Wal Mart Poles vs the Expensive Stuff

[BobC]

I used Swiss Gear poles bought at Wal-mart for my first year-and-a-half of hiking, then I broke my right hand in 2007, and after I was out of the cast, I found I didn't have the strength to adjust them while my hand was still healing. I went out and spent about $70 on a pair of Black Diamond 3-section flick-lock poles. They've lasted since January 2008 and I like the flick-lock adjustments a lot better...especially in the winter when gloved hands and cold can make it tougher to turn the old twist-adjustment type of poles. So you might want to consider that in your decision to buy poles - twist or flick-lock....

 

[DougPaul]

My son ripped one Leki right out of the socket last Sunday while skiing. He says the basket got caught in the orange plastic netting and the pole section ripped right out. It broke the internal aluminum screw in half. I'm not even sure I'll be able to extricate the parts but it is worth a try.

Better to break the pole than one's arm... And much cheaper to fix or replace.

A safety guideline for BC skiing: take your hands out of the wrist loops on the downhills in case a pole catches in the underbrush. (Not usually necessary when skiing at commercial areas...)

Doug

 

[DougPaul]

I used Swiss Gear poles bought at Wal-mart for my first year-and-a-half of hiking, then I broke my right hand in 2007, and after I was out of the cast, I found I didn't have the strength to adjust them while my hand was still healing. I went out and spent about $70 on a pair of Black Diamond 3-section flick-lock poles. They've lasted since January 2008 and I like the flick-lock adjustments a lot better...especially in the winter when gloved hands and cold can make it tougher to turn the old twist-adjustment type of poles. So you might want to consider that in your decision to buy poles - twist or flick-lock....

I've also helped a friend try to adjust her flick-locks--the mechanisms were jammed and neither of us could release them.

Twist lock mechanisms are easier to operate if you put a tiny dab of vaseline or silicone on the screw threads (do not get any on the outside of the expansion nuts).

The aluminum tubing of either design can become corroded if you don't dry them out after use.

Bottom line: both systems work well if properly cared for.

Doug

 

[DougPaul]

I've got Leiki poles and they have held up very well. The only time one bent was when I was falling downhill and had the wrist strap attached and got all tangled up. I've removed the wrist straps now since I won't use them and they annoy me when they dangle.

Of course, any pole can bend or break if you fall on it...

Wrist loops save energy and help keep your hands warm. (Gripping a pole tightly impedes the circulation in your hands.)

As noted in one of my earlier posts, it is safer not to use the wrist loops on BC downhills so that one does not risk injuring an arm if a basket catches in the underbrush.

Doug

 

[Bob Kittredge]

I've have a couple from Wally World, and they're OK, though I normally only carry them in summer and unlimber them only when I have a stream crossing.

But the baskets aren't very big and they have twist locks rather than flick locks, so they don't always work well in winter. For winter I carry my old cross country ski poles.

 

[daxs]

I'm not impressed with my Lekis. Collapsed all the time until I ran over them with the car....

 

[Viewseeker]

i've used my wal-mart poe for like 4-5 yrs.. Yes they dont tighten sometimes but an easy fix by taking them apart as there is a screw that backs out that keeps the tightening part working, some thread lock and good for another yr+.. Ive sure bent them to but was my fault leaving them struck in spots and over rotating before talking them up and out. Baskets for snow break easy, metal ones would be better.. all in all ive seen high dollar ones been the same way. walmart now even offers the new side lock style, least they did, price was like $25 pair comparied to twist style of $18 pair... I will continue using them since money is spent well better on gear to keep me dry and comfy, poles are pole IMO.

 

[Little Rickie]

I love shopping at Walmart and get lots of gear there but I own Lekis. Light weight and tough. They've flexed a lot going downhill and made me wonder if they were going to hold up but have never bent or snapped. If then did, no worries, there is a lifetime warranty.

If your not tough on poles or hike a lot Walmart will be fine.

 

[J.Dub]

I've had Swissgear poles from Walmart for several years now.

Same here, though I think I got mine at Target. They worked great for a couple years and have been all over the ADKs, Presis and Rainier. For the price, I didn't feel at all bad about hacking them to add a threaded camera mount in place of the cheese-tastic compass mounted in the top of the handle.

Paradox did pick up some nice BD Flicklocks on Steep and Cheap for like $50, though, so you might catch something like that too.

Same here, as the Swissgear poles twist-locks are starting to get a little worn and they have a tendency to collapse at inopportune moments. One of the guides on Rainier had BD Flicklocks and they were sweeeeeeet.

 

[expat]

Not worth it, I don't trust it.

My Black Diamond poles are lost in storage after a move, and I needed at least one pole for a trip last weekend. I bought the Outdoor brand at Walmart. It is constructed very similarly to the BD's with flick-lock and the expansion cuts in the metal were the same.

1) they're definitely heavier
2) the basket (which is smaller than the BD's) broke within the first mile.
3) the middle section bent with very little pressure when I lost my balance and the pole went deeper into the snow. I've put more pressure on my BD's without any bending. I was able to straighten the section enough to keep it usable through the trip.

So, it got me out of a pinch, but I wouldn't plan to use it any more. I don't trust it.

