Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board walking sticks

Is ther a good brand that is has a good price
it seems there are so many too pick from

Im not going up untill summer time but would like to get a early start on buying my stuff.

I have a pair of Leki Super Makalus and wouldn't hike in the mountains without them. I had another pair of Leki's with the spring dampeners and found the noise of the springs got annoying after several hours, but they also worked well and saved a lot of wear on the knees.

Andy

I also hike with the Super Makalus. I weigh in at 245 and put my weight on these poles routinely. They have held up for 5 years of this kind of use and abuse including 4 dayhikes of Whitney and miles of other hikes. The spring dampers can be adjusted for the desired amount of tension or none at all. They are on the expensive side, but you get what you pay for.

Agree with the guys, I've worked outdoors retail for a number of years and poles(a pair) make a world of difference on long hikes. The Leki brand in general are much more durable(far fewer bends and breaks) than any other brand I've seen. The Super Makalus are a really nice pair, though they cost a little more money.
Eric J Lee

I have a pair of Leki Wanderfreunds (about 6 years old) with the inverted "L" handles. I find this grip design extremely versatile, which cuts down tremendously on sore hands/wrists and blisters on a long hike like Whitney. The spring shock absorbers do make a twanging sound with every plant, but like the rhythmic creaking of my external-frame pack, I use it to help maintain a steady rhythm both up and down the trail. On long, difficult solo hikes, it almost becomes meditative after a while, the familiar sounds becoming a comforting companion in often hostile surroundings.

I have both Komperdell and Leki models and like them both...both non a-s (I tend to break stuff, why pay more for something I'll bust, so I went non a-s). Be sure to check what Doug has in stock, you'll save a pretty good chunk of change if the Portal Store has what you can use.

I got a pair of REI Summit poles a few years ago - cost $49.95. They're anti-shock, but that's fine with me. They've been up Whitney twice, up Lone Pine Peak, Mallory, Irvine, and several hikes in the Shenandoah. Good poles for a good price.

I've got the Komperdell/Masters and them on my third set now. The first two broke pretty quickly. The third set has held up well. To the credit, customer service was good replacing the broken and somewhat abused polls without question. I haven't used the Leki's but I'd be more inclined to buy them after using the cheaper Komperdell/Masters.

Also I wouldn't bother with the high and shock absorbing ergonomically designed polls. Get the middle-of-the-road sturdy polls, you'll save 30 or 40 bucks and never noticed the difference.

Leki Super Makalus for me, I go no where with out them. Good service also, i broke one last year and they sent me a new part for free. So I will always use Leki.

I also have a pair of Leki Makalus, and while I like them (especially the ergonomic grip), I find: (i) the shock absorption system doesn't really do anything, and (ii) even when fully compressed, they're too big for (or when lashed to) one's backpack for off-trail adventures. I've noticed that some of the other Leki's (as well as other brands) fold up smaller, if that would be an issue for you.

Hi I hated the poles for years and was hounded by a company for us to try them and write a pitch, after I wore out two pairs and trusted them I take poles every trip. MAIN point is make sure you get the use/how the clamp works and spring adjustment works out before you leave the store, we see people all summer long that have new poles and not a clue they adjust or how the locking method works. also try to find a pair that says lock/ unlock in your language , and most poles are made in the one country by maybe one company
What we see is the same locking systems and more finish on the high end models, Pliers vicegrips, pipewrenches vices and all the other tools we see used indicate some lack of instuctions on the locking systems, also cleaning that little plastic thing in the tube will fix most slipping problems, the rubber cap that can be fit on the tip will last about one Whitney trip,if you don't like the noise try a different tip , also tips last about 500 miles and can be replaced in no time for about $7.95 a pair
My vote is buy a low end pair ,use to go up hill ,crosscountry and use all the time to build a trust in them . We joked when people started using poles you could see the drag line on the trail, They take time to learn how they work up/down hill and if the locking device will hold on a slip.We have many people say with out poles they would not of made it down. Thanks Doug

contrarian view here.

