Our carefully curated guide to the best trekking poles includes the pairs we actually use on the trail right now. No filler. They’ve all been through years of testing on real hikes and been on trails around the world in the same travel and hiking guides you’ll see on the rest of the site.
We explain what each pair is good for, where they work best, and why we think they’re worth your money. We’ll give you our real-world experiences with them first hand and help you decide which model best suits the type of hiking you actually do.
Hiking poles are often overlooked as a ‘boring’ piece of kit. In reality, they’re a bit of a secret weapon when it comes to the comfort they can help provide on steeper trails, longer hikes and for general balance on uneven terrain.
They help disperse the load of your body and pack better so that it isn’t all focused on your joints. Due to this, they also have a noticeable, positive impact on how your body feels the day after.
When we started hiking, it admittedly took us a while to understand the draw of hiking poles. Then on our first backpacking trip in the Sierra Nevada, California, where we used trekking poles extensively, they quickly shifted from optional to essential for us.
Since then, hiking poles are something we see as an important piece of any hiker’s gear. Much the same as you choose a daypack that helps support the gear you need to carry without pain, hiking poles can give you that extra edge.
Throughout our guide, we’ll use the words hiking, trekking, walking sticks and poles interchangeably, as these are the names most people are familiar with. So let’s get into it.
Our Quick Picks
Short on time? These are the trekking poles that have stood out the most through our years of testing:
- Best All Rounder: MSR Dynalock Ascent Foldable Carbon Backcountry Trekking Poles
- Best Budget: Regatta Ultralite Walking Poles
- Best for Mountaineering & Ski: Leki Sherpa FX Carbon Strong Trekking Poles
- Best For Smaller Hikers: Leki Cressida FX Carbon AS Trekking Poles
- Best Performance for the Price: MSR Dynalock Explore Backcountry Poles
The Best Trekking and Hiking Poles
We’ve kept it tight below, as every trekking and hiking pole we’ve included is one we actually currently use when hiking. Each one has been through years of actual, real world testing in the same kind of situations you’re likely to use your own pair in.
For further options, you’ll also find our other recommendations lower down in the guide. These are all products we’ve tested in detail and still rate highly, but that have moved out of our regular rotation.
Leki Cressida FX Carbon AS Trekking Pole
Specifically tested by: Fay Doyle
My take:
- Very compact folded size
- Easy availability of replacement parts
- They are expensive, and sometimes they are priced higher than the men’s version (Leki Makalu) which seems kind of unfair (but I still think they’re worth it)
- Limited adjustment range (100-120cm)
Good to know: 3 section folding pole. Their limited adjustment range (100-120cm) makes them great for smaller hikers. Less ideal if you need to extend your poles further than this on steep descents. The Makalu is the men’s variant, and it gives the full 110-145cm.
Best for: After testing them in detail for about four years plus at this point, I think they’re really well suited to smaller hikers who don’t need the extra extension (and weight) that comes with a longer pole.
How they’re holding up: The Cressida are still one of my favorite pairs of hiking poles. They’re so comfortable to use it’s unreal. In recent times, due to their limited extension, on steeper descents I’ve been veering toward the MSR Dynalock Ascent for that extra adjustment.
That said, these poles have been everywhere with me in recent years including adventures like trekking in Sapa, Vietnam. They fold down incredibly small, so you don’t need to worry about them catching on anything when stored in your daypack. After a lot of use through all seasons, the only signs of wear are they’re obviously used cork handles.
The Leki Cressida FX Carbon AS Trekking Pole was one of the first poles I really fell in love with. I’d been using the original, telescopic Leki Sherpa and I just didn’t find they suited how I hike. They were a lot bulkier due to their collapsed size and for me, the Cressida just made a huge difference almost instantly.
After using them for a while, aside from their packable size being a major bonus for me, I found the Aergon Air ergonomic grips with AS (anti-shock) really helped them to feel incredibly comfortable for general, all round hiking.
I have smaller hands, and the size change that Leki have put into place with the grip felt like the perfect positioning and comfort that I hadn’t felt with other hiking poles.
