Top 6 compared
The best walking poles
Easier on the knees going down, steadier in the mud, and more miles in the legs.
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The top 6 at a glance
Walking poles are a pair of light sticks with hand grips and wrist straps, planted alongside each step so your arms share the work with your legs. They’re not just for mountains: plenty of people use them on everyday country walks. Telescopic poles slide down in sections and adjust to any height in their range; folding Z-style poles snap apart into short pieces that pack smaller.
Most here are aluminium; carbon fibre saves weight. Poles help most going downhill, where they take some of the load off the knees, and on mud, scree and stepping stones, where two extra points of contact keep you steady. Rubber tips suit pavements, and baskets stop the pole sinking into mud and snow.
What matters
- A height range that fits, especially for very tall or short walkers.
- A packed length that fits your daypack or suitcase.
- Light poles: the grams add up over a long day.
- Locks that work in gloves; flip-locks are quickest to set.
#1TheFitLife Carbon Fibre Trekking Poles
£30–£50
- About 200g per pole
- Quick flip-locks
- Waterproof carry bag
Carbon fibre shafts at about 200g a pole, with natural cork grips, quick flip-locks and a 62–135cm range that suits most heights. A waterproof carry bag and tips for mud, snow and rock come in the box. Trekrite’s pair below is a women’s model; these suit men and women alike.
What owners say: Owners find them very light and easy to adjust, with grips that stay comfortable on a climb and good support for balance; the recurring complaint is durability, with several reporting poles that broke easily.
A closer look: Carbon is stiff and light but tends to snap rather than bend under a sideways load, so plant the tips ahead of you and avoid levering on them between rocks. Note the number on the scale that suits you, and both poles can be set to it in seconds next time.
Best for: Lightest weight
- Shaft
- Carbon fibre
- Weight per pole
- About 200g
- Height range
- 62–135cm
- Packs down to
- 62cm
- Grip
- Cork
- Locks
- Flip-lock
#2Trekrite Walking Poles for Women (pair)
£20–£30
- Light at 245g a pole
- Anti-shock springs
- Padded wrist straps
- No quick-release lever locks
A pair made for women: 245g aluminium poles with twist-locks, anti-shock springs and padded wrist straps, adjusting from 65 to 135cm, with ferrules, mud and snow baskets, walking feet and a storage bag in the box.
What owners say: Owners find them well made, light, sturdy and easy to adjust, and say they help on steep coastal walks; the purple goes down well too.
A closer look: Set the height so your forearm is level when the tip is on flat ground, and leave it there for most walks. Slip your hand up through the padded wrist strap from underneath, so the strap takes some of the load and you can hold the handle loosely.
Best for: Women
- Shaft
- Aluminium
- Weight per pole
- 245g
- Height range
- 65–135cm
- Packs down to
- 65cm
- Grip
- EVA foam
- Locks
- Twist-lock
#3Foxelli Carbon Fibre Walking Poles
£50–£75
- Extends to 137cm
- About 215g per pole
- Lower foam grip for climbs
Tungsten carbide tips, padded wrist straps and a long 61–137cm range for taller walkers, on carbon fibre poles of about 215g each with cork grips that shape themselves to the hand over time.
What owners say: Owners find them light enough to carry in a day pack, like the cork handles, and say they take pressure off the knees going downhill; they find them easy to use and to extend to the length they want.
A closer look: Going uphill, hold the poles lower down on the foam rather than shortening them every time, and go back to the cork grip when the path levels out. Keep the spare tips and baskets in the carry bag between walks, so nothing goes missing.
Best for: Tall people
- Shaft
- Carbon fibre
- Weight per pole
- About 215g
- Height range
- 61–137cm
- Packs down to
- 61cm (24in)
- Grip
- Cork
- Locks
- Flip-lock
#4TheFitLife Telescopic Trekking Poles
£20–£30
- Packs into three 54.5cm pieces
- Shock-absorbing spring
- Mud and snow baskets included
- No quick-release lever locks
Light, simple aluminium poles with a shock-absorbing spring to soften hard paths and every tip you might need in the box, from rubber feet to snow baskets. TheFitLife sizes them for teenagers as well as adults, so one pair can be shared round the family.
