In my last post, I discussed why hiking/trekking poles are a good thing to have with you no matter what your age or ability. However, once you have made the choice to buy a pair, like with many other things, you are presented with a baffling variety of poles ranging in price from £15 to over £100. Once again, your choices will be reflected by your intended use and budget and I am here to guide you through everything you need to know to choose the right pair of hiking poles for you.
Handle Material
The material that the handgrip is made out of on a hiking pole is one of the most important choices you will make when deciding which set of poles is right for you. This is because anything directly in contact with your body when on the move (think backpack straps and boots) has the greatest potential to cause discomfort and/or pain, particularly on long hikes. Here are the three main types of handle material and their benefits and drawbacks;
Rubber – the cheapest of the three, rubber handles are durable and long-lasting but are not very comfortable over long distances and often cause blisters. Unless you are on a really tight budget or only need a cheap pair for occasional use, I would recommend avoiding rubber as a handle material.
Foam – this is the most common handle material that you will see throughout the price spectrum. Foam is relatively cheap, absorbs shocks well and is pretty durable. The main disadvantage of foam is that it absorbs moisture and moisture plus movement is the biggest cause of chafing and/or blisters. However, as long as you keep them dry foam-handled poles are a lightweight and long-lasting option and do very well in winter.
Cork – this is the premium handle material of the trekking pole world. Similar to leather, cork handles wear to the user’s hand and become more comfortable over time and unlike foam will wick away moisture pretty effectively. While heavier and slightly less durable than foam, cork provides comfort for longer but does command a higher price tag.
Pole material
With pole material, you typically only have two options, aluminium and carbon fibre, and it is a pretty simple choice of priorities. If you want something very lightweight and you are willing to sacrifice durability and pay quite a bit more, carbon fibre is the best option. However, if you want more long-term reliability at a lower price then aluminium is the way to go.
Adjustment Mechanism
Most hiking poles are extendable to make them easier to store when not in use and there are two types of locking action that manufacturers use. Twist lock is exactly as it sounds, similar to a washing pole, you twist the pole to allow the sections to slide in and out and then you twist again to lock it in place. The advantage of this type is that the mechanism is inside the pole itself and is therefore protected from impact, dust and dirt. On the other hand flip/quick lock systems just need one movement to flick a catch open to move the pole sections and then another movement to lock them. This makes poles with this system a lot faster to use and if you are adjusting poles frequently as you shift from uphill to downhill sections, the time saving from this becomes substantial. However, because the mechanism is on the outside of the pole, it is a lot more vulnerable to damage and typically doesn’t last as long as the twist lock.
Additional Features
Once you have decided on your handle material, pole material and locking mechanism, that is pretty much all you need to know to purchase a good pair of hiking poles. Nevertheless, here are a few additional features you may want to consider when buying your hiking poles.
Folding poles – while the majority of hiking poles are one telescopic piece, folding poles add a mechanism that allows you to collapse them into a z shape which takes up a whole lot less space. So if you are going to be carrying your poles inside a backpack, this feature is a good one to look at.
Snow baskets – most poles come with a mud basket to prevent the poles from sinking too deep into the mud, snow baskets are a larger diameter version of these for use on snow. So depending on how cold it gets where you do most of your walking, this may be a handy addition.
Nordic walking tips – like mud baskets good quality poles usually come with a rubber tip that fits over the ferrule on the end of the pole so you don’t wear down the tip on harder ground. However, you can also get rubber tips with a longer angled tread similar to those used in nordic walking, these help build up more forward momentum on flatter sections.
I hope this guide helps you to make an informed decision on a pair of walking poles, if you have any questions do leave a comment below. Otherwise, thanks for reading and until next time happy adventuring!