Due to their size, the comfort the grips offered and the incredibly durable construction, I found they were the poles I wanted with me every time. They’ve been all over the world with me, from places like Sedona to Montenegro.
Over time, I started to notice a slight limitation with the Cressida in that the longest length they’ll extend to is 120cm. Great for shorter hikers, but for me, at 5 foot 7 inches, this did mean that on much steeper descents and challenging terrain, I started to feel a bit overextended in my arms.
This is why I now use the MSR Dynalock Ascent for steeper terrain and the Cressida as a general, lightweight pole that I just know I can rely on. Their speedlock system is also really easy to adjust on the go for micro changes, and it’s also really easy to operate when you’re wearing thick gloves in winter.
While their shorter length may limit their appeal for steeper terrain, that doesn’t mean they’re in any way flimsy. I’ve used the Cressida hiking poles on multiple backpacking trips where I’ve been carrying a heavy pack and felt incredibly supported. They’re a really special pole. Read our full review of the Leki Cressida FX Carbon AS Trekking Pole.
Leki Sherpa FX Carbon Strong Trekking Poles
Specifically tested by: Matt Doyle
My take:
- Rock-solid build
- Wide adjustment range and micro adjustments are really easy even with heavy gloves on
- Heavy (but they’re not designed to be light)
Good to know: 3 section folding pole. These poles are marketed as unisex by Leki and are a three section folding pole.
Best for: They perform best for mountaineering, skiing, ski touring, steep ascents and descents and for people trekking with very heavy loads.
How they’re holding up: I’ve been using the Leki Sherpa Strong FX Carbon for just over two years now. They’re now my go to pole when I’m heading out into exceptionally challenging terrain. This last winter, they’ve been into some very challenging, cold environments with me and helped me feel safe and supported in a way I haven’t with other poles.
I was first introduced to the Leki Sherpa trekking poles when I signed up for a winter skills course quite a few years ago. The instructor said they were perfect for challenging terrain and you couldn’t really get a more rock solid pole than them. After using them for that course on incredibly steep terrain carrying upwards of 25kg a day in -20c Spanish Pyrenes, I agreed with him.
I used that original telescopic version of the Sherpa for a long time, and I upgraded them about two years ago to the Leki Sherpa FX Carbon Strong Trekking Poles. The new strong variant is now my go to over any other set of hiking sticks.
One of my main interests in the outdoors is getting to remote places. I love the snow, I love crossing ice and I love a challenge. I also carry heavy loads pretty often. I’m also not getting any younger so my knees are something I end up thinking about more than I probably want to these days.
The ‘strong’ in these poles refers partly to the 20mm diameter carbon upper, which is thicker than other versions. This helps to prevent bend when going uphill or downhill steeply with heavy loads.
I really do feel that this extra support has helped me pretty massively to get into some of the more remote, difficult trails in my home Lake District mountains, in Lassen Volcanic in the US and on quite a few of our recent overnight backpacks. This past winter, I’ve also been using them for downhill skiing, which they’ve proven themselves for as well.
I even tested them against some lighter weight, less ‘chunky’ poles with the same weight in my pack and they really did hold me more securely than the thinner ones did.
The grip has also been redesigned slightly on the Sherpa FX Carbon Strong, which is something I really love about them. They have a larger surface area to hold which has helped me to feel pretty secure on some of my recent hikes. The rubber hand hold is also an improvement which has stopped any slippage when going down again too.
I know these poles aren’t the cheapest at all: they are a serious investment in your outdoor gear. They aren’t for everyone, and they’re not the poles I’d outright recommend as a general day to day best option.
Where they make a big difference is if you’re interested in mountaineering and getting to high places, or want a hiking pole that’ll work well for heavy loads, backcountry and ski touring. Even though they’re not the lightest, I think that’s far from an issue considering the extra support they offer.
Regatta Ultralite Walking Poles
Our take:
- Fantastic price!
- Solid build
- Twist locks can be fiddly
- Not the lightest
Good to know: Telescopic twist lock hiking pole. These walking poles are marketed by Regatta as unisex. They come as a single pole, so you will need to buy two. However, they are very, very far from expensive!
