Recommendations for Strongest Collapsing Trekking Poles?

I bent the lowest segment on my Leki Malakus, but saved myself from a nasty fall up on the east loop trail of Mt Alander (Mass.). Ive straightened them out in a vise but the tube has a slight pinch --I dont think I can trust that pole again.

Anybody got an idea on what the strongest poles out there are?

I'm surprised you bent one. I've used a pair as ski poles for BC skiing or snowshoeing a few times (nothing too adventurous) and leaned on mine fairly heavily with no harm. No direct experience, but many of the people on telemarktips uses BD poles with the flick lock adjuster. Apparently that works better than the twist locks, so they say, anyway.

Leki will send you a replacement segment. Last I heard, you need to contact Melanie... http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?21102-Leki-is-good!!!!&highlight=leki+melanie has some details.

Tim

I have been using Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork poles for several years. They are all carbon fiber (no metal). They bend up to a limit, and once in a bad fall I broke a section but that was in thousands of miles of use. Yes, they are very durable and reliable. In the winter, they are not cold when carried in my hands, unlike alloy poles.

BD does not have the same generous replacement policy as Leki. You pay for replacements.

+1 on the BD Alpine Carbon Cork - broke one section on Mount Washington when I fell and the pole slipped between two large boulders, but you can order individual sections from BD's website at very reasonable prices. Used them for over a 500 in the Whites and then for 2630 more miles on the PCT and still going strong.

FYI - I saw MANY pair of broken BD poles with the new "folding design" (z-poles?) on the trail this summer.

TomD said:

No direct experience, but many of the people on telemarktips uses BD poles with the flick lock adjuster. Apparently that works better than the twist locks, so they say, anyway.

Click to expand...

Twist lock poles work perfectly well if you clean them and lubricate the screws in the lock occasionally.
* Leki sells long, thin metal bristle brushes to clean the inside of the tubes. A gun brush or something similar should also do the job.
* The expansion screws can be lubricated with a tiny dab of silicone grease or vaseline. (Do not allow any to get on the outside of the expansion nuts...)

Leki also sells replacement parts (plastic expansion nuts, etc).

Drying and cleaning the poles (either type) after use helps to prevent corrosion and damage (eg inside the tubing).

FWIW, I have seen BD flick lock poles with frozen (correded?) locking mechanisms. We couldn't even loosen them with pliers.

In other words, either mechanism is fine if properly cared for but neither is perfect or goof-proof.

FWIW, I have had a set of 2-section and a set of 3-section Leki (twist lock) poles for over 30 years with no problems that couldn't be fixed by the above care and maintenance.

Doug

I have the same experience with Lekis as Doug, I have bent a few parts over the years but the bends were caused by significant overloading on my part. There is a flaw that may appear after real long term use where the pressed in threaded plug into the lower pole loosens up. It doesnt fail as much as it "clicks" when the pole is used. I have fixed this on a few of my poles by injecting epoxy into the joint. I also have one pair where the rubber grip is just about gone due to the long term use of DEET. Note these issues are on 10 plus year old poles that have been used to hike the AT.

The biggest thing someone can do everytime they get home is to disassemble the pole sections and let them dry. This takes care of 90% of the issues. I would do this with flick locks as well. The worse thing to do is to leave them collapsed when they are wet as they do build up some crud in the tubes eventually. I have also seen evidence of biological crap growing inside a damp pole section due to it being left closed.

I will admit they twist locks dont work as well in the winter especially with snow baskets. I attribute this to less grip strength with gloves to twist them tight, less resilence of the nylon expansion piece and the higher twist induced by snow baskets. I routinely crank my poles tight when I stop in winter and rarely so I have issues.

Thanks for the info. These Lekis have been nothing but wonderful for me, and I didn't feel bad because, like I said, I avoided a knee-banging tail-bone crushing slide on an iced trail with pointy rocks.

Tim thanks for pointing out the possibility of getting a lower segment instead of a whole new set a poles. Like boots, I have become attached to these.

peakbagger said:

I will admit they twist locks dont work as well in the winter especially with snow baskets. I attribute this to less grip strength with gloves to twist them tight, less resilence of the nylon expansion piece and the higher twist induced by snow baskets. I routinely crank my poles tight when I stop in winter and rarely so I have issues.

Click to expand...

Yep, that is exactly how I was using them - in winter with snow baskets. I cranked them as tight as I could, but either one or both would eventually loosen up after a short while and I would have to stop to readjust them. Even with cleaning, I still had the problem, but I don't use them that much so can't justify getting the BDs.

