I'm looking at the Leki Corklite poles... does anyone have any experience with those? Also, is the anti-shock feature really that important? Thanks
I have the corklite poles without the anti-shock. I like them very much. I originally had the anti-shock version but I returned them.Originally Posted by Nar Nar
FWIW I used from GA to NH REI Carbon ( fiber) poles which broke during a rescue of a injured hiker. I got Leki poles as a loner pair and used them over the Carter Mariea range and could not wait to get my replacements from REI which pvernighted them. Not only are they much lighter but also seems to take much more direct force without seemingly to bow. On the downside carbon poles can't take the same bending force and will break instead of bend
I've been using the REI Traverse poles for a few years and about 500 or so miles. They are holding up well, including the tips. They are made by Komperdell and cost roughly half of what Lekis do. Plus the REI customer service and return policy are hard to beat.
RIAP
I personally love black diamond poles and actually love the non-cork foam handles. (I think they make three kinds of handles, cork, foam, and rubber, I've heard god things about the cork, not so great things about the rubber.)
I've not had the chance to test out their customer service despite having abused my poles over 500+ miles of war round hiking.
Leki has great customer service, but I only know this because the twist locks on my buddy's Leki poles kept breaking. If you do decide to go with Leki, go with the models that have external flick locks instead of twist locks.
Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.
Me too, on the REI Traverse poles (made by Komperdell, and just by the way, LL Bean's house brand is also Komperdell, so the spare parts interchange). I don't think much of the shock absorbers. I tried a pair of poles with them and they just didn't feel right to me (and were heavier). I like the cork grips, they are nice and cool.
Does anyone have any idea how to clean sticky fir balsam off of cork?
I always know where I am. I'm right here.
Try nail polish remover!
If you don't have any nail polish remover, you might try alcohol prep pads. I had some handy and was able to get pitch off my trekking poles (Black Diamond, Ergo, Cork, no shock absorbers....love 'em!).
You can't go wrong with BD or Leki, but I'll add a less common but (for me) a much more comfortable option - Pacer Poles. I wish they offered the flick-locks, but other than that they're perfection.
I used Black Diamond fixed-length Z poles on the Arizona Trail, and I'm a fan. When bushwhacking and trying to find the trail in the Mazatzals, my feet went out from under me and I went down. I jammed the pole in the ground, but I kept sliding, and the pole ended up bending almost in half. It didn't break, though, and was none the worse for wear. Pretty impressive for carbon fiber.
Andrew Skurka also prefers these, but like the Costoco ones for value:
http://andrewskurka.com/2012/costco-trekking-poles/
Just bought some Walmart poles for $20. Hiked 8 miles with them so far. Worked great. Looking forward to using them again soon. I have never had any other poles so don't have anything to compare it with.
I love my Leki's make sure you get a flick lock, not the screw lock, they are a pain......
Got my replacement lower section from Black Diamond yesterday. Excellent service no cost and no s&h. I highly recommend them
While zoning out walking this weekend I realized that most of the folks that I have quoted, and myself, neglected to mention that the BDEC come W/FLIP LOCKS........much better than twist....................
I use the Exped alpine 140 poles. I've never seen anybody on this site mention them but I like mine.
I use Komperdell Carbon poles. love the light weight and the locks dont slip. I had a set of Leki Malaku poles that were great, but, they were prone to slipping at the worst time. The Komperdell poles dont have a shock absorber.
Our first poles were Mountainsmith anti-shock pole with rubber grips and twist-lock on sale at Sierra Designs or something for around $25 dollars. They worked great for about 1,000 miles then the twist locks just wouldn't do their job anymore no matter how much tinkering. Plus the bottom shafts started to get a bit bent and wouldn't telescope much anymore. They were nice and for $12 a pole they got the job done.
We decided we liked poles so much that we would upgrade so for an anniversary present we gave each other a nice pair of Black Diamond Ergo Corks. To us, the cork is much more comfy than the rubber grip. The straps are much better to and and pretty convenient when you learn how to use them properly. Flick locks kick butt over twist. And I don't miss the anti-shock springs in the Mountainsmiths.
Moral of the story: If money is your driving factor, you can do it with a cheap pair just fine. If you're looking for mid-range comfort and ease of use/value go with the BDECs or something similar. If you want the top of the line, get Leki's.
We just did the Whites and Vermont with our BDs and loved 'em. No problems...yet. (fingers crossed)
2,000 miler. Still keepin' on keepin' on.
There was a question a while back about Leki Corklite poles. They are my favorite so far. Always get a flip lock, they are stronger and more secure. Leki calls theirs SpeedLock, but it is actually stronger than their Super Locking System. (Read the manufacturer's information.)
Mini reviews of poles I used:
BD Mountain: Old model, foam/rubber grip. Great poles, I really had to abuse them to get them to quit. Well over 1500 miles. With abuse. Had I not wanted new poles with cork instead - I could have fixed them and kept going.
BD Distance Z-pole: Both wrist straps broke in less than 80 miles. First the thin attachment line and then the wrist strap itself tore in half. I cannot recommend them.
REI Traverse (made by Komperdell): The MOST sturdy of the poles I have used by far. Accordingly, they are heavy. Great grip, great handle; I liked them despite my initial misgivings since it wasn't true cork, but cork mixed with resin. It works well and is durable. The major downside is that the tips are not replaceable. Even with the low initial cost, that is a deal breaker for me.
Leki CorkLite Aergon SpeedLock: My favorites and currently in use. They are not as sturdy as the Komperdells but as sturdy as I will ever reasonably need. For reference, I use trekking poles to soften landings from jumps. They are very sturdy. Lighter than the Komperdells. Easy to use, easy on the eyes, good grip even when sweaty, and a light, comfortable wrist strap.
Black Diamond carbon cork. BD has the best locking mechanism on their hiking poles.
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