What's that on the end of your pole?

[LeslieC]

A pause for thought, or some thoughts on paws ...

First of all, some clarifications:

• The different options for the ends of hiking poles have a number of names - feet, tips, paws, probably others. Although I think 'paws' is cute, and allows me to indulge in some punmanship above, for this discussion I'm simply going to call them 'ends', which I hope won't confuse anybody
• My own poles are Leki Cross Trail Superlight. Although much of what I say below is likely to apply to other Leki poles, the same options may not be available for other brands
• This is not intended as a debate about whether you should or shouldn't use poles on the Camino. I'm a fan and would recommend them to anybody, but your choices and your reasons for making them are entirely ... yours.

I should also mention that my pole use is primarily Nordic walking, where the poles are generally angled back behind you to provide an extra bit of motive power on the flat and a workout for the upper body. However, when the going gets rough I suspect I use mine just like 'normal' trekking poles, to help push me up hills and - more importantly, as one gets older - provide valuable stability on downhills and rough surfaces. Four legs good, and all that.

The purpose of this post, and I hope any discussion it spurs, is to look at the different types of ends and (in my experience) the surfaces they're best suited to. I've debated with myself the best way to present this, so I hope the following is clear.

Basic spikes These will probably be on any pole you see. Pro: They seem to grip on any surface. Con: A couple of times I've had them get stuck in (eg) tree roots. Quick reactions have saved the day, but be aware of where you're walking. The big disadvantage of spikes is that on roads or other paved surfaces they’re noisy and (to me, anyway) unpleasantly jarring. Avoid them in towns if you can; you’ll potentially annoy your fellow pilgrims and those who live beside the Camino.
Small rubber This or ones like it are probably the most common ones you’ll see. Note the angled shape, intended for Nordic walking. There are similar ones with more rounded ends. Best on paved surfaces; not good where there’s loose stones (although they’re surprisingly effective on dirt tracks with a layer of pine needles).
Larger rubber Much the same as the small rubber ones above. Good on paved surfaces, not on loose stuff. I still haven’t completely decided whether these are better than the small ones for roads, etc. – there’s not much in it. And they’re both quiet.
The big and small rubber ends together for comparison. The contact surface of the big one is close to 5.5cm; the small one is nearer to 4cm.
Silent spikes (Leki's name) A good idea that unfortunately hasn’t worked out. Small ‘nubs’ embedded in the rubber provide grip without the noise of straight spikes, so in theory you never need to change the pole end when the surface you’re on changes. My experience is they’re a compromise; not as good as straight rubber on paving, nor as good as spikes when you hit the rough stuff. If not having to slip your rubbers off (stop sniggering at the back there!) is important to you, give them a try, but don’t expect too much. And they’re awful on brick pavers!

Leki at one stage also had something I think they called a Smart Spike, where the rubber part could flip up to expose the spike. I very much like the idea of this but I suspect they no longer make them and/or they're not compatible with my poles.

And for completeness, in a separate post below I've shown a range of surfaces I encounter on my walks around home and which I hope will also be relevant to the various Caminos, with my suggestions for the most appropriate pole end.

 

[LeslieC]

Surface	Best end type
Roads and other paved surfaces	Rubber. Always.
Brick pavers	Rubber, although if it’s wet you’ll probably experience some slipping. Spikes will grip but please don’t!
Short grass	Any will work. Avoid using poles entirely if the grass is long; they’ll just annoy you by catching in the grass every time they swing forward.
Dirt (with or without leaves/pine needles)	My favourite walking surface. Spikes are best, but rubber can be surprisingly good.
Loose stones over firm surface	Spikes. Too much slipping with rubber.
Deep stones (beach/river)	None are really good. If there’s only one or two layers of stones over a firm surface, try spikes

 

[dick bird]

A camino walking friend of ours uses old champagne corks.

 

[LeslieC]

A camino walking friend of ours uses old champagne corks.

That would work! But think of what they'd have to go through if they lost one ...

 

[trecile]

I've been using these tips/feet/paws on my poles and love them.

Kit Crossover Pole Accessories | TSL Outdoor

Shop for Kit Crossover Pole Accessories at TSL Outdoor and learn everything about pole accessories. Fast delivery and 100% secure payment.

www.tsloutdoor.com

 

[Sirage]

I've been using these tips/feet/paws on my poles and love them.