 

[Paradox]

I found that the points on the Wallyworld poles were a mild steel that bends easily and then glides over granite in very short order. Hence, I stopped using them. I believe Kevin Rooney has a line on carbide replacement points, but I was unable to find them and lost interest.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

I found that the points on the Wallyworld poles were a mild steel that bends easily and then glides over granite in very short order. Hence, I stopped using them. I believe Kevin Rooney has a line on carbide replacement points, but I was unable to find them and lost interest.

Of the Wallyworld poles I've seen, the basic replacement Leki tips you get at EMS, REI, etc should work fine.

An observation on poles that collapse - over the years I've had two pairs of poles which essentially were worn out, but I liked their feel and couldn't part with them, so ... I got out the drill with an 1/8" bit, a hacksaw, a few 10d nails, and a ballpeen hammer. Adjust the poles to where they are most comfortable, and place them gently in a vice. Drill a hole just below the nylon ring, and slip a 10d nail into it. Use the vice to hold the nail, and use the hacksaw to cut the protruding nail about 3/16" beyond where it projects from the pole. Finally, laying the pole on a flat spot near the rear of the vice, gently round over the nail, creating a permanent rivet. Repeat as necessary on any section which collapses unexpectedly.

Those puppies will never collapse again. The entire procedure takes less than 5 minutes per joint.

 

[Quietman]

I found that the points on the Wallyworld poles were a mild steel that bends easily and then glides over granite in very short order. Hence, I stopped using them. I believe Kevin Rooney has a line on carbide replacement points, but I was unable to find them and lost interest.

I use a drill with a cutting wheel attachment to occasionally sharpen them and make the ridges deeper so that they don't glide on smooth rock. I've never had them actually bend.

 

[REK]

I use old ski poles that I fish out of the swap shop at the dump. I leave enough basket on to keep them out of the rocks. Four years ago I forgot these on a trip and stopped in to visit the Wal-Martians in N. Conway and grabbed a pair of the Swiss Gear twist lock poles. (it really irked me to buy them because I'm cheap). I payed $18 for the pair and they worked just fine. They eventually stopped adjusting, the innards broke, so I just tightened them up and didn't worry about it. I broke one of them last summer on Ridge o' Caps when I fell on it. I probably won't replace them because I don't care for springy poles. I'll go back to the rigid downhill poles.

There is one humorous story about these poles. During one hike my son and I arrived in the dooryard of Mizpah and passed by a guy who was resting on the wall. He was what I call a "Brand-name Bill". He had all the right gear and was showing it off. I watched him look at me up and down and then focus on my cheap Wal Martian poles and actually made a face of disapproval at me. I thought I was seeing things but my son noticed it too.

All in all I was pleasantly surprised at the use I got out of the poles at the price I paid.
Bob

 

[am&pm]

We met a thru hiker in the Whites named "Lumpy". He had a pair of stout tree limbs. Must have got em cheap. Just a thought.

 

[grouseking]

Wow, this seems to be a popular topic! Good stuff though, I'm glad a thread I started is finally useful.

There seems to be overwhelming evidence that I'd be getting what I paid for if I went for a 20 dollar set of poles from Wal Mart. That is what I was afraid of. I may end up getting the cheap ones anyways because I need something to tide me over, before I can save up to buy some real ones.

Or maybe I can rent? Does anyone know if I can rent from a place like EMS, and how much it costs?

 

[NewHampshire]

I use the cheapo poles all the time. I usually get over a year from each set, but mind you I am very rough on them. I use them (literally) to whack trees while bushwhacking. I get them jammed in snow when taking spills. They get dented, scraped, bent, smashed and rebent back into a somewhat straight line by me. They take their licking and keep on ticking. I refuse to buy expensive poles because a combination of my height (6'4") and weight (depending on the time of year and how much gear can be around 275 in summer, close to 300 in winter) it means poles are getting bent, no matter how good a quality or not. So why should I pay $70 or more for poles that will last me as long as the $20 pair? Oh sure, this company or that company may provide free replacement sections if I bend one, but honestly I put a bend in my poles at least one out of three or four hikes......and I really don't feel like testing a company's custmoer service that often.

Bottom line....cheap poles have worked to my desired expectations from the very beginning.

Brian

 

[Oldmanwinter]

If Failure is OK

If you're OK with failures while on the trail then go with the cheap $10 poles and get a new pair before the next hike, you'll save lots of money. If it's important that you're pole doesn't collapse when you're leaning hard on them while decending sending you into a downhill faceplant, pay a few extra bucks and get something you can depend on.

 

[TCD]

It's a good point that the degree to which you rely on poles is a factor in how unreliable a pole you will tolerate. I didn't use poles for the first 20 years of hiking and running. Now I use them occasionally, usually for long trips with a heavy pack. I use them mostly for a little light knee relief, and occasionally some balance. I almost never lean on them heavily to get through a particular hiking motion. So I am perfectly happy with cheap poles; if they break, it's only a minor inconvenience to finish the hike without them.

Others have posted that they really rely on the poles as critical equipment, due to injured knees or other reasons. If you are in that group, you need the most reliable ones, which will cost more. And carry a spare - they are light enough.

 

[Stash]

I had decent luck with the Job Lot poles for a number of years but eventuallay they failed at the twist lock. I don't rely heavily on them so it's not that critical to me. Just a dab for balance and I can get a good rythm going if I'm using them. Replacement are EMS/Komperdal 2-piece I got on clearance for $15 including summer and winter baskets. I've beat the heck out of them for a few years now and snapped one from improper use (pry bar) but they're repaired and still going. It's not about the $ but about how they work for you.