TomD said:

Yep, that is exactly how I was using them - in winter with snow baskets. I cranked them as tight as I could, but either one or both would eventually loosen up after a short while and I would have to stop to readjust them. Even with cleaning, I still had the problem, but I don't use them that much so can't justify getting the BDs.

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I never had an issue with the Leki twist locks. I do have Black Diamond carbon flick-lock poles for snowshowing and and they never loosened up even while hoisting myself up with my arms and making them bend.

But I had such a bad experience with Komperdell flick-locks that I returned them to EMS.

In the interests of world peace, this happy Leki user of some twenty years' tenure hereby offers a link to Leki Pole care and maintenance from the UK distributor. (When I last looked for the same from any U.S. source I didn't find it, but I haven't looked again now.)

peakbagger said:

I will admit they twist locks dont work as well in the winter especially with snow baskets. I attribute this to less grip strength with gloves to twist them tight, less resilence of the nylon expansion piece and the higher twist induced by snow baskets. I routinely crank my poles tight when I stop in winter and rarely so I have issues.

Click to expand...

I agree that reduced grip strength with gloves is the problem here. Leather or rubber (or artificial versions thereof) gripping surfaces on one's gloves can help. I sometimes bare-hand the poles if I have difficulty when wearing gloves. (Warning--if you do this when it is really cold, you risk freezing your hands to the pole...) If all else fails, get someone else to help--4 hands are stronger than 2.

Lubricating the expansion screws is also a big help because it reduces the force necessary to loosen or tighten the twist locks.

Doug

I took mine apart after one trip to see what was going on. Couldn't tell for sure. Nothing was broken and the parts and tube were clean. I think it is likely a moisture issue. I was in weather that was +/- freezing, so maybe that was it - Yosemite in February, fairly humid and wet snow, not the dry powdery stuff.

TomD said:

I took mine apart after one trip to see what was going on. Couldn't tell for sure. Nothing was broken and the parts and tube were clean. I think it is likely a moisture issue. I was in weather that was +/- freezing, so maybe that was it - Yosemite in February, fairly humid and wet snow, not the dry powdery stuff.

Click to expand...

Try lubricating the expansion screws--it made a big difference for me.

Doug

Remix said:

I never had an issue with the Leki twist locks. I do have Black Diamond carbon flick-lock poles for snowshowing and and they never loosened up even while hoisting myself up with my arms and making them bend.

But I had such a bad experience with Komperdell flick-locks that I returned them to EMS.

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BD flintlocks are my favorite, Leki's 2nd choice, those EMS komperdells, absolute junk, killed them in 2 yrs.

Thanks Doug, What do you recommend using? Something like teflon (I use that for my bike), silicone or some kind of oil based lube like WD-40 (which I find really messy and prefer to avoid, but is a good rust inhibitor)?

TomD said:

Thanks Doug, What do you recommend using? Something like teflon (I use that for my bike), silicone or some kind of oil based lube like WD-40 (which I find really messy and prefer to avoid, but is a good rust inhibitor)?

Click to expand...

You don't want something that will flow under normal-to-warm temps (ie don't use WD-40)--if it flows, it might get on the outside of the plastic expansion nuts. A non-flowing silicone grease would be a better choice.

I know I have used a tiny dab of petroleum jelly (Vaseline) and may also have used Dow Corning 4 Compound http://www.google.com/search?ie=ISO-8859-1&hl=en&source=hp&q=dow+corning+4+compound, a non-melting silicone dielectric and lubricant.

Petroleum jelly (melting point ~37C=99F) could melt in the hot sun, so the 4 Compound would probably be better--it is rated for -70--400F. (So I guess that Vaseline would be ok on ski poles but maybe not on trekking poles in the desert... ) In any case, I had no problem with the Vaseline flowing.

Dow Corning 4 Compound is available from a number of sources, including Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Dow-Corning-Electrical-Insulating-Compound/dp/B000LEX8TA

I suspect that other silicone greases would also work. (4 Compound has a somewhat firmer consistency than petroleum jelly.)

Doug

sierra said:

BD flintlocks are my favorite, Leki's 2nd choice, those EMS komperdells, absolute junk, killed them in 2 yrs.

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I've had twist lock EMS Komperdells for years. Love 'em. Bent one using it for a prybar but after a repair they're still just fine...

I use down hill ski poles -- never had them collapse - not even once.

And quite robust as well.

I bent the lower section of my Leki Malakus 3 times, and they have sent me replacement sections each time. Although the last time they did suggest that I get a heavier duty pole .