Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board trekking pole(s)

As a new coming to Whitney, I want to do everything I can in order to have a chance at reaching the summit. So I was thinking of purchasing a trekking pole, or a pair of trekking poles.

Any thoughts which might be better, easier to put in a suitcase for flying, etc...

thanks!

On a recent trip through the Mountaineers route I came across 3 people all hiking in a line...the first was using an ice axe, the 2nd was using a stick he picked up off the ground somewhere below the tree line, the 3rd was using 2 trekking poles. I thought it was one of the funniest things I'd seen that trip. Perhaps I was delusional from the lack of oxygen.

You'll want 2 poles. They're collapsible so they should fit in your suitcase/pack. You can buy a pair of Mountain Smith ones in Lone Pine for $40 at one of the many equipment stores they have.

On a related note, be sure to check out this Link because it has tons of good information for first timers.

Good Luck

Are you day hiking or overnight trip? I rarely use trekking poles on day trips unless i will be in snow. I find they are helpful for balance when you have a full pack, but more of a nuisance on a day trip. You can definitely summit without them, but many people do prefer them for the descent since they can help take some strain off your knees.

I purchased this trekking pole DVD and, wow, what a difference when they are used properly. If you have a friend who has this DVD, ask to borrow it. Maybe there is a YouTube video out there.

In a nutshell you want to adjust your poles. Adjust the upper barrel (closest to the handle) first; then the lower barrel if you are a tall person (or a yeti) to where you lower arms are almost parallel to the ground (plus or minus--whatever is comfortable). Take your hand through the bottom of the strap (soft side of the strap inside) and up and grip the handle between your thumb and forefinger (web of your hand). Adjust the strap. When going uphill, plant the poles behind you and push off while still maintaining the grip (great tricep workout BTW if doing correctly). Keep the poles moving forward and back shoulder-width apart and not flailing all over the place putting you and other members of your party in peril. You want to hike with your party, not skewer them!

Don't squeeze on the grips (fatigue factor) because your strap helps with the leverage and the strap is your best friend. Never place the poles in front and then pull yourself up. Waste of valuable energy results in fatigue in your shoulders.

On training hikes, I have the option of wearing gloves. Preferred gloves of choice in warm conditions are cycling gloves-the same gloves Lance Armstrong uses!

For the downhill, the DVD says to extend the lower section further out and place out in front like little antennae and plant in the ground in front of you and then walk forward. Well, my experiences dictated that I don't like this technique except to extend the poles so I can gently ease myself down a step or a boulder. Saves the jarring on the knees. I figure, if I slip and fall on my backside, I got a pack to cushion the fall.

They are excellent for balance especially during the wee hours of the morning when there is nothing but your headlamp shining the way and you come upon those darned wooden logs on the MWT.

You can purchase baskets for your poles. They come equipped with a small basket for rocky trails. Larger baskets are used for snow travel or if you are hiking sand dunes. You can even hike without the baskets. Caveat: without those baskets you could run a chance of ramming your pole into a crack and break your stride and ruin your concentration and worse yet, break your poles. So the baskets are good protection against this.

Sometimes you may experience a pole that may not lock. Simple remedy is to extend the the problem section all the way out. Twist (or turn) the section slightly in the "tightening" direction and collapse and then turn again. It should catch. If not, repeat the process. Also, it is good to remember to wash off your poles after use and towel dry them. Dirt and debris may be the culprit in poles not locking. Let the rest air dry.

As an option, you may want to purchase rubber tips for aethetic purposes if you are sick and tired of all the clicking you do while you hike. Also prevents accidental skewering.

Speaking of skewering, when I am not using my poles, do I carry them with the points front or back? It is a matter of preference. Just remind members of your party to give you anti-skewering room.

As I mentioned in another thread, I wrap duct tape around the base of the handle for those little emergencies such as hot spots on the feet or I need a sunshade on my nose because I forgot to pack the sunscreen. And, of course, if my boots blow out on me, I hope I have enough to repair.

