Hiking Pole Fix Advice

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I've put up a picture to show why I'm hesitant on the sleeve-type fixes. Note that the crack is really close to the end. There's nothing for the sleeve to support on the tip end. Had the crack been 2" further up the pole these would, without doubt, be solid fixes...
 
I like the bignslow idea, but I also use a different one: good stuff cheap.

For skiing, I use expensive Black Diamonds, but for everything else, it's $10 specials from an outlet store.

There's a discount place here in southern Massachusetts called "Ocean State Job Lot." They stock one called "X-15 TREKKING POLE." They're $10 each (yes, sold individually), and I go through a pair a year. I use my poles short (hip length) and they stand up very well, eventually wearing out at the screw-joint.

Like the $10 Map Adventures maps, they make great gifts to newbies and have been reliably stocked for over five years.

Just a thought, good luck,

--Mike
 
MichaelJ said:
FYI - Black Diamond sells replacement sections, middles and bottoms, for their trekking poles at their web site. The prices are incredibly good (I think I paid $13 for a middle and a bottom together, before shipping, which depends on how quickly you need them). Just don't break the top/handle section, and you needn't pay full price again.
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Replacement parts are available for both BD and Leki poles. (I have read reports of Leki replacing broken parts for free.) Don't know about Komperdell.

I suspect that the best fix for the bend is a sleeve or a rod jammed inside. (One of the better methods of securing a sleeve is stainless steel hose clamps.) An aluminum shaft, once bent and straightened, will always be weak and is likely to tear at the crease.

Doug
 
I used a pair of Leki's for years that had a bend a few inches above the basket, MY thought was if I tried to bend it back the temper of the metal woud be weakend and break, but the original bend was not enough to break it. Ive since upgraded to Black Diamond Flintlocks ( christmas gift) and Ill tell you they are the best poles Ive used yet, they are light, strong and the lock system is very nice, they excell in the cold, the old twist method commen with most, is tough when the poles are snow and ice covered imo.Although I did have to stitch the wrist loops with upostry (sp) thread to keep them from slipping loose on my wrist, but frankly I find most gear I use, even the best, I customize anyway to my liking.
 
I have used the Ocean State Job Lot poles for 4 years before recently having a problem with one of them. I bought a new pair of Leki"s but might get a pair of the Job Lot poles for a back up in case some thing were to happen to the new ones.
 
This pole has proven indestructible:

attachment.php


(It's a broomstick.)
 
Only the dark side used red light sabers. Are you trying to tell us something?:eek:

I looked at the Job Lot's poles at lunch today. They do have spring loaded handles. I'm also guessing that if the twist lock on a cheap pole is going to fail, it would happen when adjusting it, not when it is locked and in use. At least that is how all of my twist locks have failed.
 
I had a few pair of the Job Lot poles and and got reasonable mileage on them. The common problem was failure of the twist lock. My daughter still has a pair but they haven't seen much use.

I've got the Komperdell on clearance at EMS for $15 including winter baskets and have had excellent luck with them (including the twistlock). I assume they were on clearance because they're 2-piece and don't collapse as small as the 3 but since I use them 90% of the time I don't worry too much about that.

On the repair...

As noted the sleeve-type fixes would likely work if the crease was higher up but the crease is too close to the basket.

I tried removing the tip in an effort to re-attach to the good part of the ple (Chip's suggestion) but couldn't get the tip off and didn't want to force the issue.

I ended up cutting the pole 3" above the crease and inserting a 12" x 1/4" threaded rod. It goes almost all the eay down to the end of the tip leaving about 6" sticking out. I've filled this with epoxy around the rod and, after curing, it seems pretty stiff. Next step is to plug up the top part of the pole to prevent epoxy from willing the whole thing, filling that void with epoxy and sticking the top back on, complete with 6" threaded rod.

I'll probably end up with a mess and a useless pole and a new set of poles from EMS but it's worth a shot... I'm leaning toward those BD flick-locks unless someone has had some really bad experiences with them....
 