Best for: General hiking, people who want to give walking poles a go on hikes and also if you’re on a tight budget.
How they’re holding up: We’ve made sure we’ve continued to use these Ultralite poles from Regatta in our rotation to see how they’re holding up over time. They’re fantastic for the price! They have no signs of wear and tear and even four years down the line, the twist lock mechanisms all still work perfectly.
We always want to make sure we give options for more affordable products. Outdoor gear can get expensive and we’re well aware that some of the poles in our guide will be out of price range for some people, and that can be for a whole number of reasons.
There are plenty of other beginner, cheaper or more entry level hiking poles out there. Two of which we’ve included in our other reviews below: the Trekology TREK-Z and TheFitLife.
However, being completely honest, over the time we’ve tested them compared to the Regatta Ultralite Walking Poles (which is about four years now), they have started to feel like ‘oh well they were cheap, what do you expect’ whereas the Regatta actually continues to perform really well for general hiking.
When you’ve had a more basic pole, you’re likely to see wear and tear happen more quickly at the closing and adjustment mechanisms. The Regatta is, for the money, one of the most well put together poles we’ve seen in this range.
These hiking sticks are ones we’ve continued to test well over the time we’ve had them as we’ve wanted to make sure they ‘age’ properly. So we’ve used them on a lot of general hikes, undulating terrain and a few gentler mountain ascents.
We’ve been incredibly impressed with what they offer. They don’t offer a lot of extra support when you’re carrying heavier loads, and they do stick out of a daypack quite a lot due to their collapsed size, but if you’re looking for a pole that will give you a lot for very little outlay, they’re well worth it! Read our full review of the Regatta Ultralite Walking Poles here.
MSR DynaLock Ascent Foldable Carbon Backcountry Trekking Poles
Specifically tested by: Fay Doyle
My take:
- Very solid build: it’s taken me through a lot of intense hikes in the past year or so
- Lightweight considering the maximum length they offer
- Pack away incredibly well and the velcro fastening helps to keep them together
- They are pricey!
Good to know: 3 section folding pole. They’re also marketed by MSR as unisex. The wide range of length adjustments will suit most people.
Best for: I’ve come to love these poles over the year or so I’ve been testing them. They’re a great all rounder, especially if you’re someone who wants to step up your investment in your hiking gear. Perfect for challenging ascents, great support for steep downhills. Strong and durable for backpacking.
How they’re holding up: The MSR Dynalock Ascent Foldable poles have become my go to for most hikes now. Their durability has been really proven to me over the last year and they feel completely dependable. Which I think is exactly what you want in an all round, solid investment piece of kit!
I’d been thinking a lot about the tension I was feeling on steep descents with my Leki Cressida poles, and the MSR DynaLock Ascent came up as something that could solve that problem.
When I got hold of the MSR Ascent poles, I was instantly impressed with the amount of adjustment they allowed. They extend to 140cm with their smallest extension being just over 100cm. I found this flexibility was the answer to exactly what I’d been looking for: more than enough at longer lengths to mean I was actually descending with a good posture downhill and maintaining a good feel at a shorter length when hiking on flat surfaces or on ascents.
The MSR DynaLock Ascent Backcountry Trekking Poles are foldable, which I have naturally been drawn toward when picking poles. This is really useful for when they’re not in use (I often begin approaches with no poles and add them in when terrain gets steeper).
They’re perfect if you need to take a train, or bus without worrying they’re going to snag. They’re also excellent if you want to keep them stored when backpacking. The velcro fastening around them is really handy for this as it keeps them bunched together (which is actually a design I wish you saw more on other poles).
I feel like these poles get a great balance between all the good things offered in a fully collapsable pole, with the strength of a more full on pole. They have backcountry in their name, and the fact that they work really well in mixed conditions really lives up to their name.
The only thing I really had an issue with on these poles is the click mechanism to collapse the poles again and the DynaLock fastening to secure the length close to the hand grip. These both felt very stiff to adjust at the start. After about a year of use, they’ve become much more ‘worn in’. But they can take a while here.
