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I doubt you need convincing about how useful trekking poles are when hiking or trail running. I’ve been a strong convert to using trekking poles in my adventure racing and hiking for many reasons, I like the stability, the assistance on steep long climbs and I use my trekking poles as tarp supports to create a tent when camping so for me its a no-brainer. In this review I take a look at the Mons Peak IX Tiger Paw Z Trekking Poles.

Super Speedy Verdict Summary

Theses high grade Aluminium Z folding poles are the going to take any punishment you throw at them. The Z fold means you don’t get the jamming associated with telescoping poles and can mount them folded on the front of your pack where you can easily reach without taking the pack off. At 16.9 oz they aren’t the lightest poles but the easy adjust rec clasp means you can custom tailor the height. The easily changeable carbide/ rubber tip and snow basket options are a nice touch . These are your go to poles for epic adventures where you need to trust your gear, think Appalachian Trail through hike not an afternoon in the woods. Lose the straps on the grips and ditch the rubber feet to save some weight and these are the best quality Aluminium poles I’ve ever used.

Buy them here direct from the Mons Peak IX website for $129.95

Extended Review

To me there are 4 main things I use trekking poles for (5 if you count keeping wildlife at a safe distance). On long distance Ultras that are off road or hiking they are very helpful when climbing steep long sections of trail as your arms help push you up the hill. On the flats they give you stability and reduce your chance of slipping , and on a very long Ultra running race they take some of the weight off your thighs to reduce leg fatigue, some online estimates are that they reduce your effective weight by 15% instantly.

On the downhills you can use them to boost your confidence on trail and tough terrain as you have 3 to 4 points of contact not 1 or 2 .

Finally as a super light weight obsessed adventure runner/ hiker I’ve started using poles as my ‘tent poles’ and configured tarps and my trekking poles to build my shelters. No more tent poles means I get more ‘bang for my buck’ with my ‘cheat sticks’.

Who are Mons Peak IX?

Mons Peak IX (pronounced Mons Peak Nine) is a Chicago based outdoor gear and apparel company launched in 2016. The company is named after the mountain range – Kangchenjunga – in the Himalayas. Before it was named Kangchenjunga, the Great Trigonometrical Survey of India (1849) assigned it Peak IX, it is the third highest mountain in the world. The mountain and valleys of Kangchenjunga are considered some of the world’s most scenic and natural ecosystems treasured by outdoors enthusiasts and local people. Yet Kangchenjunga has not been summited and kept in pristine condition out of respect of local traditions by all who travel out there and of mythical folklore. Mons is mountain in Latin. 

The guys at Mons Peak IX have a rather unique take on the small range of gear they custom make. I had a long discussion on the phone recently with the founder Bimal Kavani, we talked about mega nerdy outdoor gear things and I got an impression of a man and company with a very simple aim. ‘To make the absolute best performing gear possible where ‘looking cool’ or any other consideration is secondary’.

The Mons Peak Range is not big. They make badass tents for Everest, the fastest boiling camp cooking system available and some rather nifty sticks that we look at in depth here.

Aluminium Poles.

Being British means I pronounce this differently but these poles are made of high quality Aloooominum. It’s heavily anodised with a black satin finish that is surprisingly resistant to scratches. The poles come in at just under 17 oz for the pair as a result. I’m used to using carbon fibre poles which have a lot of flex but are paper light, these feel like you could drop them across a stream and use them as a bridge. They feel very sturdy and strong.

Z – Ness

There are two types of trekking poles ( well three if you count ones that don’t compact down at all). Telescopic poles extend and compact like a telescope, they tend to not pack down as short as Z Poles but companies may claim they are stronger. With Z poles they come apart into 3 equal sized lengths ( linked through the middle so they don’t come apart). Z Poles pack up into a smaller more compact unit that is much more suitable to mount on the front of your race vest or backpack when not in use.

