Trekking Poles

Thanks for the advise. I might have to look into those Walmart ones folks are raving about. For that price you can buy a couple pairs and still cheaper than diamond backs.
 
Muddyboots said:
I have found over the last 5 years (now 69 6'4" 265 lbs) or so that the use of trekking poles has increased my ability to walk farther under less effort. I have used all sorts of them and have spent all sorts of $$$ on them. In 2017 I was training for a mule deer bow hunt in ND Badlands (Medora mostly) so I was walking quite a bit using poles so I decided to buy a set of really cheap ones from Wally World. I almost couldn't believe what I found out. I purchased a set for less than $19, used them for about 6 months hard including while local bow season carrying a climber thru swamps etc. I was saving my "good ones" for trip. The cheap ones from Walmart were so stout and held up so well I actually took them to ND and beat the crap out of them in ND. They held up fine and I am still using them so I decided to give link to see if anyone else might want to try them or had similar experience. I did have to replace one of the rubber stops and used a cane replacement rubber pad with JB weld and so far so good. It is almost embarrassing to see how well they work for such a low price.
https://outdoorproducts.com/products/apex-trekking-poles-set-of-2-4-2-ft
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I always have my set in my pack for when I get my animal down. I don't use them until then but it makes it so much easier with 120 lbs on your back.
 
BTW fellow hunters, I've recently added Quick stiX discs to my hiking poles so they instantly convert to very good shooting sticks. They are Delrin style high impact plastic discs that clamp just below the handles of your poles. You mate one disc to the other, twist and VOILA', your walking poles instantly become shooting sticks.

Recently I was shooting off my hiking poles with my new 6.5 PRC Browning X-bolt Pro rifle and hit an exact bullseye from 80 yards. So I tried again and same results. These Quick stiX are great.

Eric B.
 
Len Backus said:
A few years ago, the addition of trekking poles for hiking and backpacking in the mountains has made a HUGE difference for me.

My outfitter for my upcoming Yukon sheep hunt suggested I buy a pair, especially for traversing scree slides without slipping downhill. And a friend who has been on 3 sheep hunts confirmed this for me: he said "impassable" scree slides can be traversed using them.
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My wife and I snowshoe using poles and have been planning on incorporating the use of trekking poles on my hikes and hunt but keep forgetting it. I have been using a trekking pole nearly 3 months now when I take my dog for a hike and hopefully I stick with. It's an excellent tool for stability and eases the pain on my old knees and back. My wife upgraded her trekking poles to Black Diamond carbon so I get to use her old ones ...

Trekking pole Leki.jpg


I should have started a long time a go ...
 
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Once again, if you know the proper way to us your pole straps it will help a lot to relieve forearm muscle tiredness plus give more control of the poles when descending. The straps main use is not to keep them on your hand but to give your hand a better way to put pressure downward on the pole.

Just go to YouTube and search for XC ski pole use demonstrations.
 
Litehiker said:
Once again, if you know the proper way to us your pole straps it will help a lot to relieve forearm muscle tiredness plus give more control of the poles when descending. The straps main use is not to keep them on your hand but to give your hand a better way to put pressure downward on the pole.

Just go to YouTube and search for XC ski pole use demonstrations.
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So true. No one uses the straps correctly.
 
As stated the cam locks are more robust than the twist locks which are plastic inside the pole. You never know when it may go bad or not hold if it gets water in it. There are many uses such as shooting sticks, tent pole, camera rest, etc. but I almost vomited when I saw a group using them as selfie sticks posing for social media posts clogging up the mount Whitney trail. Lots of good European models as well.
 
As per steve rinella: I used to think they were part of the wussification of america, now i can't imagine hunting without them. I will say that buy once cry once applies here. You don;t need fancy carbon poles but something good and hard wearing like black diamond or leki's aluminum line are worth spending a little extra on. Having a latch fail while packing out 80 pounds of meat sucks.
 
Look at the Cascade Mountain Tech hiking poles. They range in price form $24. to $64. and are very durable. I got $35. carbon fiber Cascade Mountain Tech poles 6 years ago and use them weekly for training, for backpacking and for back country skiing. Great poles with Black Diamond style cam locks.

Eric B.
 
My first experience using trekking poles was a few months ago. I'm very happy with them. They provide steadiness to me which gives me more confidence.
 
Another vote for Treki poles. I am a fairly stocky guy and those poles don't slip shorter like so many others when I put my full weigth on them. Faily light and well built. Last set were $65 Canadain each off Amazon. They also make a version with a horizontal handle that makes a good cane, got one for my FIL (father in law).
 
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