These are my first trekking poles, but they seem to be amazing. I did a bit of looking, and these have some great features that most people are looking for when picking trekking poles.
First off, they have cork handles. Cork seems to be highly preferred for its insulative properties, ability to absorb and remove sweat, and reduce vibrations to the hand. These are very ergonomic too.
The second thing these have that most folks recommend is locking clamps. Some trekking poles are designed with "twist lock" sections, but these rely entirely on your grip strength and friction to get a good lock. But with locking clamps, you unlock the clamp, tighten the screw, and relock the clamp. You can micro adjust as needed, and they can be made to have zero slippage.
These poles are also made from 7075 aluminum, making them very forgiving if under significant load. While they may be a bit heavier than carbon fiber, they won't snap and splinter like carbon would under too heavy a load. Aluminum is far more likely to just bend, potentially saving you from an impalement in the worst of scenarios.
Since these poles are the "foldable" type, they can pack down shorter than a similar "telescoping" pole can, assuming both poles can extend to the same length. This makes them a bit easier to pack away.
There is a "hidden" 3rd section inside the upper section that you have to pull out to fully extend and lock the other sections.
Basically, you unfold all the sections and let them hang. Then you grab the little silver collar at the bottom of the upper section, and pull it down slowly. Keep pulling until you hear a "click" from a spring button that will pop out to keep that section extended. Extending this portion will cause all of the slack in the internal rubber-coated steel cable to be taken up, and all the other sections will lock up firmly. Then you can undo the locking clamp on the upper section, and extend out another section to fine-tune your preferred height. Once the proper cm height is chosen, relock the clamp, and you're set.
I chose the longer of the two available lengths because I intend to fully extend them when at camp and use them as tarp poles for one side of a hammock setup to sit under if it's raining. I'm 5'11", so my proper trekking height falls right in the middle of the extendable range of the longer poles.
I hope to get a lot of use out of these.
| Item Package Dimensions L x W x H | 15.94 x 5.04 x 3.66 inches |
|---|---|
| Package Weight | 0.77 Kilograms |
| Item Weight | 16 ounces |
| Brand Name | GPTCAMP |
| Warranty Description | 1 year manufacturer |
| Model Name | walking-poles |
| Color | Black |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Suggested Users | Trekking Poles |
| Manufacturer | GPTCAMP |
| Included Components | Trekking Poles |
| Size | 115-135cm |
| Handle Material | Ethylene Vinyl Acetate |
