Man began to use a stick as an additional support when moving over rough terrain a very long time ago. It is difficult to find an ancient image of a highlander, traveler or shepherd without a stick. Meanwhile, trekking poles began to be used in mountain tourism relatively recently. Before them, alpenstocks were used and sometimes. However, the use of the latter was limited, “professional” in nature. Trekking poles owe their birth and popularity to the German company Leki, which in 1974 was the first to produce telescopic trekking poles. This invention made it possible to use the same poles for any terrain and height of the tourist, in addition, it made them easily transportable and convenient. You could say it was a revolution, and now it’s hard to imagine a tourist making a multi-day trek not armed with trekking poles.
What are trekking poles for?
The main purpose of track sticks is to relieve joints and muscles lower limbs. The poles distribute the load among more muscles and joints and force the arms and shoulders to actively work. Research by the expedition doctor of the Bavarian mountain rescue service, Gottfried Neureuther, provides a quantitative assessment of such unloading. On average, on the descent it is 560 kg/min, and on the ascent 480 kg/min. Which, in terms of an hour’s walk, turns into an impressive 34 and 29 tons, respectively.
In addition, trekking poles provide greater stability, which is very useful if a hiker is carrying a heavy backpack. Based on the totality of all their qualities, trekking poles can significantly increase the speed of movement (especially with a load) and the time of a day's journey. Moreover, they reduce overall fatigue, muscle damage (fatigue) and allow for faster recovery. This was experimentally confirmed in 2010 by scientists at Northumbria University (England).
How to choose trekking poles
When choosing any travel equipment, you need to remember that it must have a set of necessary properties, and not just one to which other valuable qualities are sacrificed. This rule should be followed when choosing trekking poles. Their only drawback is the presence of mass. Alas, absolutely light equipment has not yet been invented and, probably, it will not be invented soon. Therefore, when trying to choose the lightest trekking poles, make sure that they remain sufficiently long and durable. After all, the only way a manufacturer can reduce their weight is to save metal and reduce length, which, in turn, can easily make the poles completely unsuitable for hiking. As for the choice of length, you should probably take trekking poles longer than 130 cm. Of course, for a person shorter than 175 cm they are also suitable, but in any case a spare ten centimeters will not be superfluous. In general, there is no special classification for the length of trekking poles. Otherwise, we would have to describe all possible terrain conditions and people’s options. Sticks should be selected based on personal experience and presentation, adding a little “in reserve” strength and length.
For many of us, the image of a wanderer, a traveler from past eras, is a silhouette wrapped in a worn cloak, leaning on an impressive-looking staff. It is no secret that people who set out on a long journey on foot often chose a strong stick as their travel companion, which they could lean on on the road.
With the beginning of the era of mountaineering in Europe - this is the second half of the 18th century, travelers on the way to the peaks had to overcome increasingly difficult terrain - glacial fields, steep rocky slopes, long descents. For greater convenience, climbers began to use so-called alpenstocks - long poles equipped with a metal attachment on one side that can hold its owner on icy or rocky surfaces. Since the middle of the last century, they began to use ski poles, at the same time, the disadvantages of such equipment became noticeable - after all, during ascent and descent, poles of various lengths are needed, transporting them in transport or carrying them on a backpack is just as inconvenient.
In 1974, the famous European manufacturer Leki launched the first model of poles on the market. telescopic design- several elbows of different diameters could be folded into each other, secured in the desired position using special fasteners. Thus began new era, a new market segment has emerged that gives consumers the ability to travel with adjustable poles that can be folded for portability. It should be noted that telescopic poles did not immediately gain universal popularity, but by the end of the 20th century they were produced by many manufacturers, and designs appeared that differed from each other in weight, material used, locking mechanism system, and purpose.
Using trekking poles. Medical aspects
There are still people who consider this type of equipment unnecessary when traveling. It's no secret that many people climb quite difficult routes without poles. However, to at this moment Very serious studies and observations have already been carried out, generally confirming the undoubted benefits of using trekking poles. First of all, their effectiveness is manifested on routes laid over very rough terrain, including long and fairly steep ascents and descents. Thus, one of the studies at the end of the last century (Neureuther, 1981) indicated that on average, during ascent, the unloading effect is 34 tons per hour, and during descent, 29 tons per hour. Agree, not a little. First of all, the knees and spine are unloaded. At the same time, additional load wrists, elbows and shoulder joints. Incorrectly selected poles may lead to impaired blood circulation in the upper extremities and to hypothermia (frostbite) in conditions cold weather. Also, with the help of sticks it is convenient to maintain balance in difficult conditions, for example, when crossing water obstacles on stones or logs.
