Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Trekker Poles?

Bent one of my aluminum Kelty poles that I’d bought to try out the concept and see if I could benefit from them and decided they’re well worth replacing with something more substantial.

Weight & durability are biggest concerns; what are your experiences?

Thanks,

Efw

Watching this.....with a focus on the durability aspect.

BD Alpine Carbon Cork. Light and rather stout. I've done some things to them where I was shocked they didn't snap in half.

Bent my Black Diamond Trail Pro 2 weeks ago but it saved my ass on some steep stuff. It bent back pretty straight and I’m still using it.

Black Diamond flick-locks for me. Stellar on my goat hunt a few years back.

Just used the Walmart specials on a week long backpack hunt in Idaho . Can’t complain about a thing, locked up tight on the adjustments, supported my 225 pounds very well. Even tripped and they caught me, bent substantially but snapped right back to straight, honestly very impressed. Less than $20 by the way. Pretty lightweight too.

Leki folders for me

I guess it depends on the country a guy hunts, but one of the last things I'd go cheap on is poles. My buddies and myself have had good luck with various Leki models and Black Diamond CF poles.

Black Diamond Alpine or Trail models.

The set I bought from walmart holds my big ass up...

I do like the poles for going down the hill more than going up.

I have ultimately bent every +$100 pole in my adventures in Alaska. This past Sept., I caught one Leki in a rock crevice and bent it so far it broke when I straightened it. For the hell of it, I carved an alder sapling, braided on a wrist strap and used it for the last 5 days. It worked just fine and helped me in a couple of steep descents. I couldn't leave it and Delta allowed me to bring it onboard and put it in a closet. It will be with me on my NM elk hunt next month. My guide said he could fill a barrel with all the broken "high end" sticks he sees. Don't get me wrong, one or two are invaluable on a hunt for balance and arresting a fall. Especially great in snow with/without snowshoes.

I have a pair of BD Carbon Z poles, but they are reserved for running; this spring I broke an BD aluminum Distance Z pole fording a rather quick stream, I've since replaced those their Alpine Z poles- a little heavier, but a little stouter; performed well on our backcountry bison hunt in September

100cm walking axe from smc is amazing. Far more usefull that a pole and a whole lot stronger. Haven’t bent or broke one yet.

And "smc" stands for?

Seattle manufacturing company

I've got a pair of BD elliptical flicklocks that have got me, my gear and my animals off the mountains for a number of years. I have a pair of BD alpine carbon cork flicklocks that my wife uses. I'd like to get some fixed length ones because I never adjust the length.

I use Black Diamonds with flick locks too. They are stronger than many of the "trekking" poles as mine are built for skiing. As such they are a bit heavier. I like being able to adjust for height for uphills vs descents. Mine double as shooting sticks.

Then I ski with them all winter.

I would look no further than the ones that Costco sells every year (Cascade Mountain Tech). They're carbon fiber, weigh only 15 oz. for the pair, flick lock, come with all the attachments, and are only $29. I have 3 sets of CF poles (Costco's, BD Alpine carbon corks, and Locus Gear), the BD's are the heaviest and probably strongest (also the most expensive at about $150, give or take), and the Locus Gear are the lightest and probably least durable, but if I could only have one set, and I didn't want to spend an arm and a leg for them, it would be the Costco ones.

I got one of these as well and they do kick ass for sure, but I can't use it to pitch my shelter.

For an object that I might use to keep myself from going over a cliff, I don’t mind an extra ounce.

I'd recommend the correct tool, training and practice for that application...an ice axe. Stay away from cornices and edges in Winter.

I’m not talking about late season.

Anyone used these?

https://ultimatedirection.com/fk-trekking-poles/

Fixed length/non-adjustable. Carbon fiber with a larger diameter than most poles at 20cm. Down side is no adjustment so carry/packing would be more of a headache. I think it would be worth it for my use as it would increase the strength as would the increased diameter.

I pack so much stuff along as it is, what I've found works the best for me is to carry along a little folding saw and just cut an appropriate size stick somewhere along the way. I used two of them yesterday and lost them both when I got looking at my GPS or digging something out of my pocket. You can't see the forest for the trees here and sticks are everywhere. I'd feel real badly if I bent or forgot a $100. walking stick out in the hinterland somewhere.

I have a pair of Komperdell duo locks that have been used extensively and have held up great!

I just bought a set of leki cork lite poles. They were like 100 bucks and they adjust to a length that is big enough for a six and a half foot tall person.

Exactly what I’m running now. As far as durability goes, these things are made to be light. It’s not gonna hold like rebar. Over years and years I wore out a pair of twist locks and let Dennis hold a pair for 10 minutes once, whereupon he broke it in a few seconds. I think the better brands have the balance between weight and durability about right. Or, just get the ones from Costco and if you break them, you had a good day in the field.

+1 for the BD Carbon Cork poles. Used them extensively in very steep and difficult terrIN AND IN ID this season. Durable, light for the level of performance, tough, easy to adjust and they hold their adjustment in really rough use. Couldn´t have made the climbs without these poles.First season I´ve put away my single aluminum trekking pole - my mainstay in rough terrain for the last 15 years - in favor of the double poles. A world of difference.

ASs I’ve gotten older, I’ve found the use of dual poles a significant advantage, both for distributing load and climbing effort, as well as balance.

