trekking poles that don't fall apart

[markv]

As in, are there any? I had some REI ones that actually snapped, and my pricey Komperdell titanium ones basically glued themselves shut, locked into the dwarven position.

Has anyone had any luck with ANY poles actually lasting through a hiking season?

(I'm not east coast, so EMS-only brands wouldn't help me in the short term.)

 

[Danielle]

Leki

Mark,
Both Ryan and I have Leki poles. I believe mine are the Makalus; Ryan has one of the more "fancy" anti-shock sets (don't ask me what the name is though! Sorry!). In any event, we both love ours, they've held up through a few hiking seasons already, and we plan to keep using them next year too!
Hope that helps. Good luck!
-Danielle

 

[WalksWithBlackflies]

I'll second the Lekis.

 

[abe]

I'll third the Leki's. I had mine for years with no complaints.
I (actually the wife, who weighs 100+ lbs less than me) bought some BD trecking poles and they are a POS......
the carbide tips are now up into the splintered end

 

[snowshoe]

I am also a Leki owner and have no problems. I have been using the same poles for 5 years now. Your poles may have locked on you due to moister in the poles. It is a good idea to take them apart after each use that way they can dry out inside.

 

[bobandgeri]

Add us to the pro leki group. Sometimes it is worth the extra $$$ to save on headaches down the road. EMS does a great job repairing replacing the brand poles, but it does require the time to get to the store - and if your like us - you can't leave without buying something :>

 

[Mr. X]

I have Leki Super Makalus (anti shock) they work very well, no failures. The only thing about these is that the spring inside resonates louder than most trekking poles. I also have had a slight issue with the friction joint slipping, but nothing enough to make me second guess my purchase.

 

[Bob Farrell]

I have been a tester for LEKI poles for the last 4 years. I've tested four pairs and never had a problem with them loosening up. The new LEKI Ultralites with the Easy Locking System is the best. I use the new Ultralites for three seasons and I have a pair of LEKI Air Ergo's that I use for winter. This will be the Air Ergo's third winter and I haven't had a problem with them yet.

P.S. Notice the LEKI Air Ergo's in the photo on the left.

http://home.earthlink.net/~ellozy/4k-journals/4K-Journals.html

 

[KZKlimber]

"Dwarven"

I love that word!

 

[Darwin]

I love my Leki Makalu's,although I have found that on really cold days it's better to ajust them in a warm enviroment before hiking, because for some reason if you don't they gradually collapse to the little person position . In all other conditions they are great!

 

[audrey]

I've had Leki, Komperdell, and REI poles, and most have given out at one time or another, or have refused to readjust without a lot of fiddling. I've mostly gone back to using cheap downhill ski poles (but I look for foam handles for comfort) and couldn't be happier or more secure, especially in the snow. I've never bothered to adjust the length on hikes anyway. I save the Leki Ultralights for plane trips where they'll fit right into my suitcase.

 

[mediclimber]

Black Diamond Traverse poles. The flick-lock adjustment is awsome and they never seem to move once locked. Cheap too.

 

[newcomb family]

Leki here for wife and self. 4 1/2 years and still very nice. No locking problems at all.

 

[rhihn]

I am on my second pair of Leki poles (first set was stolen). In both sets, once in a while, one of the sections would collapse suddenly (they were twisted to lock as tight as I could get them).

 

[SherpaKroto]

I've beat the heck out of my REI Summit (Komperdell) poles and they have performed admirably, contrary to what I've read here. I still have the pair that I bought 5 years ago, and have hiked easily over 1,000 miles with them. I have had to replace parts, but that is to be expected, and have had no real loss of functionality. I stress the heck out of them, and they keep on working. As with any piece of gear, you need to at least provide a minimum of maintenance to keep them working well.

 

[Johnnycakes]

Leki, Masters, or Black Diamond

If you prefer to stick with a twist lock pole, the Leki locking mechanism is definitely superior to the Komperdell locking mechanism. However, I have seen a newer, high end Komperdell pole that uses a different locking mechanism than the other poles. It appears to be better constructed, but it is also all plastic, so the nod still goes to Leki. I would also consider Masters poles, and put their locking mechanism on the same level as Leki.

A flick lock style pole (such as Black Diamond) may not be a bad way to go either. Most that have them swear by them, although I have run into a few dissatisfied owners. I suspect the dissatisfied owners did not properly tighten down the mechanism at home (with screwdriver) before heading out on their trips.

John

 

[ChrisB]

Tighten Up!

Leiks seem to rule on this thread...and I'd agree. I have been using my Super Makalus for many years. But, as SherpaK noted, periodic maintenance is key.

Here's what I do:

1. Store them un-assembled. This let's sections dry out fully and takes tension off expanders. Wipe the crud off the lower section after each hike

2. Replace expansion joins before they are really worn. Might be annually if you hike a lot.

3. Clean and (very carefully) lube the metal threads of the pole ends with silicon spray. Be sure NOT to get any lube on plastic expansion joins or inner tube walls. I unscrew plastic joints completely when lubing.

As far as sections slipping: When this happens to mine it usually means I need to give the section an extra twist to tighten it up and lock it down. Unlike Audry, I usually adjust my poles during a hike, shortening for ascent and lenghting for descent, etc.

cb

 

[Bob]

BD's are the best

Abe wrote-

bought some BD trecking poles and they are a POS......

I've used and abused my Black Diamonds for years, they are the best. A little scratch on the tip is not a reason to call them a POS...plus if they are a POS, why are you using them instead of your other 'fancy boy' poles?

 

[abe]

Bob writes:

"A little scratch on the tip is not a reason to call them a POS.."

Well, the fact that the carbide tip is gone, as well as 1/2 " of the pole is splintered is a bit more than a scratch. But then again, I'm not worried. I'll just take advantage of EMS's liberal return policy (like Bob) and return them after years of use.

PS, Whils at EMS, I'll return my POS Black Diamond headlamp.

 

[spencer]

1) don't ski on 3 section poles

2) when using collapsed poles like two ice axes, don't kick your front points through the poles

as ChrisB says, proper maintenance goes a long way. However, I'm not very good about cleaning the poles after each trip so I find a couple of times a season I have to take light steel wool to the bottom sections to keep them sliding inside the upper sections. Otherwise, that crud dries up and makes them stick. More than a few times, I've been at a trailhead and couldn't get the damn things apart. Luckily, I carry some vise grips in my truck toolbox.

I prefer the cams on the BD to the twist-locks on others....

Also, a little lok-tite helps the screws on the cams. I've lost two of the screws that hold the cams together. Now I've "lok-tightened" them and they stay.

The cork grips on high-end Lekis are much nicer, but you can't have it all. Between my girlfriend and I, we have 4 sets of poles and we mix and match the wrist straps, grips, and baskets, depending on activity.

spencer