i hiked all last summer with my daughter's girl scout wood staff. it even accompanied me up whitney and baldy. was interested in the poles but took one hike and found that there are many flat spots that I just wouldn't use them, or that there many up and down sections where optimal pole use requires constant adjustment of length and it was a pain. girl scout stick gave me support i needed -- up and down hill. and it's great to use to push yourself up from a flat-on-your-back position with 45 lb pack strapped on.

one of my hiking partners used leki supers all summer and he loved them, so I can't knock them. doug may be right in buying a cheap pair, or renting them, and see if they are right for you after using them on a variety of hikes. for support and balance, it's good to have something.

and one more thought...

if you get the poles, get them from a local retailer.

i did buy a pair of leki super-dupers with springs from sport chalet the friday before our saturday baldy hike. as I was configuring the poles, i found that one of the spring units was defective. it was the new hydraulic type spring, not the coil unit. i was crushed because it was past 9 and too late to return and we were leaving at 5 am in the morning. so i went with the trusty wood staff, was not unhappy, and never felt the need to get poles. not because of the defect, just because the staff was fine.

I have heard others on this board mention new poles with problems or defects, so give that some thought regarding returns if you are thinking the ebay route or other websites.

happy hiking.

I wouldn't hike without poles.
A staff looks cool, but just can't provide the balance and support a pair of poles can.
I use leki super makalus, which have a couple of luxury features I've become accustomed to. First, they have cork handles. A friend used rubber handles and got blisters halfway up Whitney. Second, they have very comfortable straps. Sounds unimportant, but straps, when used properly, put all the weight on the sturdiest part of your hand/wrist, allowing you to relax your grip to almost nothing. If the straps are uncomfortable, you won't use them, and a huge benefit of the poles goes wasted.
I don't know if the shock absorption helps all that much. It probably does, as does the "ergonomic" angle of the handle.
As for poles in general, there's nothing funner than boulder hopping across a stream with a 40lb pack, simply by placing your poles into knee-deep water and riding them across.

Another vote for "won't go without them". I'm on my fourth set now. The latest are REI Ultra Lites (Komperdell). They are shock absorbing but I can't comment on that part of them because I've never turned them on. Nothing like transversing a skree field with a 45 pound pack and poles.

Ron

One addition to my last. When you hit your late 50's all the help you can get is appriciated.

Yup..Super Makalus here too. After years and years of hiking without them I picked up a pair a few years ago and now I'll never hike without them. They save your lower back, knees and having 2 extra contact points on slippery snow or crossing streams is invaluable. I'm hoping that by starting relatively early with the poles (early 30s) that I'll save my knee-joints a bit of wear and tear and will be able to prolong my hiking life-span

Regards..

BeachAV8R

Hi Main point I was going to make on the poles I forgot to mention .That Plastic part at the joint of the pole section is just a dust cover ,it will not lock the poles it does nothing except confuse people, the design leads people to twist this and expect the poles to lock/unlock, since the part is made like a nut -a thing that looks like it can be twisted .People try and turn it, and when nothing happens they feel the lock is faulty, Then comes the pipewrench etc.
So when they come into the store saying the poles don't lock/unlock we slide the cover down the shaft and open the poles to show them the locking cam and how it works and how to adjust for the shock /nonshock function.
Several years ago a lady ask about the length to set the poles and my best answer was adjust them all the time depending on the trail ,but after we talked awhile I said If she would watch me walk around the rocks and trail around the store we may find the answer, after about a hour it was easy to see on the uphill it is a function of how far you push forward with the stick , so as one plants the pole infront move forward continue to push as the pole passes the front of your body and goes past the longer the push the longer the pole needs to be, The uphill use of the poles take pratice.
Down hill plant to hold the force on your upper body and walk through the support of the poles again your feet, ankles, knees, lower back should not take any shock, We are ask about upper body stress due to pole use , It has to be a factor to check with your doctor, your shoulders and neck area will be taking a very heavy workout on the long downhill from the summit.
Rest stops now are not rest stops" Hold on a second while I adjust my poles" Thanks Doug