Every day I am asked about the best walking poles for use in hilly terrain. And every day I say the same consistent thing: “cross country ski racers don’t change pole length at the bottom of the hill and again at the top”. There is a huge myth going round that you need shorter poles on the uphill and longer on the downhill.
One-piece poles prove to be safer, lighter and much more durable for all Nordic Sports – including cross country skiing, Nordic walking, Nordic running, Nordic blading (inline skatng), Nordic Snowshoing and roller skiing. Nordic sports enthusiasts would NEVER consider trading their lighter + stronger one-piece poles for heavier and questionable 2-piece or 3-piece poles.
My wife and I don’t change pole length each evening when we Nordic walk or Nordic run up the mile long trail behind town to the scenic look-out on Alligator Hill or when we continue on our favorite loop that returns back down to the trail head. We have also tested our SWIX and EXEL Nordic walking poles in the Grand Canyon, Rocky Mountains, White Mountains, on the Application trail and in the Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes. One-piece poles that are sized correctly work great in the city, out in the country and up in the mountains.
Our daughter is a professional outdoor educator and Outward Bound instructor. The #1 equipment failures while in the wilderness are 2-piece and 3-piece twist-lock and flip-lock poles (typically the ones from China, but not always).
If twist-locks and flip-locks were so awesome ski shops and ski rental shops would have them for rental and demo.
Check out a sampling of the disappointing reviews at REI regarding collapsible poles – some costing nearly $200.00!
I broke 2 pair while hiking the PCT this summer. The grips on the handles came unglued on the first pair in the desert after 3 days. The second pair snapped in the cold High Sierras (I was barely leaning on them).
* Locking mechanism very difficult to get it to lock. Very annoying if you want to change length of poles frequently.
* Poles are delicate and not suitable for heavy duty use (and I only weigh 150#).
*Bottom Line No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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I was very disappointed when my locking mechanism failed. When I originally purchased these on sale, there were several pairs that would not lock. I had to pick through a lot to find a pair that would work. I was hoping that it was a manufacturing flaw, and that the pair I found would work. I have used them about four times, and I can no longer lock them. I am unimpressed with how it locks.
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These are typical of comments that I hear every day from individuals that accidentally purchased twist-lock and flip-lock poles from other sources. It doesn’t matter if it is REI, Cabela’s, EMS, LLB or another big name store. I am told over and over again about collapsible poles and how they tend to rattle, vibrate and/or collapse unexpectedly.
Seniors and individuals with balance issues should especially avoid cheap flip-lock and twist-lock collapsible poles. Be sure to look for the Perfect Length Poles for your height. At SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System we offer 16 different lengths of REAL Nordic Walking Poles. Some companies only offer three sizes and others maybe six, but they can’t provide the Perfect Length Poles for most people.
Perfect length poles help us to automatically walk with a super straight back - better walking posture is biomechanically a good thing. This improved walking posture when combined with the unique 4-Wheel-Drive type action of walking with poles radically reduces the stress to the shins, knees, hips and back. Nordic Walking is low impact and yet provides a highly effective workout - burning more calories and working more muscle groups than regular walking.
Don’t get caught up in the marketing hype that suggests 2-piece and 3-piece poles are the best option for hilly terrain.
Nordic Sports are the best!
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