Design features. Telescopic/folding poles
Most modern trekking poles have telescopic design, consisting of three (less often two or four) segments of different diameters. The top knee is the thickest, the bottom is the thinnest. Accordingly, when folded, thinner parts fit into larger diameter ones and, in the desired position, are fixed using a locking mechanism. In this way, it is possible to adjust the length of the poles to a considerable extent. wide range, on average, 60-140 cm. Most sticks have the ability to adjust the length at each junction of their fragments. That is, the classic three-section stick is adjustable in two places. There are designs in which the lower fixation point has only two positions “folded/unfolded” and is secured using side buttons. Length adjustment is carried out only in the upper connection. The advantage of the telescopic design is reliability, convenience, and versatility. Disadvantages - quite significant length when folded (usually 60-68 cm for a three-armed stick), relatively heavy weight(500-700 g per pair).
The second type of stick, less common, is . In such poles, the segments do not fit into each other, but simply unfold like a tent frame or an avalanche probe. When assembled, they are held together by the tension of a cord located in the middle of the structure. Some types of such poles have the ability to adjust the length in a small range due to a mechanism located in the upper segment, while others are not equipped with such a convenient option, offering the user in return ultra-light weight and different length options from which to choose when purchasing. The manufacturers themselves do not recommend most of these folding structures for heavy trekking, most often only for light walks. The main advantages of the folding scheme are lower weight compared to telescopic poles (from 350g) and smaller overall dimensions when folded (from 34cm). It is worth noting that truly reliable folding poles have only the second advantage, since they differ little in weight from light telescopic models. Disadvantages - less reliability of most models, less ease of use and worse versatility.
Innovative trekking pole designs
Recently, some manufacturers have been trying to combat one of the main disadvantages of trekking poles - the inconvenience of quickly changing their length, which is very important on sharply rough terrain. The American company MSR has been most successful in this, placing the controls for changing the length of the stick on the handle. The first generation of such poles with a mechanism Positive-Locking identified a number of operational shortcomings that were more or less eliminated in the updated 2014 line. So far, these poles do not yet have a truly reliable and proven design, and they are also quite expensive. Probably, in the very near future, such mechanisms will seriously compete with those described above and, over time, may push them out of the market.
Another drawback of poles is their low strength to lateral loads, which primarily prevents them from being used for self-restraint when falling on steep snow-firn slopes. Firm Black Diamond partially solves this problem with its elliptic series of poles, in which the cross-section is changed from round to elliptical, thereby significantly increasing strength without adding much weight. Of course, such poles are more expensive than classic ones, but for many users looking for the most reliable design, this is justified.
Types of locking mechanisms for track sticks
Currently, the two most common types of locking mechanisms are - screw clamp, located in the middle of the stick and an eccentric clamp. Other names for screw mechanism - collet clamp, twist-lock, internal clamp. Locking is carried out by rotating the sections relative to each other. In some modern poles, to securely fix the sections, it is enough to make half a turn or even less. This type of clamp is currently considered to be the most durable, that is, it provides greater resistance to the folding load than an eccentric clamp. However, this type of clamp has a number of significant disadvantages - inconvenience of use at low temperatures (especially when working with mittens), or in a humid environment, when the grip of a wet hand and the wet surface of the stick is limited. At sub-zero temperatures, the mechanism may also freeze.
The second type of locking mechanism uses the cam lock principle and is located on the outside of the stick, making it potentially more vulnerable than a collet lock. Other commonly used names are lever lock, lever clamp, external clamp. It was first patented by the American company Black Diamond in 1993 (until now it has remained virtually unchanged and is known as Flick Lock , modern development received with a number of technical innovations and in this form is called FlickLock Pro), but with the expiration of the patent, it began to be used by most manufacturers with certain modifications. Currently, this type of locking device is at least no less popular than the collet clamp. The main advantage is ease of use, especially at low temperatures and in humid environments, on average, lower manufacturing cost (if we exclude some innovative models), simplicity and reliability of the design. The main disadvantage is that it is somewhat more bulky and vulnerable, the possibility of opening when tightly engaged with a solid object, and a slightly lower knee fixation force - with a maximum load in the vertical plane of the stick, this lock gives the stick a greater chance of “folding.”
