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Anyone have/use Cascade Mountain Tech carbon fiber trekking poles?

Costco had them pretty cheap and wondering if they are durable at all?


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All depends on how much use/abuse you give them. I went through several off brand and lower cost pairs before I went exclusively to Leiki's year's ago. I now have 3 (maybe 4) pairs? I am particularly fond of an older pair of Leiki carbon Macula's that I've had for several years. light strong and they stay put with little twist force been the sections to set the length. I've used them for tent/tarp poles, meat poles, laid them across a small stream to cool meat, forging rivers, fishing poles, lean-to's, splint for a broken arm, etc. They are not cheap and the good ones average over $120/pair. I maintain them every year by taking them apart and cleaning them really good since they have moving friction fir parts that don't like dirt or oxidation very much. Go easy on the lower cost ones and they should do ok for you.


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I think I figured out the best of both worlds with some cheap Walmart flick-lock poles I modified. I have details on my blog, but for about $35 and some time, you can replace the heavy rubber handles and end up with a lightweight, durable set of poles that have the flick-locking mechanism - much better IMO than the twist lock.

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In my experience, I've found the click locks to be faster and more convenient in adjusting the length of the poles and locking the sections in position, with the only down side being the extra bulk of the locking mechanism that sticks out proud of the poles tends to hang up on brush and tall grass. Kind of like if you don't take off the snow baskets off. I found that I ended up fighting the poles too much and went back to the twist lock. They also tend to get banged into things and crack at the most inopportune times. If you don't use the poles in heavy brush or high grass I would agree the click locks are better, but I do more times than not so the twist locks work better for my needs. To each his own...


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I see some of the yuppie hikers dressed in the latest hiking fashion carrying them but I don't understand the purpose, it seems to just be herd mentality.

What are they for? Is there something I've missed in 35 years of backpacking without them?


Anyone who thinks there's two sides to everything hasn't met a M�bius strip.

Here be dragons ...
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Originally Posted by T_O_M
I see some of the yuppie hikers dressed in the latest hiking fashion carrying them but I don't understand the purpose, it seems to just be herd mentality.

What are they for? Is there something I've missed in 35 years of backpacking without them?

I swore I wouldn't use them and they are rarely essential, but fooling around off trail with a backpack camp + boned out mulie I'm glad to have them. Improved balance is the primary benefit for me. I also carried them on a 33 hour 56 mile blitz in the Bob Marshall and they came in handy to take some pressure of of the feet near the end. One is good enough for some trips, and sometimes I leave them behind. My GG Lightrek 3's weigh 3.0 oz. per pole, so taking one along is a small weight penalty.

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Originally Posted by T_O_M
I see some of the yuppie hikers dressed in the latest hiking fashion carrying them but I don't understand the purpose, it seems to just be herd mentality.

What are they for? Is there something I've missed in 35 years of backpacking without them?


Apparantly some of the terrain I've traversed is what you've missed.

Got a little test for ya:

Get yourself a 20in plyo box. Load 50# in your pack. Do ten step ups every minute (five each leg) using a pair of trekking poles for 15min.

Try it two days later without the poles and get back with us.

It's like the difference between doing a strict overhead press and a push press or a push jerk.

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If you've not used them then you're missing out on what I consider an essential part of my kit. When you have 100 lbs plus of boned out meat in your pack and have miles of up and down to cover, several times, in rocky/uneven terrain, they come in real handy and help save the knees and back. They have tons of other nifty uses as well if you get creative (tarp poles, stream crossings, etc). They are far worth the 2 extra pounds of weight in your hands considering they allow you to shift some of your total weigh to your upper body. I use them for the pack in and out when my pack is loaded down heavy with a bivy/spike camp, or when I'm packing out boned meat. I collapse them and strap them to my pack when I'm light or when I'm actively hunting. They are, in my opinion, a great tool. Check it out, you may find out what you've been missing!



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Balance on rough terrain and stream crossing.

Actually for a goat hunt I'd rather have an old style ice axe with a long shaft. Anyone have one to sell?


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Originally Posted by ironbender
Balance on rough terrain and stream crossing.

Actually for a goat hunt I'd rather have an old style ice axe with a long shaft. Anyone have one to sell?


Yeah, hard to beat a good mountain axe. I always have mine, whether hunting brownies or moose or sheep or goat, or whatever. I outfit my clients with one and most end up using it before long. Some guys bring trekking poles and a few have liked those when on a hunt. But, when actually hunting, nothing seems to beat a good fitted ice/mountain axe.

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Mike, call Marc Taylor at Wiggys Alaska, 336-1330, I know he carries some ice axes that are extendable. He uses them and crampons when hunting goats.


