Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting hiking poles sugestions

Yeah but you're a cow poke.

think multi-use here.....

Kinda like those little rubber bands you use to hold the sticks together when you shoot acrost 'em??

Wife bought a set of no name aluminum cam lock poles for fun
I thought the idea was silly.
Until I used one. Really sold on the idea now, but not a fan of the rattle created just using them walking down a trail.

Is there a brand or material that is quieter in use??
Not whacking rocks here, just using while walking.

Thanks

Have them for years and they survive everything. Used them for hiking in the German and Austrian Alps as well on driven hunts. But don't take adjustable hiking poles with spring-loaded cushions. I personally don't feel safe when I expect immediate support and the pole sinks down even a few inches.

BD Carbon Cork for me.

The one piece Ultimate Direction FK Carbon One Piece Trekking Pole is awesome. I've been using it a couple of years now and it's lighter, stiffer, and stronger than anything adjustable. Best feel/feedback by far. I broke two pair of adjustable length poles this past season (pop out pins broke).

That said, it's not adjustable and doesn't break down to strap to a pack. Love using it, hate carrying it.

I started using one of the Ultimate Direction FK Ultra Poles Carbon (breakdown but set length) as a pair with one of the Ultimate Direction FK Carbon One Piece Trekking Poles the last month of this past season. This way I could have 1 pole broken down and attached to the pack while using a single pole and still hunting.....or have both poles when walking in. I think this may be my go to setup from now on.

+1

I tried some cheap ones with those cushions and didn't like them at all. They just didn't feel like they had any support. When I push down to hoist myself over a rock, I want to get lifted, not play bouncy bouncy.

My wife uses Black Diamond Carbon Cork's.

I don't hike with poles, but do have BD Carbon Cork's for snowshoeing.

I hunt with them also use them for shooting sticks, cant see the need for shooting sticks when you have hiking poles.

I carry just 1. It's great for hiking and I've learned to use it as a shooting stick by propping it against something else, from my leg to a bush, whatever's available. Trying to fumble with 2 poles and a rifle is more trouble than it's worth.

not when they are ganged together...... and faster and easier than trying to find 'something else' to prop it against.

How far will you hike and is money an object?

Then you narrow your choice again.

How much do you weigh and will the hills be steep or rocky?

Meat packing, I might go with aluminum for the sake of an extra heavy load might snap an ultralight carbon fiber set.

I've hauled a maximum me plus load of three hundred with top quality carbons, BUT there were no places the tip might get jambed, I didn't use them the same as usual, just wanted stress off of the knees and heart rate down. Not a good habit to use if you have big weight. Aluminum poles can be had cheap and plentiful.

Benefits to CF:
1. Uber light and makes a difference past the first couple miles.
2. Responsive with less flex. Much better feel.
3. No vibration fatigue. Aluminum vibrates badly and especially on hard pack and rocks.
4. Best for scouting. No comparison as to which is overall better. Limitation is mainly weight stress.

This may help.

I've had a pair of Leki's for 15 years or more that I like for trail hiking. Mine are aluminum, or some metal, and I used them on week long hunts a few times. Using sticks on downhill keeps my knee pain from developing.

For hunting I have come back to wood, however. Wood is quieter when I bang it on things as I am prone to do, and my homemade sticks are not much loss if I go off and leave one after a calling stand or break for lunch, etc. ( I doubled back 3 miles to retrieve my Lekis one time, 6 miles return).

In the PNW, wild hazelnut is my best source of straight strong walking sticks. I have shot several critters off of my walking stick as as steady, plus for the past ten years or so I really need a stick for stable walking on uneven ground. After eye surgeries I prefer a long stick to touch things and confirm depth perception, so I like a stick that is 6 feet long, to reach well down on steep ground.

I used to just pick up a stick but good ones are scarce sometimes so I have taken to bringing good ones home. Plus at several local trail heads and hunt spots I have a stick propped behind a tree, ready for my next jaunt at that place.

Bumping this thread...

Twist lock vs. lever lock
Preference?

External locks and by a lot.

It really sucks if your halfway across the river.

lever by a long shot

Agreed

I have some that are folding. They're shock corded so you just pull them apart and fold them up to 1/3 length. They have 1 fliplock instead of 2 so they have a more limited adjustment range but they're handy. A minor issue is if the point gets stuck in mud or something. It's more difficult to pull out because the pole will come apart.