Some models of trekking poles use a combination of both types of locks - either different types of locks in each joint, or both types of locks duplicate each other in each joint (for example, some models of Gabel poles).
Anti-shock mechanism of trekking poles
To prevent negative impacts on the hand joints, some models of trekking poles are equipped with a so-called “anti-shock mechanism,” which is essentially a shock absorber built into the handle area. Less commonly, a similar mechanism is located in the lower knee, in the area of the safety ring. Damping is mainly done using an elastomer, sometimes using a spring. Less commonly, more expensive models use a combined elastomer/spring and pneumatic element system. The use of the anti-shock mechanism has its own specifics. It fulfills its role on slopes or flat areas. On climbs, such a system does more harm than good, reducing the coefficient useful action muscular system user. Therefore, the anti-shock system is switchable. Many users question its effectiveness, since it is widely believed that the system itself of joints, muscles and ligaments of the upper extremities is a fairly reliable shock absorber. I have not yet seen any mention of reliable medical research on this topic. So, the effectiveness of such a system is to a certain extent questionable, the disadvantages are obvious - high cost, increased weight, potentially lower reliability of a complicated system. Probably, it should definitely be recommended only to users who are overweight, have problems with joints, or have had recent injuries to their limbs.
Types of handles. Lanyards. Tips. Rings
The ease of using trekking poles depends on many factors. One of the main ones is the comfortable shape of the handles. Currently, handles are made of plastic, neoprene, cork, wood, and rubber. Neoprene and cork handles have proven themselves to be the best. As for the latter, it is important that the percentage of the cork itself be greater than the adhesive part, otherwise such material will no longer be so convenient. First of all, the “right” material provides a comfortable soft grip and prevents the hand from slipping and the formation of skin abrasions during prolonged use (many still recommend using gloves). The shape of the handle itself is also very important. Many companies have their own views on ergonomic shape, as a result, the choice is quite large and each buyer has the opportunity to choose a stick to suit his needs. For safety reasons, it is customary to make the end of the handle as round as possible and of a significant size. Also, the rounded top allows you to take the pole with an overhand grip, which can be very convenient on descents. A number of models have a handle located at an angle to the stick. It is believed that this form puts less strain on the hand. It is very convenient when the soft covering of the handle falls lower and allows you to intercept the stick without changing Change the length settings.
Ease of use is also affected by shape and material. lanyard- a soft, adjustable strap that covers the wrist and takes on a significant portion of the load. At the same time, the lanyard prevents the stick from being lost when the user uncontrollably releases it under force majeure circumstances. The downside is that the hand secured with a lanyard can be injured in some situations. Theoretically, the design of the lanyard is injury-proof, but in real conditions this is not always the case. For greater convenience, the lanyard should be easily adjustable, elastic, soft and wide in places where the load is applied.
Tips trekking poles
Typically removable for easy replacement and made from ultra-strong tungsten carbide alloy. They are able to hold the tip on hard ice, stones and other hard surfaces, and are extremely wear-resistant. Poles with regular steel/aluminum tips cannot be used for serious trekking. The most common two forms of the tip itself are in the form of a lens or in the form of a “flower”. The first holds better on ice, the second on rocks. Most users do not notice a fundamental difference in their effectiveness.
Rings for trekking poles
Usually removable and quickly replaceable. The main mechanisms for their fixation are either threads or a special rotary-clamping connection. As a rule, most poles come with two, less often three, sets of rings of smaller and larger diameters. The small diameter is used in warm weather, the large diameter is necessary for use in deep snow. Many users remove their rings completely in the summer. For serious trekking (for example, in Norway), this is not recommended, since it increases the chances of breaking or bending a stick stuck in rocks or soil, which, if there was a ring, most likely would not have sunk so deeply.
To move on flat, hard surfaces, such as asphalt, the poles are often equipped with rubber attachments with a special protector. These same attachments can be used when transporting poles in transport and crowded places.