At present, I’d say these poles are my favorite to take out on pretty much all of our hikes. I love the variance they offer, and I feel like I just don’t need to think when I bring them with me. They’re comfortable whether its for long distances, shorter trails, steep ascents, time in the snow or packed away without causing trouble! Read our full review of the MSR DynaLock Ascent Foldable Carbon Backcountry Trekking Poles here.
MSR Dynalock Explore Backcountry Poles
Our take:
- Great for the nuances of backcountry and mountaineering at a budget price
- Hand hold feels extremely comfortable, considering the price!
- Not the lightest poles by far
- Pack down size does stick out of your pack if not using for the whole hike
Good to know: Dynalock telescopic hiking pole. They’re marketed by MSR as unisex.
Best for: General hiking and all round backcountry. They offer a some of the features you’d expect in a more technical pole for a more affordable price point.
How they’re holding up: We’ve been incredibly impressed with the MSR Dynalock Explore. For their price, they’re build with rigidity and flexibility in mind and this really shows in how well they handle in mixed terrain. Great if you want to step up your gear, but keep it within a limit.
There’s a few simple but solid reasons we’ve grown to love the MSR Dynalock Explore over the two plus years we’ve been using and testing them.
Firstly, their price is really, really attractive. Sure, there’s plenty of cheaper options out there. However, there are very few that manage to harness the robust feel that the MSR Dynalock Explore does for the price point it’s offered at. Think of it as a trekking pole that has the functions of something more technical that would be two to three times the price, in a more budget friendly version.
Over our time using these poles, we came to realise that they’re a great option if you want to seriously step up your gear, but don’t have the budget to invest in a more expensive set. Yes, they do have a few draw backs (they’re pretty bulky when stored and the foam around the handle and pole does feel cheaper than some of the poles in our rotation) but lets not pull them down for focusing on what matters: durability, flexibility and adaptability.
However, the hand holds still feel incredibly comfortable. Matt has actually been using them quite a lot for dry slope skiing in the last year and has found them to be a really robust option that you kind of don’t mind ‘bashing up’ a bit.
The Dynalock is also smooth and easy to transition and they handle well in cold conditions. The micro adjustment flip lock system really impressed us. This is synonymous with so many other MSR trekking poles, and it’s great to see it offered on a more budget pole.
This allows for easy micro adjustments on the go, and getting the tension right is incredibly easy, even with cold hands. This is where a lot of much cheaper poles can fault, as over time, the adjustments you ‘dial in’ over the hike can change. The MSR Dynalock Explore poles stay pretty solidly in place!
If you’re looking for something that’s just that bit more special than some of the budget buys with more of the tech you’d expect from a high end pole, the MSR Dynalock Explore have a lot to offer you. Read our full review of the MSR Dynalock Explore here.
Other Notable Trekking Poles We’ve Tested
Over the years we’ve tested a lot of trekking and hiking poles. These are the ones we’ve loved, but have just moved onto other pairs that fit our needs better. While they don’t make our current rotation quite so often, they’re still all great pairs that we recommend highly:
- Leki Black Series FX Carbon Trekking Poles
- Leki Sherpa Trekking Poles
- Black Diamond Alpine Cork Hiking Poles
- Black Diamond Distance Carbon FLZ Hiking Poles
- Leki Makalu FX Carbon AS Trekking Pole (these are the men’s version of the Leki Cressida above. It has a longer adjustment range of 110-130cm).
- Black Diamond Trail Back Poles
- Black Diamond Ergo Cork Walking Poles
- TheFitLife Carbon Fiber Trekking Poles
- Trekology TREK-Z Walking Poles
- Black Diamond Pursuit
If you’d also like to learn more about how we tested the trekking poles we’ve recommended in this guide, we’ve got some other articles linked below that explain this in more detail:
Why Trust Our Recommendations
We know how important it is to be able to trust reviews before you buy a product. We also know how frustrating it is to just see generic information or the same stuff you could just find on a product listing.
That’s one of the main things that forms our ethos and everything we do with This Expansive Adventure. We’re human beings. This site sits as an extension of us in many ways and is living a breathing too. What this means in reality is that as we develop and grow in our hikes, adventures and general time outdoors, so do our reviews. They don’t stay static.
