****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
Amazon sells such a variety of carbon fiber poles in this price range, it's anybody's guess which model is the best. I took a chance on these Hiker Hunger poles and, after 5 months of regular use, I can say I'm happy with their performance.The trails around me are mostly in the moderate to low-end difficult range, with lots of rocks and some fairly steep climbs, but nothing super challenging for an all-seasons day hiker. In other words, these poles aren't called upon to save my life or face harsh alpine conditions, but they do deal with rugged terrain and need to protect my knees on descents with lots of 1-2 foot drops from rock to rock.Since carbon fiber poles in this price range generally offer the same features (cork upper grip, foam rubber lower grip, telescoping length adjustment, 7-8 ounce weight), the differentiator for me is how well the lever locks keep the poles from collapsing under weight.Explanatory note: The first poles I ever bought were aluminum, and besides being noisy and heavy, they were susceptible to collapsing when the temperature dropped (the aluminum would contract in the cold, but the plastic locks wouldn't, so the locks were no longer tight enough to keep smaller pole segments from collapsing into the barrels of the larger segments when I put weight pressure on them).That's a long setup for saying that, of the trekking pole brands I've tried, this Hiker Hunger model has been the most reliable in regard to staying locked in position. Over 150-200 miles of use, they have yet to collapse or slip even a bit, and I've hiked with them in heavy rain. The locking mechanism seems well designed.My only criticism is the same I have for other cork-grip poles I've tested: the grip is too skinny. My hands are relatively small, so it can't just be me who wishes for a chunkier grip.I have multiple sclerosis. Walking on any flat surface is difficult for me because my feet and my brain don’t “communicate” very well.My neurologist recommended buying trekking poles and said they were much better than using a cane. HOLY SMOKES was he right.I first bought a pair trekking poles made out of aluminum. They helped but something about the aluminum made it less than ideal for my needs in regard to walking in pastures here on our ranch.I bought a second set of trekking poles to keep in our car, this time made of carbon fiber. Yes, they are VERY EXPENSIVE compared to ones made out of aluminum but for me, I they work much better because of the MS factor. The carbon fiber poles provide the necessary feedback I need in order to communicate my brain to my feet.When a person has multiple sclerosis, scarring (lesions in myelin sheath) interfere with information that the brain, feet and legs need in order to decipher the walking surface and where the feet are “going” when walking. My carbon trekking poles somehow provide the “missing link” I needed to walk on concrete, asphalt, grass and other surfaces.I’m a happy camper now (or I should say, a happy “walker”…)I picked these up for my elk hunting trip in CO and they were so nice to have. They're super lightweight, extremely strong, adjustable to all sizes and very useful. I was surprised how much they could help during the steep inclines. Great if you have a big pack you're carrying.Strong but lightweight, great adjustability. Was looking for carbon rather than the flimsier aluminum. Glad to support a U.S. business. Comes with several tips, all rubber rather than plastic. Great buy. I’ll use them for walking balance but would be great for hiking too.Absolutely amazing trekking poles especially for the price!!!My wife and I just finished hiking over 300 miles throughout the Vermont Long trail and they took a rug and beating and helped us every bit along the way!They are right up there equivalently or better with $200 poles, they weigh less and they collapse to even shorter lengths than almost all.Would absolutely buy them again and recommend them!I have to say that i was a bit skeptical since these poles come in for under $100, but i was pleasantly surprised how solid they are. I am a bow hunter and i used these poles while hunting in the rugged Oregon coastal mountain range. If you’re on the fence, buy them. You won’t be disappointed.Lighter than my last ones, and the locking actuators are great. Storage bag needs to be larger in width.We have several brands of hiking poles, and have had discard some cheaper ones in the past. These are fast to set up, come with lots of tips, and are light weight. If the grandkids are with us they get these and I use our name brand ones. When the grands are not along, I use these.Worked as promised! I've taken them on two 5-6 night backpacking trips and they did the job perfectly! The clips hold pretty well, they only get a little shorter throughout a long day, the cork handles and straps work great!The set took a bit of time to set up the bottom grips. The metal end is very good for walking on icy walks . Has good grip . Not all walking pokes have this feature unless one buys a ski pole.The cheaper aluminum poles I purchased prior to these were irritatingly loud.These are much quieter, more comfortable and easier to adjust.I also ordered larger replacement tips at the same time.I did not find that the use of these trekking poles led to any improvement in lower back pain while walking. Moreover, the rubber tips at the ends of the poles, being used on the sidewalk only, wore out after about 2 weeks (nightly 1 mile walk).Great product, easy setup, lots of attachments, I feel comfortable and confident using them, it has increased my ability to walk after a back injury, Thanku so much,
