help on hiking / snowshoe poles

[gram]

We are looking to give poles as gifts this Christmas. They would be used as both hiking and snowshoe poles. I understand about the different types of baskets you can get.

What I don't know is what a flexible tip means. Leki says their tip will bend 30 degrees without breaking the shaft. So if it bends, how does it give you the reliable support when you put full weight on it???

We have had bad luck with REI poles - one pair snapped in 2 on the Old Bridal Path. The replacement pole bent at the end within 2 months.

What do people think of these?
Komperdell Rubin

Any help much appreciated!
And a Happy Thanksgiving to all.

 

[kmorgan]

We are looking to give poles as gifts this Christmas. They would be used as both hiking and snowshoe poles. I understand about the different types of baskets you can get.

What I don't know is what a flexible tip means. Leki says their tip will bend 30 degrees without breaking the shaft. So if it bends, how does it give you the reliable support when you put full weight on it???

We have had bad luck with REI poles - one pair snapped in 2 on the Old Bridal Path. The replacement pole bent at the end within 2 months.

What do people think of these?
Komperdell Rubin

Any help much appreciated!
And a Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Hi, first as to the flexible tips. They are thick hard rubber. I have 2 sets of Leki poles and just bought a set of Black Diamond Terra CF's. I have never broken a tip or bent a pole. I have hiked with a lot of people with bent poles and they are usually either EMS brand or just the result of jamming a pole in between rocks and failing to free it before it's too late.

While I have never owned a pair of Komperdell's I hear good things about them.

Kevin

 

[UNFROZENCAVEMAN]

I will say this, Leki is excellent about standing behind their products - I have the ultralight titanium model (3 piece) and broke one of them on a bad fall, I called them and they priority shipped a replacement section out the same day so that I could have them for hiking that weekend. My Uncle has bent a couple of sections and gotten entire replacement sets of poles from the store where he purchased them. Any pole will bend/break given the right circumstances - if the company stands behind them that's what really counts IMO. Also, their locking mechanism seems to work very well, especially if you do any sort of maintenance - I take mine apart after every hike, wipe them down, let them dry out, and ocassionaly I'll even clean the insides with a shotgun cleaning kit - never had a problem.

 

[poison ivy]

I personally did not have great luck with the Komperdells... they broke fairly quickly and the locking mechanism stopped working well. I went through two sets (plus using the two leftover poles together, so it was like having three sets, kind of.) I've had other people tell me that I'm tough on my gear so maybe I'm not the best example.

I've had better luck with the Black Diamond poles... they seem to last longer and the flick lock hasn't failed once. However, I've also been through a couple of sets of these too.

All that said, I am currently using a set of kid's Lekis that cost $20 (since I'm short they work fine but they whistle when I'm above treeline in the wind.) They have held up much better than I anticipated.

After having gone through so many sets of poles, I now just buy the cheapest set I can find... so I won't be mad when I break them.

- Ivy

 

[Chip]

I have been using a set of LekiSport Classics year 'round for 3 years and have no complaints. GOOGLE these and they appear to be popular behind the Iron Curtain, but I think these were the "house" brand at Campmor when I bought them.

 

[DougPaul]

This topic occurs fairly frequently: search on "hiking poles" or "trekking poles".

eg:
Pole reccomendations....
http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=13927

Trekking poles, use or use not?
http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=13160

Doug

 

[gram]

Chip, I've misplaced my Russian dictionary!

Actually, Campmor has a Leki model I've been looking at. These will be gifts to hikers / snowshoers who have not used poles before, so I'm not going all out in price.

Leki switchback

Thanks everyone for the input.