I'm interested in their life.

I suspect the usual rubber tips I have been using last 300 kms (guess) or so and I would carry a few spares and replenish along the way if necessary.

These can't be replenished along the way.

 

[trecile]

I'm interested in their life.

I suspect the usual rubber tips I have been using last 300 kms (guess) or so and I would carry a few spares and replenish along the way if necessary.

These can't be replenished along the way.

They lasted me over 900 km. I did carry a spare set of the colored part which is replaceable, but didn't need to use them.

 

[efdoucette]

Surface	Best end type
Roads and other paved surfaces View attachment 183250	Rubber. Always.
Brick pavers View attachment 183251	Rubber, although if it’s wet you’ll probably experience some slipping. Spikes will grip but please don’t!
Short grass View attachment 183252	Any will work. Avoid using poles entirely if the grass is long; they’ll just annoy you by catching in the grass every time they swing forward.
Dirt (with or without leaves/pine needles) View attachment 183253View attachment 183254	My favourite walking surface. Spikes are best, but rubber can be surprisingly good.
Loose stones over firm surface View attachment 183255	Spikes. Too much slipping with rubber.
Deep stones (beach/river) View attachment 183256	None are really good. If there’s only one or two layers of stones over a firm surface, try spikes

A pause for thought, or some thoughts on paws ...

First of all, some clarifications:

• The different options for the ends of hiking poles have a number of names - feet, tips, paws, probably others. Although I think 'paws' is cute, and allows me to indulge in some punmanship above, for this discussion I'm simply going to call them 'ends', which I hope won't confuse anybody
• My own poles are Leki Cross Trail Superlight. Although much of what I say below is likely to apply to other Leki poles, the same options may not be available for other brands
• This is not intended as a debate about whether you should or shouldn't use poles on the Camino. I'm a fan and would recommend them to anybody, but your choices and your reasons for making them are entirely ... yours.

I should also mention that my pole use is primarily Nordic walking, where the poles are generally angled back behind you to provide an extra bit of motive power on the flat and a workout for the upper body. However, when the going gets rough I suspect I use mine just like 'normal' trekking poles, to help push me up hills and - more importantly, as one gets older - provide valuable stability on downhills and rough surfaces. Four legs good, and all that.

The purpose of this post, and I hope any discussion it spurs, is to look at the different types of ends and (in my experience) the surfaces they're best suited to. I've debated with myself the best way to present this, so I hope the following is clear.

Basic spikes These will probably be on any pole you see. Pro: They seem to grip on any surface. Con: A couple of times I've had them get stuck in (eg) tree roots. Quick reactions have saved the day, but be aware of where you're walking. The big disadvantage of spikes is that on roads or other paved surfaces they’re noisy and (to me, anyway) unpleasantly jarring. Avoid them in towns if you can; you’ll potentially annoy your fellow pilgrims and those who live beside the Camino.	View attachment 183240
Small rubber This or ones like it are probably the most common ones you’ll see. Note the angled shape, intended for Nordic walking. There are similar ones with more rounded ends. Best on paved surfaces; not good where there’s loose stones (although they’re surprisingly effective on dirt tracks with a layer of pine needles).	View attachment 183241
Larger rubber Much the same as the small rubber ones above. Good on paved surfaces, not on loose stuff. I still haven’t completely decided whether these are better than the small ones for roads, etc. – there’s not much in it. And they’re both quiet.	View attachment 183242
The big and small rubber ends together for comparison. The contact surface of the big one is close to 5.5cm; the small one is nearer to 4cm.	View attachment 183243
Silent spikes (Leki's name) A good idea that unfortunately hasn’t worked out. Small ‘nubs’ embedded in the rubber provide grip without the noise of straight spikes, so in theory you never need to change the pole end when the surface you’re on changes. My experience is they’re a compromise; not as good as straight rubber on paving, nor as good as spikes when you hit the rough stuff. If not having to slip your rubbers off (stop sniggering at the back there!) is important to you, give them a try, but don’t expect too much. And they’re awful on brick pavers!	View attachment 183244

Leki at one stage also had something I think they called a Smart Spike, where the rubber part could flip up to expose the spike. I very much like the idea of this but I suspect they no longer make them and/or they're not compatible with my poles.