What owners say: Owners rate the build and find them sturdy and quick to adjust, with weight taken off the knees on climbs and descents; the recurring complaint is a few locks that slip or fail.
A closer look: Split into three sections, they fit diagonally in most suitcases of 22 inches or more, which makes them handy for walking holidays. Before a steep descent, give each twist-lock a firm turn and lean on the pole to check it holds, as twist-locks can work loose over a long day.
Best for: Cost friendly
- Shaft
- Aluminium
- Weight per pole
- 282g
- Height range
- 65–130cm
- Packs down to
- 54.5cm in 3 pieces
- Grip
- Rubber
- Locks
- Twist-lock
#5COVACURE Folding Walking Poles (pair)
£20–£30
- Folds to 35cm
- Quick flip-locks
- Snow, mud and rubber tips
- Adjusts only 110–130cm
Z-style folding poles in 7075 aluminium that shrink to 35cm, small enough to vanish inside a daypack between the steep bits. Each sets between 110 and 130cm with a flip-lock, the EVA foam handles soak up sweat, and snow, mud and rubber tips come in the box.
What owners say: Owners find them steady on rough ground, light and quick to put together, and like how small they fold for a pack; durability is the mixed point, with some reporting sections snapping off.
A closer look: After a wet or muddy walk, unfold the sections and leave them to dry before packing them away, since grit and water trapped in the joints are what wear folding poles out. Wipe the tips before folding them into the pack, so mud stays off the rest of your kit.
Best for: Packing smallest
- Shaft
- 7075 aluminium
- Weight per pole
- About 280g
- Height range
- 110–130cm
- Packs down to
- 35cm (folds)
- Grip
- EVA foam
- Locks
- Folding, flip-lock
#6Trekology TREK-Z Folding Walking Poles
£30–£50
- Folds to 38cm
- Quick flip-locks
- Carry bag included
- Short 20cm adjustment range
Folding poles made in two lengths, so shorter and taller walkers each get a pole sized for them, with metal lock caps that hold after repeated folding and cork-coloured EVA foam grips that wick sweat from the hands. Each weighs about 300g and folds small for a bag.
What owners say: Owners praise the quality and find them light, quick to assemble and small enough folded for a backpack; some find they slip down when leaned on hard.
A closer look: Choose the size by your height: the 100–120cm pair suits walkers from 4ft 11in to 5ft 10in, the 115–135cm pair 5ft 5in to 6ft 5in. Each has only a 20cm range, so pick by height rather than by the length you think you’ll want on hills.
Best for: A size for your height
- Shaft
- Aluminium
- Weight per pole
- 294–306g
- Height range
- 100–120 or 115–135cm
- Packs down to
- 38cm (folds)
- Grip
- EVA foam
- Locks
- Folding, flip-lock
Side by side
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 6.
| Feature | #1TheFitLife Carbon | #2Trekrite women’s | #3Foxelli carbon | #4TheFitLife Telescopic | #5COVACURE folding | #6Trekology TREK-Z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best premium | Best budget | ||||
| Picked Rating | 9.1 | 9.2 | 9.0 | 8.9 | 8.7 | 8.7 |
| Price | £30–£50 | £20–£30 | £50–£75 | £20–£30 | £20–£30 | £30–£50 |
| Shaft | Carbon fibre | Aluminium | Carbon fibre | Aluminium | 7075 aluminium | Aluminium |
| Weight per pole | About 200g | 245g | About 215g | 282g | About 280g | 294–306g |
| Height range | 62–135cm | 65–135cm | 61–137cm | 65–130cm | 110–130cm | 100–120 or 115–135cm |
| Packs down to | 62cm | 65cm | 61cm (24in) | 54.5cm in 3 pieces | 35cm (folds) | 38cm (folds) |
| Grip | Cork | EVA foam | Cork | Rubber | EVA foam | EVA foam |
| Locks | Flip-lock | Twist-lock | Flip-lock | Twist-lock | Folding, flip-lock | Folding, flip-lock |
| Best for | Lightest weight | Women | Tall people | Cost friendly | Packing smallest | A size for your height |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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