Trekking Poles Help

[Jason Schwartz]

Hey all

I’m looking for lightweight trekking poles that are sturdy enough for my PCT thru hike, adjustable between 40″ and 57″ (for use with my Double Rainbow) and don’t break the bank. Been having trouble finding a pair that checks all of these boxes. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance

[Link .]

Andrew Skurka’s blog post Review: Cascade Mountain Tech Quick Lock Trekking Poles | Shockingly awesome performance for $30 and  Long-term Review: Cascade Mountain Tech Quick Lock Poles | Two design flaws + solutions .He has REVIEWS OF OTHER POLES .If money is a big concern the Cascade Mountain Tech poles are a good choice but the max length is 54″.

[Erica R]

Poles are like shoes, its all about the fit. Lighter weight is great.

I had REI mail me 6 or so sets to try out. Kept one pair. Rubber-ish grip is better for cold climates, cork is better for warm/hot climates.

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

When I have done long trips like the PCT I have left my UL poles home (I have Gossamer Gear poles) and gone with regular lighter weight Leki poles or whatever other fairly generic kinds of poles. I figure that more generic poles would be easier to replace or get parts for if needed. And I have noticed when crossing fast-moving streams that you need a little weight in the pole or else it’s sort of useless. The water just pushes the poles around too much.

[Ralph Burgess]

Adjustable to 57″ (145cm) is very restrictive,  I don’t think some of the replies have picked up on that.   I’m not aware of any inexpensive pole with that length.   You will have a lot more options if you just use an extender (often called a “jack”).

If you use a jack, I’d recommend Fizan Compact, available periodically from Massdrop.   Inexpensive, extremely light, reliable.

[Bruce Tolley]

Re: >= 145cm poles for TT Double Rainbow setup

Is the OP is thinking of using the poles for the Double Rainbow in the “free standing set up. In that configuration the poles lie on the ground parallel to each other.  It would take an experiement to see whether the pole jack and pole would hold together.

I own a DoubleRainbow and only used the free standing set up once. If there is any wind, IMO you have to stake out the four corners of the tent anyway so it seemed not very practical for where I backpack in the Sierra Nevada.And there is a second configuration where you can use a rather short 102 cm pole to set up the porch door as a sun awning. I have never tried it but I think there is a third configuration where you can use a hiking pole to strengthen the roof arch in case there is risk of a snow load or very high winds.

[Jason Schwartz]

Thanks for the input everyone. Those CMT poles are interesting. I might check them out at least as a backup option. But to Bruce’s question, I’d like to have a setup that’s as locked-in as possible. That includes having poles that work well with my tent. Under normal uses I’d be staking down. But I’ve found the freestanding/trekking pole setup to be helpful on a couple occasions. Once was when the ground was dry, rocky dirt that wouldn’t hold a stake and the other was in a violent thunderstorm in Sequoia NP. During the latter the tent probably would’ve held up fine without the extra stability provided by the poles, but I slept better knowing that it was there. I’d also like to at least have the option to set up the porch, if only to have something more spacious to lounge under on zeroes. If there aren’t any UL poles available that meet my needs, I’d be willing to sacrifice a few ounces to have a pair that work properly with my tent.

[Jason Schwartz]

Also, the instructions say that a minimum of 55″ is required for setup, if that helps open up options.

Thanks again everyone

[Bruce Tolley]

@ Jason: “Once was when the ground was dry, rocky dirt that wouldn’t hold a stake and the other was in a violent thunderstorm in Sequoia NP.”

Yes, those would be instances where the “free standing set up” would be beneficial.

The pole jacks from MLD or others might work perfectly fine. If the pole jack starts to separate from the pole, you could always use a bit of first aid tape or duct tape on the outside to adhere the two pieces.  Or create a shim to make the pole tip a bit thicker.

Ron Bell at MLD states that his CF jacks fit well over BD pole tips. I once I had a pair of CF pole jacks from Titanium Goat  that would not fit over any of my poles. :-(

[jscott]

When the ground is too rocky for driving stakes…I use rocks.

I like my GG poles, and they work fine for tent poles. But they are a bit fragile. They take a bit of user familiarity. I haven’t broken one in years.

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