Quietman said:
Only the dark side used red light sabers. Are you trying to tell us something?:eek:

I looked at the Job Lot's poles at lunch today. They do have spring loaded handles. I'm also guessing that if the twist lock on a cheap pole is going to fail, it would happen when adjusting it, not when it is locked and in use. At least that is how all of my twist locks have failed.
Click to expand...

Yes, that is how they have failed for me, but in many cases only after way-more-than-$10-worth of use.

I thought the light-saber was a pink breast-cancer-awareness version, used by Darth Unitas in yesterday's, uh, battle.
 
StashZdanuk said:
I'll probably end up with a mess and a useless pole and a new set of poles from EMS but it's worth a shot... I'm leaning toward those BD flick-locks unless someone has had some really bad experiences with them....
Click to expand...

The BD Flick lock is the way to go. I LOVE them over my old Leki's - easier to adjust, more trustworthy to not slip (for me). Just adjust the lock initially with a small phillips and you're good to go. I have pinched some skin while trying to walk and lock at the same time though...
 
My suggestion would be to cut off the tip of the pole above the crease (sounds like you've already done this), cut a couple of vertical slits at the bottom using a hacksaw, push a dowel into the hole and fasten with a hose clamp or two. You can also transfer the basket support to the new tip (after removing it from the old tip) and glue in place.
 
urbanRecon said:
The BD Flick lock is the way to go. I LOVE them over my old Leki's - easier to adjust, more trustworthy to not slip (for me). Just adjust the lock initially with a small phillips and you're good to go. I have pinched some skin while trying to walk and lock at the same time though...
Click to expand...
I've used Leki twist-lock poles (2-section for skiing and 3-section for hiking) for over 30 years. They don't slip and are easy to tighten and loosen--a touch of silicone grease on the expansion screw and an occasional cleaning of the inside of the tubes is all it takes. I've never broken them, but parts are readily available.

The bottom line is that quality poles work well, be they twist-lock or flick-lock...

Doug
 
StashZdanuk said:
I ended up cutting the pole 3" above the crease and inserting a 12" x 1/4" threaded rod. It goes almost all the eay down to the end of the tip leaving about 6" sticking out. I've filled this with epoxy around the rod and, after curing, it seems pretty stiff. Next step is to plug up the top part of the pole to prevent epoxy from filling the whole thing, filling that void with epoxy and sticking the top back on, complete with 6" threaded rod.

I'll probably end up with a mess and a useless pole and a new set of poles from EMS but it's worth a shot... .
Click to expand...

A litte drippage but the next step is done. A pic shows a gallon of joint compound hanging from the repaired tip with crimp facing down (weakest side). A little flex in the pole as would be expected but nothing exagerated at the joint. I wouldn't expect to put much more side flex on it.

Only concern now is that the epoxy (Gorilla Glue brand) is only rated to -10 degrees. I'd assume below that the issue would be that it might get brittle? Have to find out...

Thanks for all the input. Had I been able to get the tip off or the crease been higher up I might have gone a different path but $5.99 for fix beats $100+ for new. I hope... ;)
 
Follow-up

It works! I've got a good hike on the "broken" pole and it's no worse for wear, including a few stuck-between-two-rocks-and-keep-walking episodes. The fixed pole is a touch heaver than the other so they swing a bit differently but not enough to mess things up too much... :D
 
Or ..... you could

Ask a fellow hiker if happens to have any spare poles one of which is slightly bent and I'm thinking he'd probably give you the other one which in not bent ?

:D
 
StashZdanuk said:
It works! I've got a good hike on the "broken" pole and it's no worse for wear, including a few stuck-between-two-rocks-and-keep-walking episodes. The fixed pole is a touch heaver than the other so they swing a bit differently but not enough to mess things up too much... :D
Click to expand...

So you must be an expert at something. :)
 
StashZdanuk said:
Being an expert means you have nothing left to learn.
Click to expand...
No it doesn't. Being an expert means that you know more about some topic than most others--most experts are very aware that there is still more for them to learn.

Old dumb joke:
Q: What is an expert?
A: An old has-been who is a drip under pressure.

Doug
 
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