Also, I pack along a couple of straps in case I need to make a splint.

They also make great tent poles or a drying rack.

Too bad the handles aren't hollow so you can carry a snort or two during those backpacking nights.

Poles are not recommended for roasting hot dogs or marshmallows.

Don't know of anyone fishing with trekking poles. Guess one can make an attachment. Hmm...

Some people do not advocate the use of poles saying they tear up the trail. True in some respects. But I would rather "tear" up the trail than tear up my knees.

Do not pack your poles in your carry-on! You will make one TSA hiking enthusiast very happy.

Since reading the thread (thus why I am editing), carbon fiber poles may be the preferred type of pole for use in the Gr8 Yd Opn. Lightweight and strong and they do not act like lightning rods during a thunderstorm.

If you purchase your poles at REI, and you use them and they break on you, you can take them back for a full refund or you can get another pair without any problems. 100% satisfaction guaranteed. Now there is an instance if your bought your poles for $110 on sale, and they break on you and you have to exchange for a new pair they are now regularly priced at $149.00, you will have to pay the difference. Why? I've argued until the veins burst in my brain housing group. What the heck! More for my dividend.

I am sure other stores have the same policy, but you have to bring in the proof of purchase. At REI you don't need the receipt, but if you remember when you purchased them, that helps.

There, I hope this helps.

Have fun.

Ok, glad to know. For only 40 bucks I will give it a shot.

Now are these Mountain Smith ones a bunch of junk, or are they a decent buy for 40 bucks?

Thanks again!

I highly recommend tekking poles. I find that it saves my knees on the way down, keeps my fingers from swelling on a long hike and are well worth the price.

I held off getting trekking poles for a long time, thinking that they weren't really all that necessary. When I finally did get them, I regretted having waited so long. They are useful on many levels -- balance, breaking a fall, and weight support (with or without packs), and for all of the same reasons descending as well -- all esp. useful in rocky, non-flat terrain. They're also a second set of legs during rock-hopping stream crossings, not to mention pushing aside any vegetation that has overgrown onto the trail. And in a pinch, probably good for nudging a snake off the trail too.

Those are the uses that come to mind, and I would not hesitate to recommend getting a pair, rather than just one, although I know there are some who use just one. Find someone with a pair and ask if you can try theirs out for a short time, or do what I did -- take the plunge and just get them. I got mine at the Portal store. I'm assuming they still sell them there, but you'll want to confirm that with Doug first. Mine are Leki brand (forget the model), and they have the shock absorbers; as I recall, they cost between $100 and $175, and that was around 5 years ago. They are worth every penny.

CaT

I've used trekking poles for many years, and have worn out several pairs of Lekis. They're good, but I now have a pair of Black Diamond which I wouldn't trade for anything due to their flicklock mechanism. Spadout.com is a good place for deals.

Or, go to Wal-Mart. For about $25 you can buy a pair (IIRC they're sold individually). Their tips wear out rather quickly, but you can replace them with Leki tips for about $14. They're a good deal if you're not sold on poles, or only hike occasionally.

I don't think anyone has mentioned carbon fiber poles, but I love mine. Light as a feather, don't need the shock absorbers.
...but the most expensive.

Gossamer Gear's new Lightrek 4 poles are collapsible (2 sections, not 3), and weigh about 7 ounces for the pair, about a third of what many aluminum poles weigh. Their locking mechanism works very well. I've been happy with them.

Yes, carbon fiber are considerably more expensive than metal poles, but it's like shoes: You're going go move your feet up and down tens of thousands of times on the MMWT, so it makes sense to get light-weight shoes. Similarly, you move your trekking poles tens of thousands of times, so lighter poles mean less fatigue.