And for completeness, in a separate post below I've shown a range of surfaces I encounter on my walks around home and which I hope will also be relevant to the various Caminos, with my suggestions for the most appropriate pole end.

Fantastic presentation.
I use simple rubber ends and leave them on for all surfaces (lazy I guess). I like their quietness. I especially leave them on when in my carry-on backpack for flights.

 

[dick bird]

That would work! But think of what they'd have to go through if they lost one ...

It's a hard life sometimes. Luckily, our friend has an ample store of spares, and we keep him well supplied. Cheers!

 

[CWBuff]

Fantastic presentation.
I use simple rubber ends and leave them on for all surfaces (lazy I guess). I like their quietness.

Ditto although I'm now intrigued by the ones @trecile posted

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

Standard Decathlon €5 tips on standard decathlon poles. Current pair at least 1200km. I have a spare pair, but as you can see here still loads of wear left on these ones.

Always, everywhere.

It can get a bit slippery when there is a layer of wet leaves over a hard surface. Then I just shorten my stride a little, rather than take the time to take the caps off.
I've yet to find out what's best in snow but as it literally just started doing that right now I guess I won't have to wait long

 

[El Cascayal]

The purpose of this post, and I hope any discussion it spurs, is to look at the different types of ends and (in my experience) the surfaces they're best suited to. I've debated with myself the best way to present this, so I hope the following is clear.

Love this post!

A camino walking friend of ours uses old champagne corks.

Leslie, love this post. Just discovered this past year that I love using the steel tips. Have the rubber tips for towns and sidewalks of all types, and carry a spare.

Dick, how do they work?

Terry, these are so cute! Can’t find them anywhere!

 

[JabbaPapa]

Well, I just use a traditional hiking staff -- so what's at the end of it is the same as anywhere else in its length.

Ash wood.

After some 1,000s of K these staves do wear down, and can get too short.

So every few years, I need a new one.

 

[Getwood]

I've been using these tips/feet/paws on my poles and love them.

View attachment 183257

Kit Crossover Pole Accessories | TSL Outdoor

Shop for Kit Crossover Pole Accessories at TSL Outdoor and learn everything about pole accessories. Fast delivery and 100% secure payment.

www.tsloutdoor.com

Trecile, are these meant for TSL's own poles, or are they generic enough to go on any rando pole that one might get in, say, North America? Are they twist-fit (friction)?

They do look interesting, but I don't need another pair of walking poles.

 

[RibbonRomanceAuthor]

I bought my first ever poles at a shop down the street from Bailairi. The proprietors helped me choose them and taught me how to use them. In the morning as I passed the shop, she came out and watched me walk to make sure I was doing it properly. She pronounced me good to go. I had rubber tips on the end and that’s all I used the entire time. They are well worn, but I keep them as a souvenir. I loved your post and will keep it for future reference as I learned a lot more about the tips. I could have used just spikes on certain parts of the Norte, but I didn’t know about them at the time and I still made it.

 

[trecile]

Terry, these are so cute! Can’t find them anywhere!

You can order them from TrekkInn. I used a different color on each pole just for fun - bright pink on one and green on the other.

Tsl outdoor Kit Crossover Trekking Toecap Grey | Trekkinn

Get Tsl outdoor Kit Crossover Trekking in Grey for 7.99 $. Ideal for outdoor with fast delivery. Buy Accessories at Trekkinn!

www.tradeinn.com

 

[bullingtonce]

A pause for thought, or some thoughts on paws ...

First of all, some clarifications:

• The different options for the ends of hiking poles have a number of names - feet, tips, paws, probably others. Although I think 'paws' is cute, and allows me to indulge in some punmanship above, for this discussion I'm simply going to call them 'ends', which I hope won't confuse anybody
• My own poles are Leki Cross Trail Superlight. Although much of what I say below is likely to apply to other Leki poles, the same options may not be available for other brands
• This is not intended as a debate about whether you should or shouldn't use poles on the Camino. I'm a fan and would recommend them to anybody, but your choices and your reasons for making them are entirely ... yours.