Additional options for trekking poles
Many people would like to expand the capabilities of their trekking poles by making them a multifunctional piece of hiking equipment. In particular, it is not always possible to take an ice ax with you on a difficult hike or climb, and users of poles are interested in the possibility of using them for belaying in the snow and self-arresting in the event of a fall. Unfortunately, trekking poles are either not suitable for this, or are of very limited use. Climbers should take a closer look at poles with elliptical sections, as well as removable handles in the form of an ice ax, which are limited in their suitability for self-restraint.
The stick can also be used as a photo tripod or monopod thanks to special mounts and adapters that can be located in the handle of some models. Sometimes this opportunity comes in handy.
In emergency situations, sticks can be used to organize a stretcher for carrying the victim. Also, in the most extreme cases, sticks can be used as snow anchors by burying them in dense snow and further compacting it. In this case, it is better to use several sticks at once, partially spread out for greater resistance. In emergency survival conditions, a stick can have many uses, which you need to familiarize yourself with in special manuals.
Some designs of ultra-light tents involve the use of poles as frame elements. IN winter hikes sticks are often used as stretching pegs in deep snow.
Materials for making trekking poles
Aluminum, or more precisely, various aluminum alloys, is most widely used in the manufacture of hiking poles. A good performance/price compromise is 7075 T-6 aluminum alloy (aircraft aluminum). Many expensive trekking poles are made from carbon fiber (carbon fiber) - it is very light and durable, but more sensitive to impact loads, especially point loads. Often there are combined designs, where different sections of the stick are made of different materials. So-called “titanium” poles are usually made from titanium - an aluminum alloy in which the proportion of titanium is extremely low, but its content improves the strength characteristics of the product. Komperdell is especially famous for its titanium poles. Titanium alloys are occasionally used. As a rule, for poles from the ultralight segment.
Care and storage. Transporting trekking poles
Trekking poles require minimal maintenance. After use, it is recommended to disassemble them, clean them, rinse them with soapy water if necessary, and dry them. Lubricate the locking mechanisms. It is best to store poles disassembled in a dry place.
Many modern backpacks have special devices for hanging trekking poles. For example, the American company Osprey produces a system for carrying poles with easy access to them without removing the backpack. The classic way to transport poles in a backpack is on the side behind the compression straps with the emphasis in the middle of the open side pocket. In a backpack of sufficient volume, the stick can easily fit in the middle, which can be useful when checking the backpack as luggage. If you are traveling with a small backpack and want to store your poles in the middle, your choice is not telescopic poles, but folding poles (their length when folded can be 35cm). Remember that it is prohibited to carry poles in your carry-on baggage!
Choosing trekking poles
Without a doubt, most tourists will consider trekking poles important element your equipment. Their choice should be taken as responsibly as possible. You should not buy the first ones you come across in the store. Many of my friends, having started with the most budget models, eventually moved to the “premium segment” or to the middle price segment. More expensive models, as a rule, combine reliability, lightness and elaboration of important “little things” that make such products a truly functional travel assistant. The cost of this type of product compared to other camping equipment is not that high, so think carefully - is it worth buying the cheapest?
As always, before purchasing, I advise you to write down your requirements and wishes for the product on a piece of paper. Decide which criteria are primary for you and which are secondary. Weight, reliability, compactness, fixation mechanism, material, brand - all details must be thought out in advance. After that, you are ready to go to the equipment center and ask intelligent questions to the seller.
Conclusion
To go hiking with or without poles is your choice; I hope it will be conscious and not made for the sake of fashion or in an effort to imitate others. One thing I can say for sure is that the more rugged and complex the terrain on your hike, the greater the need to use trekking poles. They are not a panacea and will not be able to replace your ice ax on a difficult climb, but they will cope with their functions perfectly in other conditions. I wish you exciting and safe travels!
What types of sticks are there?
You can select separate sticks for nordic walking and for trail running (skyrunning), but this division will be quite arbitrary, since often the only difference between them will be in weight. Some trail runners (especially skyrunners in the Vertical Kilometer ® discipline), for example, use non-folding ski poles in races.
- Nordic walking poles are usually the simplest, cheapest and heaviest.
- Trail running (skyrunning) poles are lighter and therefore more expensive.
