

Your’s are a half pound (227g) lighter than mine. That’s pretty significant. I was looking at the BD Alpines and they were close to 500 grams.

For the last 6 years I have used a pair of Cascade Mountain Tech poles, from COSTCO, of all places. They held up much better than a pair of Leki aluminum twist-lock poles I have but they are definitely not as light as other CF poles. For their price plus their quality who cares?

As a former XC ski racer I used SWIX carbon fiber racing ski poles. In THAT situation carbon fiber poles made a lot of sense.  But for me, in backpacking, I’m not so sure. That’s because I virtually ALWAYS use my poles and can’t remember the last time I carried them on my pack. In my hands the slight weight difference is not noticeable to me.

I see the Pro Swix at 520 grams. Heavier than my aluminum Leki poles. Other than slightly compressing under snow load with a tent, I’ve put them through the wringer. (A few of us know what that means.) The Cascades weigh almost as much.

I don’t know that poles reduce fatigue. It’s more like they spread it around so your arms are doing their share of the work.  A little bit of extra weight on my arms isn’t a big deal. Four ounces may make a difference. Still it’s my back and legs that feel the greatest strain at the end of the day.

Does deflection equate to weakness in the pole or is lack of deflection a sign of brittleness? Does it create rebound energy or does it lead to more work?

Cascade has a good selection at Amazon.  I wore out tips in a bit over a year but easy to replace.

I use the Carbon 3ks: lighter (7.75oz/220g each) than the Aluminum ones (10.4oz ea), stronger than their lightest carbon ones.

Carbon fiber gets used a lot in motorcycle racing.  Most common failure mode seems to be that it develops a crack and then fails dramatically all at once.  I did snap a lower on my 3ks but I’m pretty sure that mishap would have snapped any carbon pole.

I’m not sure what he’s expressing. Is one unit of deflection equivalent to one unit of weight in relation to how much energy is expended? I guess what I want to know is if I’m running down the switchbacks, using the pole to pivot, will it break?

Trekking poles get no love, yet they’re perhaps my most used piece of equipment. My Leki poles are like old friends. Full of memories. I never realized how much they vibrated until I tried the Durston poles.

Sleek, like a high quality ink pen. Not like a Bic. Not a game changing difference. Subtle. A little subtleness with every step adding up with the miles.

The bottom piece clips on easily and is very stable. Also easily removed. Unnecessary in my view. I leave it on.

The clip height .adjustment is metal and holds well. The poles don’t collapse like my old twistlocks, though that was rarely a problem. Having a single adjustment simplifies everything

The straps are light and easy to adjust. Breathable.

The handles are comfortable and adequate. I prefer the Leki handles, which may just be a matter of using something new and unfamiliar. They’re not bad. Not uncomfortable. Just slightly different from the old.

Chances of me running down the switchbacks now days is pretty slim, though I think they would hold up.

Worth the upgrade? I never noticed how much my old poles vibrate. After walking a few miles with different poles in each hand, then switching off left to right, I can tell the difference. Subtle, yes. . Times one step, two steps, times a thousand steps. It all adds up.