I should also mention that my pole use is primarily Nordic walking, where the poles are generally angled back behind you to provide an extra bit of motive power on the flat and a workout for the upper body. However, when the going gets rough I suspect I use mine just like 'normal' trekking poles, to help push me up hills and - more importantly, as one gets older - provide valuable stability on downhills and rough surfaces. Four legs good, and all that.

The purpose of this post, and I hope any discussion it spurs, is to look at the different types of ends and (in my experience) the surfaces they're best suited to. I've debated with myself the best way to present this, so I hope the following is clear.

Basic spikes These will probably be on any pole you see. Pro: They seem to grip on any surface. Con: A couple of times I've had them get stuck in (eg) tree roots. Quick reactions have saved the day, but be aware of where you're walking. The big disadvantage of spikes is that on roads or other paved surfaces they’re noisy and (to me, anyway) unpleasantly jarring. Avoid them in towns if you can; you’ll potentially annoy your fellow pilgrims and those who live beside the Camino.	View attachment 183240
Small rubber This or ones like it are probably the most common ones you’ll see. Note the angled shape, intended for Nordic walking. There are similar ones with more rounded ends. Best on paved surfaces; not good where there’s loose stones (although they’re surprisingly effective on dirt tracks with a layer of pine needles).	View attachment 183241
Larger rubber Much the same as the small rubber ones above. Good on paved surfaces, not on loose stuff. I still haven’t completely decided whether these are better than the small ones for roads, etc. – there’s not much in it. And they’re both quiet.	View attachment 183242
The big and small rubber ends together for comparison. The contact surface of the big one is close to 5.5cm; the small one is nearer to 4cm.	View attachment 183243
Silent spikes (Leki's name) A good idea that unfortunately hasn’t worked out. Small ‘nubs’ embedded in the rubber provide grip without the noise of straight spikes, so in theory you never need to change the pole end when the surface you’re on changes. My experience is they’re a compromise; not as good as straight rubber on paving, nor as good as spikes when you hit the rough stuff. If not having to slip your rubbers off (stop sniggering at the back there!) is important to you, give them a try, but don’t expect too much. And they’re awful on brick pavers!	View attachment 183244

Leki at one stage also had something I think they called a Smart Spike, where the rubber part could flip up to expose the spike. I very much like the idea of this but I suspect they no longer make them and/or they're not compatible with my poles.

And for completeness, in a separate post below I've shown a range of surfaces I encounter on my walks around home and which I hope will also be relevant to the various Caminos, with my suggestions for the most appropriate pole end.

What is at the end fo my pole is the precious and beloved Camino trail. I am not a historian, but I suspect the original pilgrims did not have these at the end of their poles, and this is assuming they had poles in the first place. Makes one ponder why they were able to survive and endure their Camino with either no poles or primitive poles. Chuck

 

[t2andreo]

Surface	Best end type
Roads and other paved surfaces View attachment 183250	Rubber. Always.
Brick pavers View attachment 183251	Rubber, although if it’s wet you’ll probably experience some slipping. Spikes will grip but please don’t!
Short grass View attachment 183252	Any will work. Avoid using poles entirely if the grass is long; they’ll just annoy you by catching in the grass every time they swing forward.
Dirt (with or without leaves/pine needles) View attachment 183253View attachment 183254	My favourite walking surface. Spikes are best, but rubber can be surprisingly good.
Loose stones over firm surface View attachment 183255	Spikes. Too much slipping with rubber.
Deep stones (beach/river) View attachment 183256	None are really good. If there’s only one or two layers of stones over a firm surface, try spikes

You forgot MUD! Mud is the consumer of rubber tips from hiking poles.

I always carry a spare pair of tips. I KNOW I will encounter mud, and I KNOW that the MUD GOD will demand the sacrifice of at least one rubber tip.

It never fails.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

You forgot MUD! Mud is the consumer of rubber tips from hiking poles.

I always carry a spare pair of tips. I KNOW I will encounter mud, and I KNOW that the MUD GOD will demand the sacrifice of at least one rubber tip.

It never fails.