We’re real hikers and all of the products we recommend to you have gone through real world hikes, for as long as possible in order to make our cut. Some of the hiking poles we’ve included have been tested for over 5+ years at this point. That’s the level of experience we bring to our guides, and we don’t take your trust for granted!
Trekking Poles Buying Guide
Now onto the slightly less exciting but useful information that you should take into consideration when it comes to poles.
Trekking poles may seem like a fairly basic piece of equipment: they really just have one job and there can’t be too many factors to consider if you want to buy a pair, right? Well, choosing the best set of hiking poles or sticks can be more complex than you might think.
There are a number of different design options, weight points and features, all of which can impact how you use the poles and which activities they are best for. Our round up examines twelve of what we think are the best poles or sticks for walking, hiking or trekking out there.
Some options are more specialized whilst others are more general purpose. Explore our guide to help you discover the factors that influence the best choice of trekking poles for the activities you love the most.
Price
Price is a huge factor in any buying decisions for most people and the poles we’ve assessed cover a wide range of budget points. There’s an eight times difference in cost between the most expensive and cheapest poles we’ve included in our guide, and we could absolutely find other examples that would widen this gap further! As with any type of equipment, it’s easy to get carried away by features and specification.
Spending more money on your walking poles will typically get you more advanced or premium materials such as carbon fiber and cork over aluminum and high density foam. You can also expect to pay extra for design innovation and shock-absorbing technology. Folding or collapsible trekking poles typically cost more than telescopic poles and of course poles form big name brands carry a price premium too.
However, the fact of the matter is that hiking poles have a fairly basic job to preform and unless you want or need specific specialized features that a certain model offers, a basic pole can be all you actually need.
It’s also worth considering that trekking poles can have a hard life when in use, being bashed against rocks and so forth. The bigger brands who dominate the hiking pole market, like Leki, MSR and Black Diamond, all offer readily available spare parts for their poles and these are not just available direct from the brands, but can also often be found in better stocked outdoors shops.
Whilst you’ll definitely pay a premium for a pole from any of these brands, the easy availability of spares means that should anything ever wear out or get broken, that there’s a good chance the poles can be repaired (even mid-way through a trip, provided you can get to a good outdoors store that stocks the parts). This truly makes these poles long-term investments and many of these brand’s products could easily last you a lifetime.
Comfort
Comfort in hiking poles comes from a number of factors. First and foremost is the material used in the pole shafts. Typically this will be aluminum or carbon fiber. Carbon fiber is seen as having better vibration absorption qualities than aluminum, though it is typically more expensive.
Next, manufacturers might add specific shock absorbers into the pole design. These can take the form of joints that compress under pressure or ‘springy’ sections in the main pole shafts. Finally, the grip, both in terms of its material, shape and any tech used in it can also absorb shock and vibration.
Taken together, some or all of these features can really help to absorb impact from use. You might think that a pole with more shock absorption is a better choice, but this isn’t always the case.
First of all, anti-shock devices add weight and cost, but in some circumstances, they can also cause problems: imagine you’re crossing tricky technical terrain. At points, you’ll need to put your full weight, and also the weight of any pack you’re carrying, on you poles in order to steady yourself as you progress. In this case, you want to know that the pole has good purchase or grip on whatever surface you’re crossing before you lean into it.
In this case, a springy anti-shock joint can make you doubt the grip the pole you’re about to lean your full weight into has on the ground. So, with this scenario in mind, anti-shock features are not always desirable.
Ultimately, your choices here should be guided by the type of activity you do and your own comfort expectations. If you do a minimal amount of technical trekking, then a set of poles with plenty of shock-absorbing features makes sense. If you’re more into mountaineering, then something more rigid is probably more sensible.
Grip material is also relevant here. Most poles feature high density foam grips though some models still use cork.
Cork is a natural material and aside from its aesthetic appeal, some people tend to actually prefer it as it will mold to your hand shape over time. For some, this could be a vital factor in their buying decision, though we don’t rate this quality as highly. Every pole we’ve assessed also comes with a wrist strap.