IME adjustable poles are a plus. I find that I lengthen my poles by about +/- 5 cms when descending a steep slope, compared to when ascending. YMMV

No experience with those but I've broken a couple poles getting them snagged then kicking them with my next step. The brand I use (Gossamer LT4) sells replacement lower sections and I have a couple extras in the closet in case they get discontinued. My hiking takes me places where I absolutely don't want poles, so I'd also be very reluctant to give up the option of lashing them to the pack.

For aluminum I like my Komperdell Ridgehikers. Collapse to 25", cork grips (important to me), under $70 for the pair. The lever locks, or 'Powerlock' as the company calls it, have never moved when locked. The weight is just under 20 oz for the pair so not as light as carbon options but I don't find it an issue.

I've got a pair of these I bought over two years ago. I have used them moose hunting on a friends property past Sutton off the Glenn that has a rather steep climb up to get out of the property and they have held up great. My son has used them to climb Matanuska and a few other peaks in the area, and they are fine.

I have a set of Black Diamond Trail which are aluminum and a set of Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork... I like them both but the Alpine is obviously lighter... they both have the Flicklock feature which I really like... never had any issues with them...

Just got back from a mountain bear hunt and mule deer hunt with a total of 10 days on my black diamond trail pros. The aluminum on one is bent pretty bad. My buddy has the carbon fiber versions and experienced no bending. Probably what I’ll use next season. Most of the bending was during sketchy decents.

They will all break. It's not worth worrying about. Costco sells a decent pair from time to time - - carbon and about $40. At that rate they are consumable. The good aluminum ones are so close in weight to carbon it's a wash, IMO. Cork handles and flick locks are good things to have. If you frequent Goodwill stores regularly you will find a decent pair for cheap, in may places. That's probably double true here in Phoenix, as many retirees ditch their cold weather gear when they move here, thus trekkers they've been using to snowshoe. I think we have 3 or 4 sets laying around.

What's surprising is the stuff they will do without breaking.

My poles take a beating in big, loose rock. They tend to stick, and I don't always pull them straight back out of wherever they found there way into. But, that's also one of the places where I appreciate having trekking poles the most.

That's where they're indispensable and for me at least, it took a while to get the technique down for scrambling over loose rock with a pack. The trick was just to use the sticks lightly for balance and not put too much weight on them, kind of the opposite of how I use them for coming downhill with a loaded pack on solid ground.

Agree

I've thought of employing my Leki adjustable alpine touring ski poles as trekking poles. I've used them when snowshoeing in the past. I figured I could just take the baskets off and they might make fine trekking poles

Costco CMT Carbon pole update:
I bought 3 pairs of these this year. Gave a set to my hunting partner, a set to my wife, and kept a set. Hunting pard and I both used ours through sheep season, and they were great. Never slipped, zero issues.

The wife and I did a goat hunt this fall and I lost the end of one pole in the rocks on the way up. Bummer. Lost the other end on the way down. Major Bummer. I babied them from there out and they didn't get much worse. The next day when we tried to climb up again, my wife broke one of her poles in the rocks as well. I think they just don't like big rocks, which makes sense for a carbon pole - they take a lot of abuse in the rocks. When my AL poles broke (after 4 years) they were still very useable. In fact, I used them when I went back to get the rest of the goat. The carbon poles leave a ragged hollow tube that will continue to degrade(splinter) with use.

Might have to get a new set of BD AL poles for rocky hunts. For $30, these things are pretty awesome though.

I've used Black Diamond poles exclusively and while I love their carbon offerings, for hunting I've gone to their thicker wall, aluminum Alpine Z ones- heavier for certain, but not grossly heavy and not near the fear of busting one like the carbon ones

I still use their carbon Z poles for long mountain runs and backpacking on trails, for hunting, snowshoeing and backcountry skiing their Alpine Z aluminum ones

I'm in the market.... old Cabelas stuff just falls apart. LOL.

OTOH I'm never without a weatherman and have cut more than my share of ones from nature over the years.

Thinking 2 sets from Costco might just as well be the way to go.

Now to find a cheap carbon tripod for the spotter. LOL

I just purchased som Black Diamond trekking poles. I have never used trekking poles but my knee is shot and I still want to hunt. Any advice would be appreciated.

Keep them clean and free from grit. Keep the locks properly tensioned.

On long traverses in steep terrain, adjust the upslope pole slightly shorter for comfort and control.

Jeff, id buy a pair of bd aluminum poles and not sweat it. Carbon is great but not necessary and obviously not without its downsides.

Or, if you are thinking mostly moose and caribou, hell yes on Costco carbon.

I've had water get in twist locks and freeze, making it impossible to adjust them until it warms up. I use only flip locks now.

If you travel in the mountains and occasionally need to traverse/ascend snow slopes Black Diamond makes a Whippet flip lock pole that has a steel, removable ice axe head. It is a little pricey but well worth it when carrying a regular ice axe is not necessary.


mike r

I'm looking into their whippet for an upcoming go at the Sierra High Route- looks like exactly what I'm looking for; can see it being pretty useful for got/sheep hunting too (not that I would ever actually draw a tag :D)

Thanks everybody I ended up doing BD Trail Ergo and love em. Took em on a trip w/ my daughter Labor Day weekend and she tried to steal em 🥰

I am not sure but I think the Alpine series of poles will take a Whippet which can be purchased w/out the pole and save you $$. Either way you personify the end user it was designed for.



mike r

Excellent choice of poles. I have them for "guests" and back ups.

Recommend that if you are in steep terrain with no runout, especially hard snow slopes, put the poles in your pack and pull out an ice axe.

thanks, I will check into that- that would certainly be awesome