I guess it must depend on how well they fit because I've often heard this but I've never lost a tip. I must say my decathlon ones are seriously tight.
An acquaintance of mine on the TA lost three tips in one morning in a particularly sticky section last season, someone suggested he put a little of the duct tape he'd wrapped around his poles to use. A single strip and he completed the trail including the legendary knee deep stuff at the end with no more casualties.

Not sure that would work so well if you want to be able to take them on and off though.

 

[Perambulating Griffin]

I have Black Diamond FLK-Z poles and they have a very unique tip size, so third party brands have to be messed with to fit. Fortunately, I can use *mostly* the narrow, hard rubber tip that comes with the system, and those usually last me at least 1000km and have the benefit of being narrow and pointy *enough* to act almost like a carbon tip. Rarely do I ever switch out for the carbon tips; in fact, I use those only for ice. There are also fatter rubber ‘paws’ that I can buy for the ends, but I’ve lost a few to mud that just sucked them right off the ends so I rarely use them at all anymore. I don’t use my poles until I am outside of the cities or towns as I don’t yet need them for ordinary urban walking. If I get to that point, I will probably put the fatter paws on for those stretches in the early mornings.

At any rate, the incredibly durability of the tips for the Black Diamonds makes the initial outlay that much more sensible for me.

I do second those 5 euro decathlon tips though! They last *forever*!!

 

[Damien Reynolds]

Standard Decathlon €5 tips on standard decathlon poles.

Me too exactly. I used to order the "fat round ones" from Amazon but someone here mentioned those "reddish " tips as being long lasting! Those things last forever! I think my last set lasted half of the Frances and all of the VDLP.

 

[LeslieC]

Thanks for the comments, people.

I do recommend having a spare set of ends (I nearly said 'spare set of feet'. Wouldn't that be nice?). I haven't lost one yet, but once or twice one or other has fallen off and had to be reattached. This is after switching from spikes back to rubber and just means I haven't been firm enough - maybe those of you who stick with rubber have the right idea!

I'm not seeing much in the way of wear on my Lekis, but I'm sure there'll be some eventually. Not something I should have to worry about before I head back to Spain in August.

Yes - mud. Good point. I headed across a very squishy grass area a few days ago and rubber ends were fine, but I don't have experence with 'proper' deep mud. I'd probably go with spikes, I think, but I shall experiment if I get a chance.

 

[Paul-CH]

Roads and other paved surfaces

What will be your recommendation on this places? I did it without poles and survived.

 

[LeslieC]

What will be your recommendation on this places? I did it without poles and survived.

Spikes - definitely!

It's certainly possible to go anywhere without poles, but for me (and particularly on those surfaces) they provide reassurance I'm less likely to slip and fall.

Edited to add: I'd go up any of @Paul-CH 's slopes quite happily, but I wouldn't like to try coming down without poles.

 

[Keyser]

Standard Decathlon €5 tips on standard decathlon poles. Current pair at least 1200km. I have a spare pair, but as you can see here still loads of wear left on these ones.

Could not agree more that these are the business. After a full CF I still have a pair of spares in my bag.

 

[ShoshTrvls]

I use standard rubber tips. Admittedly I buy the cheap ones and do need to replace them often, but by my calculations, $$-wise it ends up working out the same.

I have tried (and still have 2 pairs of) the large angled ones, but I could never quite get the hang of them, plus they always seemed to turn themselves around or sideways while walking despite what appeared to be a tight fit.

 

[LeslieC]

I have tried (and still have 2 pairs of) the large angled ones, but I could never quite get the hang of them, plus they always seemed to turn themselves around or sideways while walking despite what appeared to be a tight fit.

It helps to find a Nordic walking instructor in your area to take you through the basics.

And yes, my rubber bits sometimes move a little. Easily fixed; I just put a toe on them and turn the pole until everything lines up again.

Edited to add: the turning issue seems to be worse if the spikes are dirty ... but then, they usually are, or what would be the point?

 

[Damien Reynolds]

For what it's worth, I have used electrical tape to broaden the circumference of my pole ends so that the attached tips don't fall off in mud, or against a pole occasionally. I make it kinda tough for those things to come on, and that means it is kinda tough for them to come off, too.

