Ian said:I need to get myself a couple of walking poles and am trying to work out
which ones to get and how much I need to pay. Funds are a bit short at
the moment so I don't really want to waste money if I can avoid it. If
I've understood things correctly the price seems to vary based on what
the poles are made of, whether they have anti-shock, what the handle is
made of and whether it's positive angle or not etc. Not having used one
before I've really no idea whether any of this really matters or not.
Everywhere I look there seems to be Leki poles which seem to be fine but
are quite expensive. So .... would welcome any general advice or
recommendations. I'm only going to be using them for pretty basic
walking (i.e. walks such as you'd find in the Pathfinder guides).
Some cheaper poles don't have tungsten carbide tips, and wear quite
quickly. Also the locking mechanism is not always as good. If you buy
Leki then you have guaranteed quality, and should you ever need to
replace a tip, spares are readily available.
I don't find antishock or positive angle useful, but this is a
personal view. Antishock adds to the weight, and positive angle can
add to the packed length. I have a pair, but my preference if for Leki
Ultralite Titanium, which are extremely light without sacrificing
strength, and are very comfortable in use. (about £50/pair).
Pete's Pole Page http://www.personal.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/poles.htm
is a useful place to visit.