Good,Professional walking poles.

[copado]

Hi.

I have an inflammatory arthritic condition (psoriatic) that has also affected my ankle joints. Apart from the pain there I have little foot power when walking and my foot is not flat. Even hitting a rock and having to twist my foot is painful,and it can be hard to push away from. So I am hoping to add strength lost through my ankles through trekking poles. But they might get the full 120 kilos on them if I lose my balance. Any suggestions for sturdy but not too heavy poles?

Thx
Copado.

 

[dougfitz]

I have found, perhaps not surprisingly, that price and quality are closely correlated. Major brands like Leki, Komperdell and Black Diamond have all performed well for me. If you have any doubts about being able to tighten a twist lock, modern flick locks are pretty good. They do require occasional adjustment, but that is normally not complex.

 

[Hiawatha]

Leki make an exceptional carbon fibre one piece Nordic walking pole . It does have a slight adjustment via a slide at the hand grip end but is essentially one cylinder for the bulk of its length .
They are very light and exceptionally strong and of course would not collapse under a sudden and unexpected lurch .
Unfortunately they don't collapse to a dimension small enough to be carried within a backpack . If you were prepared to transport them separately, perhaps in a post tube then they would be ideal .

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Take a look at Pacer Poles, but don't expect them to make your walk painless.

 

[Kitsambler]

Pacer Poles (http://www.pacerpoles.co.uk/) have a unique, very ergonomic grip design that allows you to put quite a bit of weight on the pole, which will help reduce the load on your ankles. I appreciate the way they take stress off my knees. I have used mine for five years of camino walks, and wouldn't walk without them. Someone tried to buy them off me in rural France - name any price! - and I turned them down.

I should point out that this forum has had many, sometimes vehement, discussions on Pacer Poles - you can search to find the threads.

 

[Linda Fantillo]

I have been training with Pacer Poles for the last month and absolutely love them! Would never go back to regular poles. A totally different way of walking and have noticed that my posture has actually improved due to repeating the mantra they recommend while walking of shoulders down and back. When I am sitting or standing now, I just automatically stand straighter. Bonus!

 

[frida1]

This is one of those issues where the experience is very individual. I agree that the brands mentioned are all very good, and I've tried most of them. I ended up with Black Diamond carbon z poles. They are very light, and fold up into about 15-18", making them fit into a small pack, and even tucked into a belt or pocket. Mine are not adjustable, and therefore don't have the problem of the locks coming loose. On the other hand, I have only one length available to me for up or down hill. The lightness and portableness are important to me.

If the OP can go to an outdoor store, and see the various options, he might be able to better choose what is appropriate for him, rather than ordering something online. Perhaps his orthopedist has ideas of the best poles for him.

 

[Linda Fantillo]

I agree that one is sometimes hesitant to order online, but I paid $125 plus tax Cdn. plus tax for my Black Diamonds and they bailed on me 3/4 of the way thru my walk and had to revert to duct taping them to finish. The pacer poles came in less than 3 weeks and cost me $132 Cdn. all in, with every tip you could possibly need and a warm note from them that indicated they would love to know if I received them and would appreciate an email back on how I was making out, plus very detailed instructions on how to use the poles properly on every terrain. The learning curve was virtually nothing. My only concern is that someone might think they like them more than their own while on the Camino LOL. A totally different way of using poles and I find they do take the stress off the knees more. Would never return to Nordic type poles again, but I certainly understand each to his own, and if it works, why fix it. L.

 

[trecile]

The learning curve was virtually nothing.

That's why I decided on Pacer Poles. I had never used any kind of poles before, so I wanted the easiest to use poles I could find. I love them!

 

[t2andreo]

Dougfitz is correct as stated above, at least IMHO.

Personally, I have a preference for Leki poles as they provide excellent value for cost, IMHO. In 2013, on my first Camino, a Leki hiking pole literally saved my life, preventing me from hurling myself off a sheer drop just before Alto de Perdon on the CF.

Lately, I have tried Black Diamond FLZ, carbon fiber poles. They are very much lighter and collapse to such a small size that they can easily go INSIDE my rucksack. The big downside is that they cost nearly TRIPLE what my Leki poles cost.

The price for quality correlation aside, you should try out several types and brands, and buy the poles that work for YOU.

They all work the same way. A first-timer is not likely to appreciate the subtle difference of carbon fiber over aluminum alloy. But, having done four Caminos, and starting my fifth on 27 April, the immense lightness of the Black Diamond FLZ poles makes a difference to me, especially after five or six hours of trekking. Also, for me, the very small collapsible size is a key selling feature.

I hope this helps.

 

[FLEUR]

Exel fixed length Nordic poles and Fizan and Leki adjustable Nordic poles, work for me.

 

[JohanNilsenNagel]

Hi.

I have an inflammatory arthritic condition (psoriatic) that has also affected my ankle joints. Apart from the pain there I have little foot power when walking and my foot is not flat. Even hitting a rock and having to twist my foot is painful,and it can be hard to push away from. So I am hoping to add strength lost through my ankles through trekking poles. But they might get the full 120 kilos on them if I lose my balance. Any suggestions for sturdy but not too heavy poles?

Thx
Copado.

I have used Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork poles in my hiking up in the Sierras (California) and all on my recent Camino trek -- light-weight, sturdy, reliable friends for well over a thousand miles of hiking now!

 

[grayland]

I use the Black Diamond carbon Z-poles. I would not change.

My wife uses Pacer Poles and would not walk without them.
They are very different from the standard poles that I use.

I actually (opinion) think that the Pacer Poles would be a good choice for you. They really do give excellent support and control.
If I had a physical need...I would switch to Pacer Poles

 

[Kitsambler]

They all work the same way.

Well, not quite. The body mechanics of Pacer Poles are substantially different.

People, poles are like shoes and packs: the fit is a very personal thing. You have to try it out.

 

[dougfitz]

Well, not quite. The body mechanics of Pacer Poles are substantially different.

I must admit I haven't been able to detect much difference. Certainly the wrist action and grip are different to cope with the inflexibility of having a fixed angle grip rather than a strap, but the remainder of the body mechanics appear to me to be identical.

 

[t2andreo]

I agree with Doug. Try various poles and go with what works for you.

Pacer Pole devotees are usually very committed to their preference.

This aside, most hiking poles ARE the same.

I hope this helps.

 

[grayland]

Pacer Poles are very different than standard poles. I have had an opportunity to use both on multiple caminos.

As I posted above...My wife uses Pacer Poles and I use Z-Poles. I prefer the Z-Poles simply because I do not use the poles for normal walking. I only use them for up- hill and down- hill as a rule. I usually am just carrying them so am weight conscious and prefer the lighter Z-Poles.

My wife uses her poles all the time. She rarely puts them away while walking. I have used her poles on occasion and find they are very different than my poles. They are more comfortable and seem to add to posture and they do ease the pressure on the back.
Having said that...I still would not be using them constantly and would be carrying them most of the time...so I stick with the lighter Z-Poles.
I would switch if I had a problem that using poles constantly would help alleviate.

 

[Mike Savage]

I love my PacerPoles but at 61 kilos I probably don't over tax them. If I needed to rely on them possibly supporting 120 kilos I would choose poles made from one piece. From their web site it does not appear that they offer poles made from one single piece.

 

[copado]

Thanks everyone. Fabulous advice.

 

[pudgypilgrim]

I would get the alloy poles rather than the carbon fiber version, but I don't think 120 kg would be a problem with pacer poles. And yes, the mechanics are different from regular poles.

 

[dougfitz]

And yes, the mechanics are different from regular poles.

This puzzles me. Can you explain what is different?