 

[unadara]

7 walkers today doing a Cliff path that had mud, stones, and ICE! I slipped on a grassy narrow down hill and quickly saved myself using my poles, my friend behind went down and broke her wrist. When my friends say Do I need my poles today I say I've got mine Always (Decathlon red rubber tips attached today) but last hike I took them off on mud and tree root terrain.

 

[dick bird]

Dick, how do they work?

You have to drill a hole in them. They look pretty odd but they work at least in terms of muffling the tell-tale click clack as you walk through town.

By the way, the red Decathlon tips seem to last longest.

 

[Stivandrer]

I'm interested in their life.

I suspect the usual rubber tips I have been using last 300 kms (guess) or so and I would carry a few spares and replenish along the way if necessary.

These can't be replenished along the way.

I changed my Leki rubber tips last time out as they were 10 years in use.
Weighing both sets, I found out they in total had 1 gram of rubber wasted, both of them, that was all.
Admittedly, the new ones had better grip.
I use mine only on tiles, concrete and pavement, hide them in my side pocket as I cross into gravel.
You can change as you walk, just don´t poke anyone nearby as you do it

 

[lovingkindness]

Bonjour @LeslieC

Here are some more stoppers to add to your collection...

Today at a temporary exhibition in Toulouse I came across some examples of iron tips (fers de bourdon) used on pilgrims staffs between the 12-14th centuries. I instantly thought of you!

The iron tips were unearthed in Toulouse during archeological digs at the cemetary of the Hospitaliers de St-Jean de Jerusalem, Toulouse. 171 pilgrims were found interred in 137 graves along with 57 iron tips and 236 scallop shells.

Cheers
Lovingkindness



Exhibited temporarily in the refectory of the Couvent de Jacobins, Musée Saint-Raymond, Toulouse.

"Cathares": Toulouse dans la croisade.

 

[lovingkindness]

Ps ....and afterwards there was this...
Directly oposite but not in the video is a Camino arrow...

View attachment 20250104_144739.mp4

 

[LeslieC]

Bonjour @LeslieC

Here's some more stoppers to add to your collection...

Merci, @lovingkindness

I'll stick to my rubber ones, I think - they're probably just a little bit lighter.

And I can only imagine the noise iron tips would make on (eg) a cobblestone plaza, mutiplied by several hundred pilgrims per day!

 

[lovingkindness]

Merci, @lovingkindness

I'll stick to my rubber ones, I think - they're probably just a little bit lighter.

And I can only imagine the noise iron tips would make on (eg) a cobblestone plaza, mutiplied by several hundred pilgrims per day!

One could spear fish with an iron-tipped staff -just file it down a little, roast tubers over an open fire; fend off man or beast. Mud and boggy expanses would be ploughed through with ease I should think....

Bonne Année!

 

[dougfitz]

Trecile, are these meant for TSL's own poles, or are they generic enough to go on any rando pole that one might get in, say, North America? Are they twist-fit (friction)?

They do look interesting, but I don't need another pair of walking poles.

There are two 'standard' pole tip sizes. The respective internal diameters of the hole in the tip are 11 mm and 9 mm. The larger diameter tips seemed to be the defacto standard up to a decade ago, when more makers started using the smaller diameter tip. For example, when Black Diamond introduced their Z-poles, they were made with the smaller diameter shaft. Other BD poles still use an 11mm shaft at the tip, so now some care is required when buying BD rubber pole tips to make sure you get the correct ones for your pole.

Standard Decathlon €5 tips on standard decathlon poles. Current pair at least 1200km. I have a spare pair, but as you can see here still loads of wear left on these ones.

Always, everywhere.

It can get a bit slippery when there is a layer of wet leaves over a hard surface. Then I just shorten my stride a little, rather than take the time to take the caps off.
I've yet to find out what's best in snow but as it literally just started doing that right now I guess I won't have to wait long
View attachment 183277

I am also using these for one of my sets of poles, and I am pretty pleased with them. I have used similar tips from Black Diamond which give similar good wear life. The Leki set that I purchased recently when nothing else was available were done in about 150 km.
The other tip I use regularly is a walking foot from Swix, which I use on a pair of poles I normally use on concrete and asphalt paths on urban walks. (The OP shows this style as the 'larger rubber' foot.)