It's quite simple: the lighter the stick, the more expensive it is. Aluminum poles weigh mostly 250-350 grams per pole, while best models carbon fiber offers a weight of 150 to 200 grams. That, in general, is the whole difference. But when it comes to a long, multi-hour race, then every hundred grams of excess weight matters a lot.
There are sticks folding And not folding. Non-folding poles are mainly used for Nordic walking.
Folding ones are divided into two types:
- telescopic, in which structural elements, when folded, are hidden one into the other according to the principle of a system of retractable tubes entering one another (pictured above);
- folding, in which the structural elements are folded like a folding meter (pictured below).
The mechanisms for fixing the elements of the stick also differ.
For telescopic poles, this is either a screw-on fixation mechanism or a clip-on clamp. Both mechanisms work very reliably and the choice depends only on personal preference.
For folding poles, the folding and unfolding mechanism is based on the use of a flexible cable running inside the pole. The mechanism is simple, reliable, allowing you to fold and unfold the stick within literally seconds.
Poles are made primarily from either aluminum or, more expensive models, carbon, or a combination of these two materials. The material of the handles can be completely different (plastic, rubber, rubber, etc.), as well as their shape and length, even using natural materials, for example, balsa wood, so that the hand does not sweat and does not slip.
All poles are equipped with straps (lanyard) that allow you to more securely fix the pole in your hand. Most often, the lanyards are removable. We would strongly not recommended use a stick without a lanyard or without fixing the lanyard on the hand. The fact is that the tips of the sticks are often made of hard alloys (pictured below), they are very sharp and are practically weapons. With such a tip you can easily, like a spear, pierce anything (even yourself when falling on a stick). That is why, with such stick tips, you can do not allow them to be carried into the cabin as hand luggage.
ALWAYS USE YOUR BELTS FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY!
A stick with a strap on your hand will never roll down the slope and will not be left far behind if it suddenly gets stuck in a crevice during the descent. You will never lose it if you wear a belt on your hand.
Some lanyards have an ergonomic shape and are tightened on the wrist using a Velcro fastener, which operates on the principle of a burdock. This is quite convenient, as the hand and forearm relax, and it saves energy. But over long distances you often have to unfasten and fasten this “Velcro” and this takes a lot of effort, and most importantly, the “Velcro” constantly strives to stick where it is not needed. This becomes terribly annoying after 10-12 hours of movement. Therefore, many manufacturers began to use various designs for quickly attaching belts. They are a half-glove, constantly worn on the hand, and a quickly removable carabiner, such as, for example, sticks from a German company Leki(photo below). This glove also protects the palm when falling or leaning on stones.
The main large manufacturers of trekking poles are: Black Diamond, Leki, Dynafit, Raidlight, and there are also Guidetti, CAMP, Swix, Salewa, Cober, etc. There are a huge number of manufacturers.
How to choose poles according to height?
If we are talking about telescopic poles, then everything is simple - the height of the pole is adjustable, and with practice you will experimentally choose a working height that is convenient for you. If we are talking about folding poles, then most often these models are not adjustable in height, although Leki has now released adjustable folding poles, in which the adjustable section is hidden in the handle.
Manufacturers sell folding poles in increments of 5 centimeters. But in any case, a table on the seller’s or manufacturer’s website will come to your aid, helping you choose the height of the poles depending on your height.
If we are talking about buying the first poles in your sports life, then we would recommend buying telescopic poles in order to experimentally select the length that is convenient for you during use. For example, for the author of this article, with a height of 180, the manufacturer recommends poles with a height of 125 centimeters, but for me a working height of 130 centimeters is more convenient. I ran with different poles of different heights and came to the conclusion that it is at a height of 130 centimeters that I most comfortably walk uphill and use energy optimally.
As for changing the length of the poles while moving along the distance, depending on the ascent or descent and their angles, experience shows that it is better not to change the length of the poles. From our point of view, there is no point in this, just an extra waste of energy at a distance. The angles of mountain slopes are not constant, so why change the length of the poles every time this angle changes? Also, in our opinion, you should not try to change the length of the right-left pole when traversing a slope. All this is unnecessary and unnecessary waste of time and effort.
Transporting poles.
