[Dolly]

Degenerating knees means I probably need to look at some of these.
My knee is getting better through physio and  "extreme icing" and although

I'm fine walking to the crag, when we go to Wales at Easter my son has said he's quite keen to walk up a mountain and I'm fairly sure I'd struggle with that.


So any recommendations, what to look for/avoid etc ?
As ever all advice welcome thanks

[T_B]

Avoid Leki - they're a right pain.

Black Diamond flick lock are good:

http://www.rockrun.com/winter-climbing/trekking-poles

[lagerstarfish]

avoid cheap handles that give you blisters - cork feels nice and makes you feel closer to nature and all that shit

avoid the twist lock telescopic things - the ones with a proper thumb catch lever type affair are much easier to operate when you are cold and wet. I find that geting the length right for the angle of slope and terain type makes a big difference to me, so easy adjustment is handy

I've not tried a pole with shock absorbing tips, but they're supposed to help with avoiding elbow problems

[Muenchener]

From a knee protection point of view, my physio recommended using them only for downhill. Uphill the knees aren't being shock-loaded and the excercise is good for them.

Avoid Leki - they're a right pain.

Black Diamond flick lock are good:

Flicklock definitely better than twist lock. Leki also make flick locks now.

As ever all advice welcome thanks

Don't get sweat into the foam on the grips to get them all nice & salty, then leave them lying around at the bottom of routes in the Alps where marmots can get at them.

[Paul B]

I think Paul (other one) either bought some BD ones or ordered some into the shop, so he might be worth speaking to.

I really wanted a set of these when going anywhere with a haul bag but couldn't justify the price for the super light, folding versions!

[dave]

You might be able to get away with one pole if he's strong a carries you on his back.

[SA Chris]

+1 on BD flicklocks, used for all my skiing / walking (k)nee(d)s. GF has some, I use hers rather than my permalock Lekis.

[slackline]

Walking Poles with walking poles by a pole in Poland

[hamsforlegs]

I've used poles for years, and more so since losing a tendon in my right knee in 2012.

Just to contradict the folks above, I always got on well with Leki twist lock alu poles, and disliked the BD flicklocks which I found got stiff and hard to operate after a few hundred hours of use. My last Lekis just kept on going until I eventually split a pole segment; the trick is to split them up and rinse and dry them as often as you can be bothered after use.

After doing my knee in I decided to pony up and get the superlight BD carbon folding jobs, since which time I've done hundreds of miles in rough terrain with them. They are amazing. Light (so you take them), quick to deploy and pack away (so you use them), and comfy (so you do it again). If your budget will stretch that far, give them a look.

For many of the other brands/models, the priciest poles often aren't the best, as they often come with random stuff like massive complex handles and shock absorbers. I've always found the best poles to be the light ones that give you a bit of flex, as this is nice and predictable and you learn to use and anticipate the flex while walking, particularly when shiftinq quickly on rough ground.

If you haven't used poles before, there is a learning curve before you get the full benefit of them, so don't be downhearted if you find them a headache at first.

[fried]

Walking Poles with walking poles by a pole in Poland

This photo definitely needs to be in a caption competition.

As fo the poles, I'm told you have to learn how to walk with them and it takes a bit of practice to get the best out of them.

[kelvin]

I have the lightest ones I could find on the basis that I spend most of my time carrying them. Fizan somethings.

[AndyR]

This thread must win the award for 'Most non-youth thread ever' on ukb.
TFK - it must be time to purchase UKRambling.com?

[Pebblespanker]

+1 for the Black Diamonds

Dolly using a pair on scottish winter approaches was a revelation mate, deffo worth the investment. Cheapo poles self destruct in my brief experience and the baskets vanish in the blink of an eye - bite the bullet and spend more on a decent set than several crap ones.

[Johnny Brown]

I bought a pair of four section Montrail poles ten years or so to use in Patagonia. I still needed a knee operation after the trip, but I've sworn by them since. Especially useful when carrying heavy bags.

Not really used any others, but I would recommend 4-section if you can get them - it means they collapse small enough to go inside my pack when winter climbing. They are twistlock which takes some tweaking and occasionally slip, but have lasted well. Worth noting Elmo got an identical pair at the same time and destroyed them the same year, so a little care goes a long way.

[Dolly]

Cheers for all the replies
Would something like this  http://www.absolute-snow.co.uk/V/Black_Diamond_CONTOUR_ELLIPTIC_CARBON_Adjustable_Trekking_Poles-(59327) be good ? (I'm taking the advice not to buy cheap buy twice thanks H/PS)


Or is that just spending too much and would something like this be better ? I don't really have a frame of reference for this


http://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Diamond-Trail-Trekking-Poles/dp/B000FJFEI4/ref=sr_1_8?s=camping-hiking&ie=UTF8&qid=1395334609&sr=1-8&keywords=black+diamond+trekking+poles

[T_B]

I've got a pair of those exact carbon BD ones, as well as the alloy BD expeditions. I'd recommend the carbon at that price, though I did break a section on them once crossing (falling into) a river in Nepal (First Ascent replaced them no questions, though now BD is distributed from Europe, not sure the customer service will be as good...).

[Muenchener]

This thread must win the award for 'Most non-youth thread ever' on ukb.

Ha! If we'd used these in our dim'n'distant youth we might not have knackered knees now 

[Muenchener]

That's a good price on the carbons, but one does hear of them being more fragile than alloys, as T_B's experience would seem to confirm. Both my old alloy poles are bent, in incidents* that might have snapped a carbon pole.

* Incident A: used for self-arrest on unexpectedly hard late spring snow. Saved me from a long ignominious slide, though probably not actually bodily harm.
* Incident B: bikini clad babe suddenly emerged from river causing me to trip over my own feet.

[rich d]

* Incident B: bikini clad babe suddenly emerged from river causing me to trip over my own feet.

at least her and her friend helped you back up

[Fiend]

I'm not a walking pole veteran and I only need them for walking uphill cos my legs can't do the exercise that is good for my knees, but I have been pretty happy with these:

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/pair-of-f-700-carbon-poles-id_8270631.html - BUT the cork handle version.

I got them because: lightweight, good price compared to similar lightweight poles, 3 sections much easier for carting around (hence no BD), cork / foam handles essential. I did want flicklock but couldn't find any flicklock poles that ticked the other boxes. I've found the twistlock fine - although I don't use them in rain/snow/similar-non-climbing-bollox-weather. I've also found the durability fine and I have pole-vaulted bogs with them a few times.

[Dolly]

Thanks again for the replies and nice pics
Got some cork handled Lekis with flick locks for 55 quid in the end.
Next purchase: comfy crag chair

[SA Chris]

String Hammock, as good as any comfy chair.