Trekking poles?

ranch

FNG
Joined
Aug 19, 2019
Messages
86
+1 For Black Diamond Alpine carbon corks. I use mine multiple times a week on my hikes for the past 2 years. Have taken a few spills with them. Haven’t had a problems with them yet.
 

MGade84

FNG
Joined
Jan 27, 2019
Messages
13
Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm kind of new to hunting and kind of new to backpacking. I'm currently doing my research on a good pack (think I'm going to go exo).

But this isn't what this post is about. I've noticed all of the guys I see in the mountains with the good gear use trekking poles. So I think it's time to suck up my pride and admit I was wrong (when hiking with my wife I told her the poles are stupid and unnecessary). There are trekking poles on Amazon with great reviews for like 50 bucks. But I'm thinking with the use and abuse they're likely to endure from me with a full pack maybe I need to drop some money on a good set of sticks.

Do any of you use poles? Does it mater what ones I get? Or am I likely to be ok with the carbon fiber ones I found on amazon for 50 bucks? I havent seen any on the web sights I've been looking at packs on, what are the preferable brands? Or are there any good ones made with hunting in mind?

Thanks in advance.


Costco has a 2 set pack for $60. They got great reviews, so I bought them for my trip to Montana earlier this month. They worked great and I had zero issues with them, as expected based on the reviews. I put them through their paces and will be using them again. Hope this helps!
 

lck90

FNG
Joined
Oct 1, 2019
Messages
28
Costco has a 2 set pack for $60. They got great reviews, so I bought them for my trip to Montana earlier this month. They worked great and I had zero issues with them, as expected based on the reviews. I put them through their paces and will be using them again. Hope this helps!

Thanks. I’ll check them out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

gunnar_17

FNG
Joined
Jul 6, 2012
Messages
60
I will not do a mountain hunt without them now.... I use MSR aluminums and love them.

Sent from my SM-G955W using Tapatalk
 

Spiegel

FNG
Joined
Apr 14, 2017
Messages
59
Location
CA
I've had a pair of Leki in the past and was happy with them. Got them at a used REI gear sale. Looking to get a new pair and have been looking at Sissy Stixs. Anyone have review of the Sissy Stixs?
 
Joined
Apr 14, 2019
Messages
954
Location
Fort Myers , FL
I’m 350 lbs plus pack and I trust my Leki aluminums. so far so good on no slipping , bending or breaking. I don‘t go as far as the hard core westerner guys but I put a lot of stress on those poles. Where I use them your going up or down and theres a lot of holes and things to trip you up. My poles keep me upright and moving forward. When I bought them I figured I would have problems in the old with slippage and I figured I would bend them. Never happened.
 

The Angelo Kid

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 29, 2019
Messages
229
Being new to western hunting this year and already having to spend a ton of money on gear, trekking poles are where I chose not spend big money. I got TrailBuddy trekking poles off of Amazon for $37. Right now they have 4,084 ratings with an overall rating of 4.8 out of 5. They are aluminum 7075, cork handled and have quick adjust flip-locks. They performed super well for me. Can't say how they compare to high end stuff but after a week long trip at 10,000 to 12,000 ft elevation I'm glad I didn't drop more money when those worked perfectly for me. I'm sure Leki makes great stuff but if you have limited funds and want to spend your money elsewhere, I would suggest these.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MRQCENJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 

jb1316

FNG
Joined
Apr 3, 2019
Messages
24
Spot on. I had the Costco poles and after my kids broke one playing in the yard I just ordered a pair of Leki poles. After receiving the leki poles I’m returning them and getting another set of the Costco sticks. I actually think they have better options and user-ability than the leki poles.

Turns out however, the Costco poles aren’t made to be used as baseball bats in the yard :)
Sure they are. But only once.
 

Luckyrxc

FNG
Joined
May 13, 2017
Messages
86
Another happy BD Carbon Cork user here. Except, I don’t like that the rubber tips are easily lost.

I bought my kids the $30 carbon trekking poles from Monoprice. They work just fine, are slightly lighter than the BD, but the ergonomics and hardware are better on the BD... but not $90 better.
 

WhiteOak

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 17, 2016
Messages
260
Location
New Mexico
Used the cascade mtn techs on a 2 hnuts this year. I did not have any issues with slippage and whatnot. Used then enough to wear through the rubber tip. A couple replacement sets on the way.

Trekking poles really shined in the steep stuff. Especially going down. It's just like being able to reach the ground with your hand without having to bend over. They have a place on mountain hunts for sure.
 

wjruss

FNG
Joined
Mar 28, 2019
Messages
9
I consider them completely necessary when backpacking off trail in regards to safety. The list of pros is long and the list of cons is nonexistent. Get a decent pair and you'll be stoked you did. I've had good luck with Komperdell carbons.
 
Joined
Oct 8, 2019
Messages
2,956
While I've not used the Cascades' they definitely look like a great place to start especially if you already have a Costco membership. After awhile you'll be able to determine if they will continue to work for you or if it is time to move on.

I have been using a pair of BD FLZs for a couple of years and have been very happy with them. They are light and highly packable. Their biggest drawback is they do not feel robust. Before I went to AK in September, I picked up a pair of Leki's. They served me very well and I am glad that I brought them instead of the FLZsl. Going forward, I'll continue to use both pair depending on the terrain that I am hunting in.
 

LineandBuck

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 4, 2019
Messages
193
Location
Tehachapi, CA
S&S carbon poles, best I’ve found.
 

rbljack

WKR
Joined
Dec 5, 2014
Messages
1,012
Location
Snyder Texas
I initially bought a set for my wife when she drew her first hunt in the Mtns. They were instrumental in her hiking around the mtns, sidehilling, downhills, etc. I borrowed them from her on my deer hunt two years ago, and shot a small mule deer. With a loaded down pack (day hunt gear, rifle, water, and all the meat from the mule deer plus the head), I quickly learned how valuable they become! I don't always use them, but will have them with me if packing meat out is an option, or I'm packing in with camp, etc. We have the black diamond trail pros.

One thing I would recommend is this; when looking to purchase poles, I noticed some have upper and lower grab points, and some don't. For Mtn hunts and uneven terrain hiking, I feel that the poles with two hand position options are the way to go. Just my 2 cents.
 

IN_Varmntr

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Nov 6, 2018
Messages
158
Location
Ohio/Indiana
To put my .02 out there.

I went cheap and bought this set for $30 off of Ebay. Then I turned around and bought this $100 set of Black Diamonds because the plastic adjustment nuts on the cheap set broke somewhere on my flight from Indiana to Oregon a month prior to Colorado elk season. We got to Oregon, I pulled them out of my pack that was inside a duffle bag used as my checked baggage, and one of those nuts was cracked. Without that plastic nut, you cannot apply tension via the lever lock.

The nut I'm referring to is the clear plastic house encasing the brass nut found on these replacement locks.

The Black Diamonds have stainless steel locks on them. They are nice.

That's my limited experience with purchasing a cheaper set of poles.
 

keepriding

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 20, 2019
Messages
142
I've never felt the need for any trekking poles. One exception was for one summer season after I had a knee reconstruction. The other exception was a high expedition when I had an extra heavy load, so I used ski poles. I use ski poles for skiing in winter, but that is all.
 
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