mano
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Post by mano on Sept 9, 2016 6:50:56 GMT -8
Hello all,
I'm hoping for a recommendation for a proper set of trekking poles.
Back in the 1970's I backpacked many hundreds of miles throughout the USA.
Now I'm older and have stage 4 cancer. That, and the oral chemotherapy I take daily leave me chronically tired and a bit dizzy. In October I'll be in Italy for two weeks walking rural and city terrain several hours a day.
I'm looking for a set of trekking poles that'll help me with walking (I'm building my endurance and am up to 1.5 miles/day). There are lots of brands and sales online and welcome any suggestions in low to mid-priced poles that will suit my needs. Sierra Trading Post has:
LEKI Trail Trekking Poles - Anti-Shock @ $60/pair
Komperdell Basic Trekking Poles @ $40/pair
LEKI Summit Anti-Shock Trekking Poles @ $60/pair
Mountainsmith Pinnacle Trekking Poles @ $19/pair
I'm a big guy, 240 lbs.
Any preferences in the ones I mentioned or any other recs are very much appreciated.
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reuben
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Post by reuben on Sept 9, 2016 6:56:03 GMT -8
I don't find that anti-shock poles have any recognizable benefit.
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mano
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Post by mano on Sept 9, 2016 6:59:05 GMT -8
Thanks, Any other recommendations?
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Sept 9, 2016 7:14:54 GMT -8
First, welcome, and I hope you have a great trip (and kick the big C in the arse for us all, will you?).
Trekking poles: I agree with Reuben that anti-shock isn't worth the extra costs or weight. For what you are doing, I would say that any poles that will telescope short enough for your luggage (they do have to go in a checked bag) will do the job. The cheaper ones will be a bit heavier, but that may not matter, as long as the adjusters are durable enough to count on. For myself, I like the kind with the "flick-lock" adjusters, but I used REI poles with the twisting kind for years with no problems (until one year when Eldest Son was using one on a trip and the mechanism gave up completely).
I'm not directly familiar with any of the poles you list, unfortunately.
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bp2go
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Post by bp2go on Sept 9, 2016 7:18:36 GMT -8
any poles that will telescope Check your PM (the white bubble above Messages on the nav link line) for some info in poles that will serve you well. And yes, welcome to the forum.
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Post by Coolkat on Sept 9, 2016 7:19:31 GMT -8
I don't find that anti-shock poles have any recognizable benefit. As someone who has a pair of Leki Super Makalu's I would agree with this statement. As a matter of fact there have been time I wish they weren't anti-shock. Any other recommendations? Sorry I guess I'm not a good one to answer since I've only owned one pair in hiking career and they are still working just fine. I think what it'll come down to probably is what kind locking mechanism is easier for you.. twisting or flip lock?
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reuben
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Post by reuben on Sept 9, 2016 7:20:28 GMT -8
Leki, Komperdell, and Black Diamond are all good. Some people, like me, prefer cork grips. Sometimes the rubber ones can get hot and nasty, but many people use rubber grips with no problem.
Think about how you'll pack them - 3 sections is normal, but if you're going to put them in a pack or luggage that's small you might want to consider 4 section poles.
When you use them don't grip them tight unless you're really bracing yourself on something, like going down a steep hill. Adjust them so that your elbow is at about 90 degrees on level ground. On long downhills you may want to extend them, and on long uphills you may want to shorten them. The emphasis here is on "long". You don't want to keep stopping just to adjust the poles.
Flip locks versus twist locks. I'm a flip lock guy, but others prefer twist locks. If you go with flip locks make sure you have a small screwdriver (like in a small swiss army knife) that you can tighten them if needed.
Oh - and welcome to the forum.
Now, we need your opinions on:
Beets Brussels sprouts Single malt scotch Okra Vegemite behind your ears Beer
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texasbb
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Post by texasbb on Sept 9, 2016 7:23:33 GMT -8
For city "terrain," you'll want to make sure they come with rubber tips. Anti-shock is unnecessary and often noisy. Otherwise, most anything is probably fine for city and road walking. The more expensive poles are usually more expensive because of lightness, which is unlikely to matter in town.
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Post by johntpenca on Sept 9, 2016 7:41:17 GMT -8
Rubber tips are available as accessory items from manufacturers such as Leki. I use them when there is no snow on the ground, and take them off when there is.
Carry an extra set as they can come off in use.
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mano
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Post by mano on Sept 9, 2016 7:50:50 GMT -8
Thanks for the replies and keep 'em coming. If anti-shock are noisy I'll take them off the list. The Italians deserve some quiet.
Rubber tips are on the list.
Reuben: Now, we need your opinions on:
Beets: No because of childhood trauma involving beets. Brussels sprouts: Yes! Roasted with separated head of garlic, garlic salt and extra virgin olive oil. Single malt scotch: Lagavulin 16 year, please. Okra: No. Just no. Vegemite behind your ears: My wife does that every night to keep me away. Beer: I'm a wine guy surrounded by beer experts. But a cold one on a hot day can't be beat. Good Belgian with Thai food is a perfect match.
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reuben
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Post by reuben on Sept 9, 2016 8:07:56 GMT -8
Congratulations. You passed. Now we'll give you the REAL answers...
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 9, 2016 8:33:12 GMT -8
The Italians deserve some quiet.. Arguable....
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daveb
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Post by daveb on Sept 9, 2016 9:50:04 GMT -8
We've got Black Diamond and Leki. The one thing I discovered is that I really like the feel of the cork handles over the plastic ones.
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Post by trinity on Sept 9, 2016 10:05:47 GMT -8
Since you are dealing with fatigue and weakness, I wonder if it might help to have a fairly lightweight pair of poles? I have a pair of Locus Gear cp3s that I love, very lightweight carbon fiber, but more expensive than those you have listed (probably around $140 by the time you get them delivered, depending on the exchange rate on the yen). They come with rubber caps but, as Johntp points out, these can come off, so it's always good to have extras. All of the companies you list make excellent poles, you won't go wrong with any of them. Generally, I agree that anti-shock is useless, and cork is preferable (though I've gotten used to the foam grips on my cp3s). Also, I prefer straight versus a canted grip (eg Black Diamond Ergo Cork). And since you will be putting a fair amount of weight on your poles, I think you'd be better off with flip locks than twists which are, from everything I've read, a little more prone to failure. One option, since you're headed to Italy, would be to pick up a pair of Fizans once you get there, which are very highly regarded, sturdy, and lightweight poles (though I have no personal experience with them).
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Westy
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Post by Westy on Sept 9, 2016 10:06:44 GMT -8
Skip the shock poles. Highly recommend trekking poles with external lever locks. Twist locks, push-button locks and combination locks have a high percentage of catastrophic failure in the field not to mention accidental slips caused by temperature changes. Most notable temperature changes are at stream crossings. The plastic components shrink in dimension when introduced to a sudden change in temperature. The grip is the next component to consider. All trekking poles or most have the same grip. Perhaps, all brands use the same supplier and tooling. Leki has a different grip which is more rounded and more suitable for palming the grip on the top vs. gripping with fingers and hand, especially when descending. Palming is also good for side-to-side applications when you want to stabilize on a solid feature at an angle. Enjoy your walk in Italy!
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