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Whether its crossing the rugged terrain of New England, the frozen Tundra of Mongolia or The Sahara Desert my trekking poles are always a no brainer choice in my kit. I’ve put together a guide and list of the best trekking poles for all uses and budgets all in one place.

Advantages of Trekking Poles

So why use trekking poles at all? A lot of trail runners in the USA in particular seem to feel there is a stigma associated with using ‘cheat sticks’ but I can assure you than in Europe they are used far more by every type of trail runner from ‘back of the pack plodder’ to elite. For hikers they offer more stability on trail and a useful aid if you are recovering from a leg injury.

Trekking poles give you a number of advantages, used early on in a race or adventure they will decrease the fatigue on your legs from the trail. You can use trekking poles on a long steep ascent to allow your arms to help power you up and hill and on technical descents they provide much needed support and stability and reduce the jarring on your knees. I also use trekking poles as supports for my tarps and mesh houses when I’m setting up camp on multi day adventures or Fastest Known Time trail records.

Not Just for Your Hands

As well as providing support for me on trail I also use the poles as supports for my mesh house and tarps when camping.

Trekking Poles Sizing and Types

Just like shoes poles come in a few size options. If you are under 5ft 8 I would generally say that 110cm poles will be perfect. If you are taller then the 120cm or even 130cm options will suit better. Some of the poles in this guide are even fine adjustable as well which can be helpful.

Trekking poles come in 3 varieties. They are either fixed fully extended which is rare, or they fold into three attached sections known as Z folding, or they are telescopic and a quick release lever slides one section into the previous section. Telescopic poles tend to be better value for money and sturdier whereas Z folding tend to be lighter overall and pack up smaller.

On a Budget – Mountainsmith Pinnacle Trekking Poles

Lets be honest. Most of us aren’t Thur Hiking the Appalachian Trail at the weekend. For most people that use poles a few times a year you don’t need to spend huge amounts of money and if you are willing to sacrifice some extra weight there are some great bargains to be had.

My mother in law asked recently what I would advise on a budget and we chose the Mountainsmith Pinnacle Trekking poles for a very low $33. They are made from aluminium and have carbide tips for heavy wear resistance. They are telescopic so you twist to shorten them when not in use. She is delighted with them and I was very impressed with how well they were made.

Best Telescopic Trekking Pole – Black Diamond trailback

We all have gear we inherited that we didn’t buy that we still use loads. For me its a pair of Black Diamond Trailback Aluminium Trekking Poles that are telescopic. You unclip each quick release plastic clip to extend or pack up the three sections. Although they don’t pack up as short as Z folding poles they are very sturdy and made from hard wearing aluminum. These poles have taken years of abuse and keep working just fine.

Best Aluminium Z Folding Pole – Mons Peak IX Tiger Paw

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 potential jamming associated with some 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. Read the more in depth review here.

Best Carbon Fibre Z Pole – Black Diamond Distance Carbon Z Trekking Poles

The Black Diamond Distance Carbon Z trekking poles are the no brainer best poles on the market for a fastpacker, hiker or trail runner. They weigh almost nothing coming in at about 10oz for the pair. The Z folding means you can stow and deploy them easily without taking your pack off ( I mount them on the bungees on the front water bottles of my Ultimate Direction Packs when not in use).

The carbon makes them super strong and the carbide tip is grippy in all conditions from ice to desert. I also use them to support a Tarp or Mesh House when camping. Read my more in depth review here.

Best Adjustable Carbon Fibre Z Pole – MSR Ascent

The MSR Carbon Ascent Poles are a Z Folding trekking pole which can be fine adjusted be 20cm to tailor for your height. They have summer and winter baskets for snow or mud and weigh less than a lb.

They are lightweight, come with handle straps and a carbide tip for grip in all conditions. These are one of the best poles if you are looking for weight saving, adjustability and small packed down size. I have a more in depth review here.

Verdict

I hope this blog has been useful to help you decide what type of pole you need, what size and what features to look for.