Though loads of gnarled old-timers might think of trekking poles as “nerdy” or “only for speed-walking grannies,” the science is in, and it says that using a simple set of walking sticks in each hand while you’re traipsing around in the mountains takes stress off your joints, helps burn more calories and decreases your perceived effort.
The poles also diversify the muscles used when ascending and descending large slopes, by spreading out your exertion from your legs and glutes to your biceps and triceps. In rough alpine terrain or on trails slick from an afternoon thunderstorm, trekking poles also help with ankle stability, decreasing the potential for injury while out in the backcountry. In short, everyone should toss a pair into their backpack immediately.
What to look for in trekking poles
Though they might look like two repurposed ski poles at first glance, there’s a heck of a lot of technology that goes into making a pair of good, lightweight trekking poles. Here’s how to choose the best fit for your adventure needs.
Sizing
When you’re first trying out a pair of trekking poles, you should be aiming for a 90-degree bend in each elbow so that you don’t hunch or overextend your shoulders and can press off the ground evenly with each step, thus lowering your perceived effort and increasing your balance on rocky, rooty terrain.
Tips and baskets
Some trekking poles (and optional add-on purchases) are specifically designed for snow and deep sand, and you’ll notice they have a wider attachment at the bottom, usually referred to as a basket. Planning on huffing it across miles of granite slabs in Yosemite? A slimmer profile bottom with a rubber tip might be what the doctor ordered. (Bonus: They also decrease pole noise when it counts, like when photographing wildlife.)
Features
These days, trekking poles are big business, and to differentiate themselves in a growing market, big brands have added loads of fancy features into the mix like adjustability, shock absorption, wrist straps and retractable versus folding designs. If you’re planning on traveling a lot and stuffing your poles into your checked suitcase (they often get confiscated in carry-ons), consider a folding model, as they pack down smaller than retractable poles. Likewise, if you want the lightest-weight pole possible, nix the adjustability for a fixed-length pole when you’re gram-counting on your next thru-hike.
With these features, gender-specific grips and affordability in mind, here are the top expert-recommended trekking poles for your next big outdoor adventure.
The best trekking poles
After months spent trekking the Pacific Crest Trail and years of working in remote, rugged Tasmania as a backcountry ranger, Josh Iles says that Black Diamond’s Distance Carbon FLZ are, hands down, the best trekking poles he’s ever tried. They’re on the pricey side but are feather-light, starting at a mere 11 ounces per pair, and Iles swears they’re “hard wearing” for carbon poles. “Plus, they have replaceable tips, which is a dealbreaker for me, as I use at least one set of tips per year,” he says.
Often touted as the top maker of high-quality trekking poles on the market (a nod to the brand’s German engineering and custom manufacturing in the Czech Republic), Leki’s Black Series FX Carbon is the Cadillac of lightweight poles, at just 8 ounces per pole (which adjust from 110-130 centimeters with ease). CNN contributor and author of Women Who Hike, Heather Balogh Rochfort, has brought her Leki poles around the world, from New Zealand, to Italy, to Alaska, to Colorado, and, after years of use, they’re her top pick. “The hand grips are super comfortable, and the poles collapse and stow away easily into their own sack that is small enough to stash in your backpack,” she says.
As a pole that routinely makes “best of” lists, MSR’s DynaLock Ascent Carbon is surprisingly affordable (from $170), coming in right in the middle of its high-tech companions. These babies come with wide baskets for skirting snow or muddy terrain with ease, and they fold easily into three sections for compact storage in your backpack when they’re not in use. Made of Kevlar-reinforced carbon fiber, these small-sized poles clock in at just 8.5 ounces per pole. Not bad for how sturdy they are.