I prefer Z Poles so when I’m not using them they sit on the outsides of my water bottles on my Fastpack or Race Vests I uses. It means they are easily secured by two bits of bungee and easy to get to without taking my bag off. I have seen countless people over the years carry poles with them because they sort of feel they need them, and then stow them in the rear of their pack where they cant reach them. Out of sight is out of mind and they sit there unused all day.

Adjustyness

Most poles come in only two lengths, usually 110 or 120 cms. we come in all sizes and sometimes people using poles can get frustrated at the lack of customisation. The Z Tiger Paw poles have a little red anodised clip that reminds me of a mountain bike saddle height adjust quick release, They have also marked ten cm ( and inches) increments on the pole, so its easy to unclip, slide and change then reclip the pole to adjust between a wide range of lengths to suit you. I would actually consider adjusting these deliberately longer than usual for long descents, and shorter than normal for long climbs to allow you to get the most out of them.

When you want to unfold them its easy to simply pull down on the top section until you hear a reassuring click and the poles lock tight from a small metal nub that’s spring loaded To fold you push this nub in to collapse the poles.

Pointy Bits

The sharp end is the business end. If you don’t have grip they are pointless. There is a large rubber ‘foot’ attached to each pole, and the grip is ‘ok’ with them. Ive used rubber and carbide tips over various rock, wet , dry and even frozen lakes and I can tell you that carbide tips are nearly always better. The great news is you can literally pull the rubber feet off and ‘hey presto’ there are the carbide tips beneath ready to go. My Black Diamond Carbon fibre poles are big pain to switch between rubber and tips, and they charge you an extra ten bucks,whereas Mons Peak IX give you carbide, rubber and snow baskets as standard.

Snow Baskets

The snow baskets also easily screw on or off depending if you want or need them. I’ve seen them used to great effect in the desert in Sahara in the dunes, in the snow and also in very boggy wet soft ground conditions. That little bit of extra surface area stops the poles sinking in too deep and either getting stuck or going too deep into the ground to be any use.

Corky Throttle

This is the first time I’ve ever had outdoor gear where cork is part of the materials. Like a classy bottle of wine the grips are superb with gloves or bare hands, and although I used these in 0 Degrees Fahrenheit I’m sure the cork would do a great job with sweaty hands in the summer. The rounded tops of the grip allow you to alter your grip comfortably, I grasp the whole grip when ascending, but tend to lay the palm of my hand on top of the pole with a more light touch grip when I’m on the flat or downhill. You can see what I mean in the video review attached to this blog.

Straps

The handles come with straps. I’m not a fan. If you put your hands through them and fall there is a risk you will break your wrists. Personally Id cut them off and save weight. There are also two small velcro loops on the poles to keep the 3 sections tidy when they aren’t in use. There is also a little nifty mesh back to keep them in when not in use at home.

Why Tiger Paw ?

I have absolutely no idea.

Verdict

Theses high grade Aluminium Z folding poles are the going to take any punishment you throw at them. The Z fold means you don’t get the jamming associated with telescoping poles and can mount them folded on the front of your pack where you can easily reach without taking the pack off. At 16.9 oz they aren’t the lightest but the easy adjust rec clasp means you can custom tailor the height. Its safe to say these are basically the Mercedes Benz of Trekking Poles. The easily changeable carbide/ rubber tip and snow basket options are a nice touch . These are your go to poles for epic adventures where you need to trust your gear, think Appalachian Trail through hike not an afternoon in the woods. Lose the straps on the grips and ditch the rubber feet and these are the best Aluminium poles I’ve ever used.

Want to buy it?

The Mons Peak IX Tiger Paw Z Trekking Poles are available direct from their website for $129.95 They also have a range of carbon fibre poles too.

Appreciate the review? Use the links above to purchase through my affiliate program. You get an awesome set of trekking poles and I get a few bucks to help support this site and maybe even enough for a refreshing post-adventure beer! Thanks!

Technical Specs

• 4-Season
• Compact Carry Length 14.75 in / 37.5 cm
• Length 41.3 – 47.2 in / 105 – 120 cm
• Weight 16.9 oz / 480 g (pair, poles)
• Included carbide tips, rubber tips and notched performance baskets
• Carry bag