You are smart to buy a cheap pair first. I bought a set at Walmart for @$20, and they were actually pretty good quality for the price. I found hiking poles to be more trouble than they are worth. Too much wasted effort and motion, and I like having my hands free. Anyhow, if you like them, buy a better pair. If you don't (like me) put them in the atttic or sell them on e-bay! Good luck Safreet!

I did my high-mileage, heavy load through hikes 40 and 50 years ago before poles were introduced into this country. I think that if I had had them then I might have less arthritis now.

Now, after a hip replacement and knee surgery I could not possibly hike all day on steep trails without them. I don't use them for shorter, more moderate grades. (SoCal references: I don't use poles on Ice House Canyon; I do on Baldy).

I have owned both aluminum and carbon fiber poles. I snapped a c.f. pole on Whitney last year but when I replaced it I went with c.f. again. (REI gave me full credit for the old ones so the replacement didn't cost a cent.) One advantage, besides their lighter weight, is you don't have to worry about them acting as lightning rods in a storm. If I got caught in an electrical storm with my old aluminum poles I put them down and moved well away from them.

I will have to try the technique of planting the poles behind me going uphill. That's not what I do now. I plant them in front of me so my arms are doing some of the work of pulling me up. Going downhill they definitely take a lot of strain off the old knees.

Hi I tested some for a company for about two years wore out tips/sections and just plain gave some away I hated them , but said I would try to see if they were worth the effort to learn how to get the best use out of them , I hike cross country and found they may be in the way on boulder areas, but keep using and found I could do 3/4 class with poles and could pole vault on the down hill and leave the trusty ice ax home, granted I have busted a few cheap models testing them on ice so don't trust them on a hard fall. The use going downhill happens the first down section but to get the uphill advantage take pratice and effort to force yourself to use them , the joke some years ago was how do you know you are hiking behind an American? you can see the drag tracks from the poles, so if you are just going to drag them or put them on your pack don't waste the money. Another advantage is after several near falls you start to trust them to stop you before you face plant and on the downhills they take the shock off your lower body, you will feel the transfer to your upper body if poles are used right.

Hint some of the changes in the grips/ locks/and instructions may have been from this board and some jerk at the NATIONAL TRADE SHOWS asking WHY? Thanks Doug

Trekking poles are incredible to use on sustained downhills! Using the pole vault/pendulum swing method (placing all of the weight on the upper body)you can eat up downhills in 1/5 the time it took to hike up and still have functioning knees when you finish.

I instinctively knew about the behind-the-foot pole plant for climbing, because the technique is very similar to X-country skiing (even the strap entry is the same)

B

If you're in the market for a replacement set of poles, check out the wrist straps. The newer BD's have a wider, slightly padded wrist strap which distributes force over a wider area. It was an added plus which I hadn't noticed before I bought them. My older BD's I use only in winter as the tips wear out quickly and they're not replaceable - you have to replace the entire lower section - and the wrist strip was similar to other brands - a single 3/4" nylon strap.

It will be interesting to see you this newer style strap holds up over time.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10928567

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10927614

This is Walmart online. Lets assume these are my options if I go the store. Any suggestions on which would be best value?

You can buy the lower shaft from Black Diamond directly for about $11. Give them a call, they are in Salt Lake. Excellent customer service.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10928567

These are the ones that Mom, my kids and I all use. We have all used them on the MMWT. I like them because they're inexpensive, fairly lightweight, and compact down small enough to fit inside my pack or strap to the outside if I'm not using them. The twistlock between the segments works very well to lock the segments... the handles work very nicely for smaller to med hands...

About 12 years ago I bought two pairs of Leki's for my wife and I to use. I have had knee problems for years with four surguries and then a total knee replacement 11/2 years ago. Those Lekis have taken me up Half Dome many times and Whitney 5 times. Absolutly coundn't have done it w/o them. They shock absorbing piece finally broke so I emailed Leki and I learned they have a life time warranty. I sent them back and got them fixed for no cost. Love them!!

Bob