Ultramarathoner and co-founder of Altra Running, Brian Beckstead, says he always takes his Black Diamond Distance Z poles with him when he’s backpacking or setting out on long mountain runs. “These poles collapse and pack away super easily when not needed, yet help stabilize and take pressure off my knees on tough days,” he says. The only downside to their lightweight aluminum construction (from 5.6 ounces per pole)? No adjustability. For that and an ultra-light carbon fiber design, check out the pricier Black Diamond Distance Carbon FLZ.
Perhaps you’re newer to the hiking and backpacking game and you’d rather not drop $200 on a set of trekking poles right off the bat. Alps Mountaineering has created a top-notch (though slightly heavier for carbon fiber materials) pair in its Momentum model. “After using — and then not using — a bunch of cheap, plasticky, semi-disposable ones, I finally decided to make a small investment in these,” says travel writer and former New York Times 52 Places Traveler Sebastian Modak. “They are super lightweight, comfortable on the hands even after hours on the trails and intuitive to adjust. Despite being taken through some pretty rough terrain in multiple mountains around the world, they still look pristine,” he says.
With comfy foam handles, adjustable wrist straps, included trail baskets and a sleek telescoping design, REI Co-op’s Flash Carbon trekking poles are a lightweight (13.6 ounces per pair), budget-friendly alternative to some of the spendy brands on our list. They adjust an impressive 35 centimeters (from 105 to 140 centimeters), which is great if you like to extend them for steep downhills or want to share one with a friend. This high adjustability makes them a great pole for trekkers from 5 feet 1 inch to just over 6 feet tall.
And now, for our best value pick: Trekology’s Trek-Z collapsible trekking poles. Made with sturdy aluminum, these wallet-friendly sticks weigh in at 10.4 ounces per pole (or 10.8 ounces for the longer model). They come with a convenient carry bag, several different basket and tip options and sweat-wicking textured cork grips. It’s an all-in-one value pack I wish I’d known about when I first started backpacking.
The best women-specific trekking poles
There’s not a whole lot that distinguishes a women-specific trekking pole from a unisex one, though many brands will change the grip girth to allow a more comfortable fit for smaller hands. Similarly, many poles marketed to women might come in shorter lengths to match average heights. Here are our favorite women-specific trekking poles, but really, you should buy whatever makes you happy on the trail.
Weighing in at only 8.7 ounces per pole, Leki’s Lhasa design is surprisingly lightweight for its affordability. This is my favorite “budget” Leki pole, because it features the same great German engineering (and lifetime shaft-breakage warranty for the aluminum compartments) I’ve come to expect from the brand, plus great extras, like moisture-wicking cork grips, adjustable wrist straps and a Carbide Flextip for added precision and safety on exposed terrain.
Though not as light as some of our other Black Diamond picks on this list, the women-specific Trail model is an excellent, mid-priced aluminum pole option that features updated foam grips with super-soft wrist straps, providing added comfort for those of us with tiny hands. The Trail weighs 7.8 ounces per pole and comes in a shorter, adjustable profile that extends from 99 to 125 centimeters, to fit hikers from 4 feet 10 inches to 5 feet 11 inches.
Hoping for a women-specific set of hiking sticks with all-natural, sweat-wicking cork grips? Black Diamond’s Alpine Carbon Cork design is a high-tech treat for trail mavens who want the lightweight feel of carbon fiber with the ultra-grippy traction that cork provides your hands. They boast a reasonable weight (1 pound, 1.1 ounces per pair), an external level lock that’s easy to snap shut (even in gloves) and a ski-compatible ferrule that’ll accept 100-millimeter powder basket tips for deep, fluffy snow.
I know it’s not the most well-known brand on the shelves today, but Mountainsmith’s Halite 7075 WSD (women-specific design) was my very first pair of trekking poles, and they stood the test of time, lasting for years on rocky desert treks in Joshua Tree and muddy romps in the Rockies. At 9 ounces per pole, they’re not the lightest pair on our list, but they offer superior packability, included snow baskets, ergonomic grips and a wallet-friendly price. Plus, their sky-blue color always made me smile.
