Compare side by side the 12 Best Trekking Poles in our reviews by price, pros, cons, type of pole, packed size, extended lengths, mechanism, weight, grip and shaft materials to help you make a more informed purchasing decision.
Please also note, several the trekking poles in this roundup are offered as ‘men’s’ and ‘women’s’ specific. This is less of an issue than you might think. The only difference when it comes to these trekking poles is the minimum length that they’re offered in, so unless you’re very petite, we’d recommend you don’t let this guide your decision. For reference, one of our main testers if 1.67m/5ft 6” and has had no problems with any of the poles we’ve reviewed here. Sometimes, the women’s specific poles, such as the Leki Cressida FX Carbon AS Lady, can cost a good bit more in terms of price than the ‘men’s’ version, the Leki Makalu FX Carbon AS which is virtually identical to the Cressida. There can sometimes be a big difference there in terms of price just for the ‘women’s’ specific model!
We’d also recommend reading our piece on How To Choose The Right Trekking Poles to help you make the right decision for your needs. You might also find it useful to look at How We Tested Trekking Poles when viewing and comparing the trekking poles side by side in the table below.
Editor’s note: This article is part of our guide to the very best trekking poles of 2024, be sure to check out the rest of this guide for our top buying tips:
Leki Makalu FX Carbon AS | Leki Cressida FX Carbon AS | Leki Sherpa | Regatta Utralite Walking Pole | Leki Black Series FX Carbon | MSR DynaLock Ascent Foldable Carbon Backcountry Trekking Poles | Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork | Black Diamond Distance Carbon FLZ Hiking Poles | Black Diamond Trail Back Poles | Black Diamond Trail Ergo Cork Walking Poles | TheFitLife Carbon Fiber Trekking Poles | Trekology TREK-Z Walking Poles | |
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Buying Options | ||||||||||||
Our Ratings | Top pick | Recommended | Recommended | Recommended | ||||||||
Price | $229.95 | $229.95 | $159.95 | $30.49 | $244.60 | $189.95 | $187.88 | $209.95 | $59.88 | Price not available | $45.68 | Price not available |
Pros | Folds very compact. Replacement parts available | Folds very compack. Replacement parts available | Rock solid. Most versatile in round up in terms of length adjustment. | Fantastic price! Very solid | Lightweight. Replacement parts are available | Solid build. Lightweight when considered alongside its maximum extension | Spare parts are available. Whippet attachment will appeal to some users. | The lightest poles in this round up. The most compact folded dimentsions in this round up. | Budget choice from a respected brand. Solid build | Angled handgrips may be more comfortable for some users. Solid build | impressive specivication at a keen price. Very light | Excellent price. Very compact when folded |
Cons | Expensive. Limited adjustment range | Expensive - and sometimes priced at a premium over the otherwise identical Makalu. Limited adjustment range | Heavy. Largest poles in this roundup when collapsed | Twist locks can be fiddly. Not the lightest | Lacks the anti-shock technology of heavier Leki folders. Expensive | Long collapsed length. Pricey | Pricey. Tool required to adjust flip locks. | Full carbon construction may present some durability concerns. Tool required to tension flip locks | Quite basic in terms of design.
A tool is required to adjust the tension on the flip locks. | Angled handgrips may be less comfortable for some users. Not so compact when folded. | Long term durability may be an issue. Replacement parts are not available. | Heaviest poles in this round up. Spare and replacement parts are not available. |
Type of pole (fixed, telescopic, folding, combination) | Folding (three section) with single telescopic section | Folding (three section) with single telescopic section | Telescopic (three section) | Telescopic (three section) | Folding (three section) with single telescopic section | Folding (three section) with single telescopic section | Telescopic (three section) | Folding (three section) with single telescopic section | Telescopic (three section) | Telescopic (three section) | Telescopic (three section) | Folding (three section) with single telescopic section |
Packed size | 40cm/15.7in | 40cm/15.7in | 70cm/27.5in | 65cm/25.6in | 40cm/15.7in | 44.5cm/17.5in | 63cm/24.8in | 37cm/15in | 62cm/24in | 69cm/27in | 62cm/24.4in | 38cm/15in |
Minimum Extended Length | 110cm/43in | 100cm/39in | 110cm/43in | 100cm/39in | 110cm/43in | 120cm/47in | 100cm/39in | 110cm/43in | 100cm/39in | 100cm/39in | 90cm/35.4in | 115cm/45in |
Maximum Extended Length | 130cm/51in | 120cm/47.2in | 145cm/57in | 135cm/53in | 130cm/51in | 140cm/55in | 130cm/51in | 125cm/49in | 140cm/55in | 135cm/53in | 135cm/53in | 135cm/53in |
Adjustment mechanism | Flip Lock | Flip Lock | Flip Lock | Twist Lock | Flip Lock | Flip Lock | Flip lock | Flip Lock | Flip Lock | Flip Lock | Flip Lock | Flip Lock |
Basket size | Supplied with standard trekking basket | Supplied with standard trekking basket | Supplied with standard trekking basket | Supplied with standard trekking basket | Supplied with standard trekking basket | Supplied with trekking and snow baskets | Supplied with standard trekking basket | Supplied with standard trekking basket | Supplied with standard trekking basket | Supplied with standard trekking basket | Supplied with trekking and snow baskets | Supplied with trekking and snow baskets |
Shaft Material (Carbon Fiber, Aluminum) | Carbon Fiber with Aluminum fittings | Carbon Fiber with Aluminum fittings | Aluminum | Aluminum | Carbon Fiber | Carbon Fiber | Carbon Fiber | Carbon Fiber | Aluminum | Aluminum | Carbon fiber | Aluminum |
Weight (pair) | 534g/1lb 3oz | 516g/1lb 2oz | 572g/1lb 4oz | 540g/1lb 3oz | 468g/1lb 1oz | 500g/1lb 1.6oz | 500g/1lb 1.6oz | 340g/12oz | 484g/1lb 1oz | 512g/1lb 2oz | 400g/14oz | 612g/1lb 6oz |
Grip Ergonomics and material | Ergonomic high density foam | Ergonomic high density foam | Ergonomic high density foam | Ergonomic high density foam | Ergonomic natural cork and high density foam | Ergonomic high density foam | Ergonomic natural cork and high density foam | Ergonomic high density foam | Ergonomic high density foam | Ergonomic natural cork and high density foam | Ergonomic natural cork and high density foam | Ergonomic high density foam |
The trekking poles market seems to be catered to by only a small selection of brands, with Leki and Black Diamond particularly seeming to dominate the scene. As you can see, there is a lot to take into consideration when deciding which trekking poles fit your needs best, even though we’ve recommended multiple options by the same brands in our line up, they have quite different selling points, price points and specifications between them. Choosing the right trekking poles is ultimately a personal decision based on how much you plan on using your trekking poles and the type of terrain and locations you mostly hike. We’d recommend using this table to compare, whilst also weighing up the pros and cons of each model in our overall guide, 12 Best Trekking Poles where you’ll find all of our individual product reviews linked for further reading.
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