On long races it is impossible to carry poles in your hands all the time, and on some trails of increased mountain difficulty you often have to walk using climbing rails, which is simply life-threatening if your hands are full. It’s best to attach them to your backpack in places where you don’t need poles or get in the way. For example, Salomon backpacks have standard and convenient mounts for both telescopic (photo above) and folding poles (photo below).
Or you can use multifunctional belts, for example, like the ARCH MAX Trail Pro, to attach folding poles. The video below shows the mounting process.
Another feature of folding poles, at least some models and manufacturers, is the vibration of such poles when moving. They are more mobile when leaning on them due to less reliable fixation of the segments than telescopic poles. In expensive and modern models The Antishock system is used, which avoids such an unpleasant phenomenon, but all this undoubtedly increases the cost of the poles.
Where to use sticks?
Of course, poles are mainly used on mountain trails with a lot of elevation gain. But sometimes poles can be very useful on “smooth” trails with little climbing, but for example a lot of dirt. Using poles helps relieve stress on your legs and, most importantly, your back, saves strength and helps with balancing on unstable surfaces. You have to pay for this by increasing your pulse rate due to increased load on your arms and excess weight. Whether you use poles or not is your personal choice..
Advantages and disadvantages of using trekking poles.
ADVANTAGES:
The use of sticks allows you to give the body a more even position and thereby, due to the opening chest improve breathing, as the diaphragm muscles will work more smoothly. Also, using sticks improves blood circulation in the limbs. The return of venous blood relieves swelling of the hands and fingers and promotes better thermoregulation.
When walking on inclines, the poles act as shock absorbers and ease the stress on your ankles, knees, hips and spine... This reduces the risk of injury in the short and long term. When climbing climbs, using poles reduces the load on the quadriceps and hamstrings, since we transfer part of the body weight to the poles, leaning on them. This will keep your feet fresher if you use poles.
But it should be noted that using poles increases your heart rate (by an average of 10%) and increases calorie consumption. This is good if your goal is to burn more calories and lose weight, but bad if you are running in competition. On the other hand, the slight increase in heart rate and energy expenditure is offset by a decrease in overall fatigue and a reduced risk of injury.
On long trails, as opposed to short ones, it is more important to maintain “freshness” for as long as possible than to regulate your heart rate, and therefore the use of poles is justified. Poles also help you balance, which means you feel more confident. Sticks help overcome obstacles such as mud, snow, unstable and large stones, etc.; ford streams and rivers, and, as a last resort, protect yourself from an animal or help another runner.
FLAWS:
First of all, these are additional financial expenses. The next point is overweight, which you need to carry with you. Although modern carbon poles weigh no more than 500 grams per pair, during competitions every extra gram counts. Sticks also occupy your hands, making it difficult to take water and food.
You also need to understand that using poles requires mastering, although quite simple, the technique of running with them. In the video above, Russian Skyrunning Champions show movement techniques using trekking poles, and here is a short accompanying comment from Dmitry:
"The eternal question is whether to run with poles or not? Before you ask yourself such a question, you need to buy good light poles and learn how to run with them. How longer distance and the higher the climb, the more poles will help you. At the beginning of the distance, poles will help you keep your legs fresher, and in the second half they will greatly help your tired legs. If you have problems with coordination, are overweight, or even just have large muscles, like me, I recommend training with poles and running mountain races with poles too.
Try to use different walking and running techniques with poles, alternate. If you train in places where there are no mountains, walk with poles on a treadmill at maximum incline, up stairs, or just do exercises using poles. Until last year I didn’t use poles, now I run all races with them, last year I tried carbon Black Diamond ones, the poles lasted me for 3 races, they broke quickly. After that, I started running with Camp Xenon 4 poles, I’ve had them safe and sound for a whole year now.”
If you've never used poles before, it's best to practice running with them at least a few times (mounting them on a backpack, feeding with them, getting up and down techniques) before taking them to the competition. Effective training exercises using trekking poles can be seen in the running school video Trail Running School Dmitry and Ekaterina Mityaev. Another set of exercises with trekking poles can be seen at LINK.
Besides, you need to carefully read the race regulations . In some races (for example, the famous one) the use of sticks forbidden, and in those where it is allowed, in the vast majority of cases, it is necessary to go with them the entire distance from start to finish. You cannot use them only on the climb, and then leave them and continue on without them. You also need to be more attentive towards other runners and not injure the person running next to you with a stick.