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Originally Posted by T_O_M
I see some of the yuppie hikers dressed in the latest hiking fashion carrying them but I don't understand the purpose, it seems to just be herd mentality.

What are they for? Is there something I've missed in 35 years of backpacking without them?


You must be a flatlander.

In the Cascades, with any pack over 20 lbs, they're a Godsend.


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I hijacked my own thread. Dang!

Anyway, anyone used that brand of poles that Costco now has?

Impulse buy and now wondering if I should return them and go high zoot.


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Originally Posted by David_Walter
Originally Posted by T_O_M
I see some of the yuppie hikers dressed in the latest hiking fashion carrying them but I don't understand the purpose, it seems to just be herd mentality.

What are they for? Is there something I've missed in 35 years of backpacking without them?


You must be a flatlander.

In the Cascades, with any pack over 20 lbs, they're a Godsend.

Flatlander .. perhaps, maybe.

Can you elaborate on "in the Cascades?" That's exactly where I've been hiking lately. Truth of the matter is, I find the Cascades to be easier than some of the coast range areas I used to hike.

My pack has been starting out at 45-50 pounds at the trailhead. Got some newer, lighter gear to try out this year. Knowing me, if I get down under about 35 I'll find something extra for ballast. smile

Tom


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When your descending down a very steep mountain with a load of meat and gear or crossing a scree field, trekking poles are worth their weight in gold. I always carry 1 and sometimes 2, I don't use it all the time but for the times when I do need it, I will have it with me. Your knee's will thank you for it.


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Originally Posted by AkMtnHntr
When your descending down a very steep mountain with a load of meat and gear or crossing a scree field, trekking poles are worth their weight in gold. I always carry 1 and sometimes 2, I don't use it all the time but for the times when I do need it, I will have it with me. Your knee's will thank you for it.


Forgot about that one. Eccentric contractions like a downhill descent are what do the most damage to muscles and tendons.

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Black Diamond "boundary" 2-piece ski poles are cheap and tough.

A pole's worst enemy is you, heavily loaded, on a moraine. If you stumble forward and your pole's in front of you wedged in a crack between rocks, it breaks. Two seasons ago I showed up at the airstrip with two stumps for poles, both of which broke a foot or so above the basket in similar incidents. The little stubai extendo-axes are vulnerable to the same. This year I took a 100cm ice axe by SMC and it was the tool of tools for walking, peace of mind on steep stuff (arresting), and for carving out campsites on moraine.

SMC is the only outfit I could find that would make one longer than 90cm, and they do it by special order only. They won't go longer than 100cm - I wanted 105 or 110. I was out a little over $100 for it, but I split shipping with a friend who got one as well.

What they need to do is market a "walking axe" that's not subject to whatever load ratings and specs that an ice axe is. Said walking axe would have a smaller pick and a less aggressive adze, as that would be a bit safer for carrying around the whole time. Offer them in 90, 100, and 110cm and I bet they'd sell.

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Originally Posted by Vek
Black Diamond "boundary" 2-piece ski poles are cheap and tough.

A pole's worst enemy is you, heavily loaded, on a moraine. If you stumble forward and your pole's in front of you wedged in a crack between rocks, it breaks. Two seasons ago I showed up at the airstrip with two stumps for poles, both of which broke a foot or so above the basket in similar incidents. The little stubai extendo-axes are vulnerable to the same. This year I took a 100cm ice axe by SMC and it was the tool of tools for walking, peace of mind on steep stuff (arresting), and for carving out campsites on moraine.

SMC is the only outfit I could find that would make one longer than 90cm, and they do it by special order only. They won't go longer than 100cm - I wanted 105 or 110. I was out a little over $100 for it, but I split shipping with a friend who got one as well.

What they need to do is market a "walking axe" that's not subject to whatever load ratings and specs that an ice axe is. Said walking axe would have a smaller pick and a less aggressive adze, as that would be a bit safer for carrying around the whole time. Offer them in 90, 100, and 110cm and I bet they'd sell.


Mont Blanc is where I got my 115. I think I paid 150.00 for it back in 1987. I'm sure they're quite a bit cheaper, nowadays. Back then an axe that size was a rare find and you could only get them out of Europe. Check Barney's. They used to carry Mont Blanc axes.

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Checked Barneys several times in the last couple years. Typically my question is something along the lines of "You guys got anyone who'll make a long axe? Black diamond won't do one for me, and SMC only goes to 100cm." Their replies gush too much about the petzl snowscopic and I have to suppress dry heaves....I get the impression that they're not trying too hard these days.




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