Alpine Summit 100% Carbon Fiber Trekking Poles - (Pair) with Cork Grips and Strong Aluminum Fliplocks. Includes All Terrain Tips and Travel Bag. for Men or Women

I've been slowly transitioning into hiking this year and for a big and tall guy (> 6'5) that's a feat, but it's been working out better with the hope of hitting a few national parks next year. It's all good and well, but sometimes I really ache after a weekend afternoon out.. or I find myself on some fairly rough trails. I had my eye on some trekking poles for sometime and dialed into a specific length and bells and whistles.. When I came across this set I had to nab them quickly.The key features I was looking for: lightweight, long enough, and sturdy. The Golden Flow meet all those and then some.On first inspection - the poles look great. The coloring is fun with the black and yellow, and everything was in the bag as promised. The snaps worked well, and the grips looked rugged.Being a tall fellow I found I could adjust these poles long enough to go past the recommended 90 degree angle your arm should make to the ground (137 cm). I could put considerable weight on them in pushing off and they didn't flex or bow. I did a few laps in my apartment to try and figure out a gait and length, but it wasn't until I opted for a four mile hike that I really got a feel for them.I ended up using these more like ski poles so digging in at an angle and using it to help propel me forward. They worked like a champ, and not even maxed out in height! The grips kept my sweaty hands dry and no blisters.The ultimate proof was the distance covered and not needing a break to flop down on the trail for a few fifteen minute break. Though not as hilly - the area was way longer than I normally go at a time and I have been missing a few weekends in the field. I was expecting to get wiped out but to my surprise I was still on my feet the entire time. Granted the mosquitoes and grasshoppers were in plague level proportions so stopping was a hassle to get water, but I powered through with the help of the Alpine Summit sticks.My knees were not giving me a dull ache like normal nor my feet. Loosing footing wasn't an issue, and at worst my arms and upper body got a bit more of a work out than the usual flopping around of my arms while stumping around in the woods. Oh, and the poles never lost their height spot so no product slippage. I also dig the latch system.In the end if you are on the big and tall side of the spectrum (presumably normal folk this applies to you as well), and looking to start hiking, you can't go wrong with these. Good price, good quality, and should help you get the most out of your time outdoors. Occasionally on sale and worth every dime of the full price.The only oddity was their registration paperwork was pointing to an old URL, but Google solved that.

I gave my wife a set of Alpine Summit trekking poles for Christmas. She loves to travel and hike. She took the Dog ( we have a large dog ) to a park for some exercise. She was following the dog and found herself on an icy incline. She had brought the poles with her just in case. She used one hand for the dog and one hand for one trekking pole. She removed the attachment and used the point to stab into the ice for stability while walking. She slipped and almost fell twice. She had a good grip on the trekking pole and it saved her from falling on the icy surface. The trekking pole with the point for ice held its stability and saved her from falling, which she would have if not for the pole to stabilize her. She also went to another country for a trip and vacation and used the poles for hiking on irregularly shaped rocks. The attachments worked well and held their grip on the rocks. She is able to easily adjust the height of the poles for different terrains and applications. She uses these poles for stability when walking the dog in the rain and with the correct accessory attachment they are very stable even on a wet surface. She loves these poles. So far, we are beyond satisfied. I was down to two different manufacturers of trekking poles for her and I chose the Alpine Summit because these had a better variety of accessories and a clear and comprehensive consumer video which their competitor did not. So, so far, three cheers and two thumbs up for Alpine Summit trekking poles. We are beyond satisfied and very pleased with this purchase. I would highly recommend these poles to anyone who loves the outdoors and hiking on a variety or terrains.

I live in AZ and generally hike on rough, rocky terrain. After about a 10 mile hike around Sedona over Memorial Day, I noticed I was sacrificing my knees to protect my ankles (which I've rolled and twisted more times then I can count) on the uneven downhills. After about three months of on and off soreness from that experience, I decided to look into some poles. These are good price for their specs. I broke them in on a hike of Mount Humphreys (~9 miles, 3,000 ft of elevation gain), and they helped more than I expected. At first I felt a bit like a spider having to keep track of my extra limbs, but I found myself using them for leverage on big steps up and for balance/support on tricky steps down. It's akin to having a stairway railing at all points of your hike. Cork handles barely rubbed and I tend to blister on my hands pretty easily; and my fingers tend swell during hikes and the poles kept them from that as well. I didn't even notice the weight, they are so light. I even got compliments on the design. My only non-five-star rating is due to the fact that on the way up the first hike, one of the 'regular' tip covers fell off! Serendipitously, I wandered across it on the way back down and was able to retrieve it. I was worried after such a strenuous hike, I'd be done for; but these protected my knees and ankles well enough to do another 4 mile hike the next day. These come with a bag and clips for storage and some other ends, I haven't tried out yet. Over all, it's worth the 30-40$ to try them out and see for yourself!