It can be stated that there is no specific trend in the use of poles among professional or amateur runners. U professional athletes, just like amateurs, some use sticks all the time, some from time to time, and some never. You can understand whether you need poles or not, whether they help you or hinder you, only by experience, having run a sufficient number of races with them and without them.
An article about trekking and telescopic ski poles. How to choose from a huge variety of offers exactly those that you need for certain types of activity.
First of all, let's decide what we will talk about telescope poles, although even now you can meet many tourists who walk around with old classic poles: “Why buy telescopes?”
| What is the difference between low and high price poles? First of all - quality materials and design clamps, and here you don’t need to choose the simplest option! Based on my own more than fifteen years of experience, I can definitely recommend eccentric fasteners rather than standard screw-on ones. And the company is the pioneer and clear leader in this pole segment Black Diamond, and all similar latches are now used by more and more companies, which speaks for itself. |  |
I can say that the lifespan of sticks is twists with more or less intensive use, usually 1-2 years, then problems begin, and often such that hiking conditions simply irremovable. This is not a question of the quality of materials, but design property. Therefore, no big company name guarantees the absence of problems - I had enough of these sticks and the result was the same.
The second question is how much is needed? knees? There are two, three and even four-knee models, and here you need to look at what the poles are for.
My opinion is that these are the most universal three knees, they are suitable for use all year round, and trekking, and freeride, and backcountry. I don’t recommend buying such poles just for skiing - they are easier to break, and the advantages of compactness are most often not used.
 BD Distance Flz Z-Poles |
Type designs BD compactor, with technology z-pole- a successful invention of recent years, they allow you to fold poles very compactly, they are a little more complicated and expensive, but lighter and great for snowboarders - such poles usually easily fit into most freeride backpacks, unlike three-knee models. But poles are still a necessary attribute for a freerider-snowboarder, and carrying them in the external mount of a backpack is not very convenient and safe, I observed many situations with the loss of poles, clinging to a tree, etc. Therefore, I highly recommend such poles mainly for snowboarders or those who ride both equipment. |
The next question is materials and their combination, and here the choice of different models makes your eyes widen. Regarding the choice between metal And carbon, in general, we can say that carbon is more expensive, lighter and sometimes stronger, but does not withstand impacts, for example, from the edge of a ski. That's why carbon poles require careful use, and are relevant for those who save every gram, for example, for long or high-speed ski touring routes and climbs, where you carry a heavy load, etc. In other cases, I prefer poles made of metal alloy, they are simpler, cheaper, more maintainable, and there is a large selection of different models.
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Black Diamond poles have two main options - with plastic And metal latch, I've used both. I can say that I have never had any problems with the strength of the plastic, and the main advantage of iron latches is that they are flatter and look neater. I also advise you to handle plastic latches with care at temperatures below -30 degrees, and don’t forget that metal also becomes brittle in the cold.
By handle designs, there are quite a few options here, several types of rubber are used, and cork, and plastic, in general, it depends on the main purpose of the stick and for me it does not play a big role. It is convenient when a continuation is made of neoprene or rubber below the handle - if you need to quickly grab the stick lower, for example on a short traverse. This is usually typical for trekking models, well, this solution doesn’t interfere with skating either, except that it increases the weight a little.
Well, the last, important detail of the sticks is tips And rings. Keep in mind that when trekking in the mountains, the tips wear out quite quickly, and it is advisable to have spare ones. This is not so important for freeride, but blunt tips are a big hindrance if the slope is hard and quite steep, in such a situation the support on the poles must be reliable both when ascending and when descending, I have been convinced of this more than once.
Many people think that trekking poles are not at all important when hiking, but this is not true. They are ready to help us in different situations: take part of the weight on themselves, become a support for an awning, turn into a frame for a stretcher, turn into a splint in case of a fracture. Therefore, you should not neglect this element of equipment and buy it for five and a half kopecks. If you hike more than once a year, quality trekking poles are worth considering, and I'll give you some tips on how to choose trekking poles - what to look for!
What to look for when choosing trekking poles
Design
The poles must be telescopic! In mountain tourism, you should always be able to change the length of the poles for convenience, efficiency and safety of the descents, ascents and plains. Moreover, on the plain you can also “play” with the length, changing the main goal from additional points of support to devices for accelerating movement =) .