To be honest we don’t use these. This is largely because we’re also carrying camera gear when we hike and removing your hand from a strap when you want to take a picture can and does slow you down. In some circumstances, for instance where there’s a risk you may drop a pole somewhere you might not be able to retrieve it, these are helpful.
Versatility
Versatility is a difficult thing to fully quantify as it really depends on what you want to do with them. Features like a wide adjustable range will appeal to someone who hikes over a variety of terrain and in different weather conditions and who might just as likely use the poles with snowshoes in winter as they do with boots in summer.
That person will want a strong pole with wide adjustability. However, a trail runner or ultra-lightweight backpacker would probably view that versatility as unnecessary extra weight and will be happy to accept some concessions to save some weight or space in their pack.
Similarly, if you travel a lot by air, a smaller packed size, which often comes at the expense of a more limited range of height adjustment, might mean you favor one type of versatility over another. As with all gear, there’s no ‘magic bullet’ product that ticks all the right boxes. If you want one feature, whether that’s strength, low weight, shock absorption, small packed size or whatever, it will always have to come at the expense of something else.
Weight
Weight is an important factor with any piece of equipment, and it’s no different with hiking poles.
Whenever we mention weight, we’ll always be talking about the weight of a pair of poles and never just a singular stick. Certain people will always favor the absolute lightest equipment, and there are plenty of options available here, but as with most things, light weight comes with concessions in terms of rigidity, longevity and adjustability.
It’s worth considering the type of hiking you do, the kind of loads you routinely carry and the type of terrain you’ll encounter when choosing trekking poles. Heavier poles tend to have sturdier build and wider adjustable ranges, and these are traits that many hikers will gladly exchange some weight for.
Packed Size
Packed size refers to how long the pole is when folded down and this is an important factor, not just when out on the trail but also when planning the gear to bring when travelling.
Hiking poles or sticks generally come in two different designs: telescopic and folding. Of these two, folding poles are typically way shorter when collapsed. It varies by model, of course, but telescopic poles usually fold down to 60-70cm/23.5-27.5in and already that will be too long for many travel bags.
By contrast, folding poles typically collapse to somewhere in the range of 37-45cm/15-18in, making them much more luggage-friendly. Packed size is also important on the trail. You may not use your poles all the way through a hike and when not in use, they’ll likely be attached to your backpack.
Long telescopic poles will extend above the height of all but the biggest of hiking packs and we’ve regularly encountered scenarios where the protruding ends have snagged in vegetation, though we’d say this is more of an inconvenience than a severe problem. By contrast, folding poles are unlikely to exceed the height of most hiking packs, so they present less of a snagging risk.
Adjustability
Adjustability is a key element in hiking or trekking poles and personal preference and health conditions as well as the type of activity you’re doing and/or the terrain your crossing will all play a part in the length of your poles.
As a general starting point, with the pole upright on the ground, the grip should fall into your hand if you’re stood upright with your elbow bent at 90 degrees relative to your upper arm. Most hiking poles have a marked length scale so you can make a note of this ‘starting point’ length and easily set it again in the future.
If you’re determining this length at home, be sure to do so whilst wearing your hiking boots. Now, this is a starting point and whilst this may suit most hikers most of the time, there are also plenty of reasons why you might want to deviate from this. First off, if you have mobility or joint problems anywhere in your hands, wrists, arms or upper body in general, you may find some slight adjustments make a big difference to your comfort.
Next, we should consider the terrain or environment we’re crossing. Steep descents, crossing streams or hiking in deep snow are all scenarios where your poles will be lower than the regular position. If you’re finding you need to slouch forward to keep your grip on the poles, you’re not only going to fatigue yourself faster, but also destabilize your balance, thus negating two of the key benefits poles bring.
These are all circumstances where extending the poles a bit more than normal can be helpful, though exactly how much will depend on each situation alongside individual preferences. If you’re ascending steeply on varied terrain (think of rock steps on a mountain side), sometimes shortening your poles can add comfort and control and help with your balance. As a general rule, the steeper and more varied the range of terrain you tend to hike on is, then the more you’ll benefit from poles with a wider range of extension.
