Valetmont advices to choose your telescopic hiking poles

Are you looking for a telescopic or multi-strand hiking pole for your walks in the plains or in the mountains?

Valetmont experts advise you to guide you in your choice.

 

Telescopic or Breakable ?

More and more poles are telescopic or breakable so that they can be easily stored in a backpack or a hydration vest.

 

Telescopic	Telescopic poles have a variable number of strands. No need to choose the size, it can be adjusted. Three-parts telescopic poles have a smaller folded size than two-part poles.
Breakable or Folding	A strand corresponds to a section, the more the number of strands, the smaller the stick will bend. A 3-part telescopic pole is approximately 70 cm when folded while a breakable or foldable pole measures less than 50 cm. They are often lighter than telescopic poles but their size is fixed because they do not have an adjustment system.

 

If you want to take your poles on a trip or store them in a bag, always check the length when folded. Dimensions may vary greatly from one model to another.

 

Materials

 

Carbon	The tubes of the poles are made of carbon or aluminum. The carbon allows to have very light and rigid tubes but less resistant. 100% carbon poles should be reserved for those looking for lightness.
Aluminum	Aluminum tubes are extremely sturdy but heavier. Some aluminum tubes offer weights close to carbon because they are made of high quality aluminum.

 

Find our collection of telescopic poles for sale on Valetmont

 

Handles

Cork	Comfortable and light, the cork handles regulate sweating very well. Cork is a more fragile natural material than other types of handles, it is necessary to take care of it so that it does not crumble. Find our maintenance tips further down this page.
Foam	Comfortable and light, it is easy to clean and absorbs sweating quite well.
Plastic	Resistant and affordable in terms of price. It can nevertheless make you sweat. To be used on ski poles (with gloves) or for walks and short hikes.
Rubber	Robust and quite comfortable but can also lead to significant sweating.

 

 

Gauntlets

For better grip and maximum comfort, gauntlets are ideal. Derived from cross-country ski or Nordic walking poles, the gauntlets are a hyper-precise strap system that bring a real improvement to telescopic or breakable walking poles.

The gauntlet adjusts to the size of the hand by tightening. A well-fitting gauntlet allows the pole to be held firmly and securely.

 

Leashes

When purchasing, check if the straps are detachable or not according to your needs. The first price telescopic walking poles are equipped with a single strap but more and more poles sold with Nordic gauntlets.

 

Spikes and Rings

All telescopic or breakable sticks are equipped with tips, usually tungsten. These can be of 2 types:

 

• Straight: Straight tips are extremely resistant to breakage and wear
• Beveled: Beveled tips are more sought after for their grip

 

Most of the points accept pads to be added in the event of evolution on difficult grounds. The pads exist in 2 types:

• Crossover: Ideal on dry roads, they avoid the noise of peaks and preserve the trails.
• Classic: Ideal for evolution on tar.

 

For your winter hikes, you will also need to adapt winter rings for the snow. The breakable sticks can offer the possibility of putting washers.

If you want to add rings, you need to choose sticks with a suitable tip. Usually trekking poles are sold with washers. The rings are screwed on and can be easily removed.

 

Tightening

Internal Screw	It is the oldest clamping system. Still very much used today on the first price poles. Easy and intuitive, this system shows its limits for demanding and regular walkers because it tends to wear out quickly. It is lighter than external clip systems but tends to be less reliable. Very good for occasional use or for a pair of sticks to lend.
External Clips	It is the most versatile system. It allows very precise and completely reliable clamping of the strands. Ideal for mounting or trekking. Depending on the terrain, the walker can change the size of his poles easily and quickly.
Interlocking	It is the lightest system. Widely used on breakable but not telescopic poles. It allows a significant weight saving compared to other conventional tightening system. For trail runners, breakable poles are much lighter.

 

Poles without a clamping system with a single strap and a washerless tip offer maximum weight / performance ratio.

 

Weight

All the manufacturing elements must be taken into account when calculating the weight of a stick. It will obviously be noted that a stick comprising many tightening systems and an advanced handle with a gauntlet-type strap will normally be heavier.

The composition of the tubes is however essential in the lightness but this has a huge influence on the price of the stick. The more expensive carbon tubes bring lightness compared to the aluminum tube.

However, be careful with manufacturing methods, which may vary: Some aluminum tubes are of much better quality than carbon tubes. The weight and reliability of these premium aluminum poles will be much better and will be as light as carbon tubes.

 

Size

The telescopic trekking poles are adjustable. Be careful to check that your size is adjustable within the size range offered by the pole you want to buy.

There is no rule of thumb to find the correct height of poles. Find your ideal size according to the terrain you practice. It is recommended that the elbow form a 90° angle when the stick is on the ground and when your hand is holding the grip.

 

Are you looking for trekking poles? Find all of our Poles Buying Guides here.