The number of sections also matters for their compactness - the more, the shorter the poles when folded. Also more sections gives a larger range of height adjustments, but this is not so critical. And of course, three-section poles when folded are more difficult to bend or break. This is important in a situation where they are not used for their intended purpose, for example, to create a stretcher or carry an injured person directly onto them.
In any case, you can’t go wild here - there is a choice of two sections and three, I haven’t seen any other options yet.
Fasteners
Second important point- these are clamps! They absolutely should not be “twisters” (I mean collet clamps =)) or any other tricky devices! Exclusively clips! Preferably metal clips!
Metal clips
The problem with “twirls” and other dubious solutions is that no matter what brand produces them, they are still very afraid of dust, dirt and water. If all this gets into the mechanism, then the sticks begin to jam, do not fix well and, accordingly, lose their functionality. Often it is not possible to fix this on the go, you need to stop and apply force, sometimes even the force of a couple of people,
and sometimes tools to “fix” the problem.
The clips work on the principle of simple compression of the tube, therefore they are simple, reliable and easy to repair and configure!
Why do I recommend metal ones, because plastic can crack either when the poles fall on a stone, or in the cold, or when fastened with force! It is clear that metal also does not last forever, but it is significantly superior to plastic in reliability, especially if the plastic is cheap.
It is useful, but not critical, to pay attention to the adjustment bolts on the clips! It’s good if they are made in such a way that there is nothing to loosen, unscrew or get lost. For example, on my 2013 Black Diamond Expedition, the adjustment bolt is located under the clip latch and is not easy to loosen or lose.
BD FlickLock clips and their adjustment bolt Section material
The third important point is the material of the pole sections. Here I recommend taking aluminum, not carbon. Carbon is certainly light and more resilient, but it doesn’t take a hit and doesn’t like abuse.
It is also better to look for the brand of aluminum in the description of the poles, to be precise - aluminum alloy! There might be something like 6005, 7005, 7075 and the like. Alloys differ in their composition, and therefore in their properties. Roughly and briefly speaking, the higher the number, the stronger the material (here those interested and knowing English can read about aluminum alloys - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium_alloy). I personally recommend alloy 7075 - time-tested, but I think that there is already something stronger and more reliable in trekking poles.
Cheap poles are made from the softest alloys that can bend for no apparent reason 🙁. But it’s already unrealistic to straighten it normally 🙁 .
Tip
From this moment on, everything is not so critical. I'll just note a few points:
- The tip should be sharp with a special reinforced “tip”.
- It is good if the main part of the tip is made of metal. Will live longer with frequent crossings over small stones and volcanic slag.
- It’s great if the tip is removable and can be replaced without using special means. Note that in any case the tip can be replaced, but you may need new special tips, tools and straight hands!
Pens
First of all, select the handles to suit your hand so that they are comfortable, but keep in mind the need for a small reserve for gloves or mittens. It’s good if there is an arm rest on top and a small protrusion on the bottom – they will come in handy! It’s good if the lanyard fits your hand comfortably and is wide enough so as not to cut into it.
Handle material:
- Cork is warm, comfortable, but unreliable and usually more expensive
- Rubber - cold, but reliable, cheap and versatile
It is desirable that there is another one below the main handle... or the handle itself is elongated, as if consisting of two parts. This is very convenient for ascents and traverses - you don’t have to constantly reconfigure the poles, you can simply switch them from one handle to another.
I note that even if there is no second handle, you can always wrap reinforced tape, blue electrical tape, or who knows what else, making something like a second handle!
Rings
The rings are worth checking for their flexibility! They should be moderately flexible and elastic. If the rings on your trekking poles are plastic, throw them away and buy others separately. The plastic ones crumble on the first stones.
It makes sense to take winter wide or very wide rings if you are sure that you will walk on extremely loose or plump snow; if the snow is only in the form of snowflakes that remained in the mountains after winter, then small rings will work with a bang. Plus, they will be less likely to get stuck in rocks or bushes!
I can personally recommend trekking poles from the famous brand Black Diamond that have been tested by me and time. In particular, models: Expedition and Trail Pro, and for those who walk in the mountains, snow and glaciers in winter (you can read the review at this link -).