You should also consider how your height might impact things here: if your regular extension puts your poles at or very close to their extension, limits then you won’t see all the benefits of being able to adjust your poles for specific terrain.
Of course, adjustability is also important if you will be sharing your equipment. Whilst a wide adjustment range is clearly a good thing, especially if you hike over tough and varied terrain, there’s always a trade off. The poles with the greatest adjustment range tend to be telescopic designs that won’t pack down as small as folding designs and, of course, poles with greater adjustability need more material, so they are bound to be heavier too.
You’ll need to make a decision on what factors are most important to you and the type of outdoor activity you do when choosing your trekking poles.
Construction
A trekking pole’s construction can be divided into two categories: the general design of the pole and also what materials and fittings are used. Hiking poles come in two basic designs: telescopic and folding or collapsible. Telescopic poles are what most people will probably think of when they imagine a hiking pole: these poles typically have three sections and the sections towards the tip push inside the section above it for storage and to control working length.
This is a simple and time-tested design, and you’ll find this in use at all price points. The downside is that telescopic poles typically have a longer closed length than the alternative. Folding poles have three sections connected by a strong cable – you might sometimes see these called ‘Z’ folding poles as the sections resemble the letter ‘Z’ when laid out. To extend the pole, these connected sections are typically loosely fitted together, then a single telescopic section is extended to give the pole tension.
A further telescopic section is used to control the working length of the pole. This design is more complex and is typically found on more pricey poles that use lighter weight material to offset any weight premium the more complex design brings.
The big advantage of folding poles is that they are generally way more compact than telescopic poles when folded. However, they also tend to have a more limited set of adjustments and are usually more expensive too. In terms of materials, the two main choices are aluminum and carbon fiber. Carbon fiber is lighter and has better vibration absorption qualities, but it’s also typically more expensive than aluminum and it can be considered less durable too.
Aluminum will bend whereas carbon will chip, crack and can even shatter when pushed past its limits. A bent aluminum pole can usually be manipulated back into shape so that at the very least it can get you to the end of your trek, but a badly cracked or shattered carbon fiber pole is beyond repair in the field.
There are also concerns that carbon fiber, or more specifically the epoxy resin that binds the fibers, can become brittle in very cold conditions. Though good to keep in mind that the kind of cold were talking about is Artic level conditions.
All this said, carbon fiber is still a great choice for trekking poles. It’s been in use for decades and it certainly shouldn’t be considered an overly fragile choice. There’s no reason why a set of carbon fiber trekking poles shouldn’t last you many years or even a lifetime.
One Pole or Two?
Throughout this guide, we’ve talked about poles as pairs and every pair except the Regatta Ultralite is sold as a set of two. Even if you buy a pair, there’s no reason why you need to hike with both. In fact, it’s not uncommon to see hikers with a single pole outdoors.
So, what’s better, one pole or two? As you might have guessed, there’s no straightforward answer to this and personal preference will play a major role here.
If you’re involved in an activity like trail running or Nordic Walking, or simply want the best benefit you can get from hiking with poles, then a pair is likely to be preferable for you.
However for general hiking or trekking, there’s a case to be made for using a single pole. If you are used to using a single walking aid or a conventional walking stick in your day-to-day life, then you might find the approach of taking one pole on the trail feels more natural, and on many trails, this could offer you all the additional support you require.
If you’re concerned with weight or simply the amount of stuff you need to carry, there’s also a good enough reason to ditch one of your poles. A single pole can still be a very useful aid, even on more technical terrain. However, we personally find the benefit of carrying both poles over one to be well worth the often small amount of extra weight involved and when they can help the most, having both poles available is definitely a plus point.
Conclusion
We hope our guide to the trekking poles we actually use for hiking has taken the ambiguity away around which ones will actually make the biggest difference to your set up and why.
If you’re considering a pair; whether it’s your first set or you’re looking for an upgrade, the right ones can make a massive difference to your comfort, balance, support and recovery once you’ve finished. Over time, hiking poles have become a piece of gear we’d rather not be without.
That’s really what our guide to the best hiking poles comes down to. We haven’t just focused on an endless list of what’s available, we’ve focused on what we actually use, and what’s in our current rotation right now.
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