Top 6 compared
The best trekking poles
Easier on the knees going down, steadier on mud and scree, and more miles in the legs.
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The top 6 at a glance
Trekking poles are a pair of light, adjustable walking sticks, each with a grip at the top and a tip at the bottom. They’re not just for mountains: plenty of people use them on everyday trail walks and for staying steady on uneven ground. Telescopic poles slide in and out and lock at the length you set; folding Z-style poles come apart into short sections and pack smallest.
Most pairs here are aluminum with cork grips; carbon is lighter. Telescopic poles adjust to suit most heights, while folding ones come in sizes, so pick the one for your height. On flat ground, set the length so your elbow sits at about a right angle.
What matters
- Flip-locks or lever locks, quick to adjust even in gloves.
- Cork grips, which stay comfortable when hands get sweaty.
- A foam grip extension below the main grip.
- Spare tips and baskets for rock, mud and snow.
#1Foxelli Aluminum Trekking Poles
$30–$50
Aircraft-grade aluminum shafts with the cork grips, flip-locks and tungsten carbide tips hikers like on Foxelli’s carbon pair, and they cost less. They adjust from 24 to 54 in, so one pair suits almost any height, and come apart to 21 in to fit a suitcase.
What owners say: Hikers find them sturdy, light, well made and a good value, quick to set with the flip-locks, and credit the extra stability with keeping them upright on rocky trails. The cork grips win praise for comfort.
A closer look: On a long descent, lengthen both poles a couple of inches so they reach the ground ahead of you, then shorten them again for the climb back up. Between hikes, store them taken apart in the carry bag, which keeps grit out of the flip-locks and the carbide points off the car’s upholstery.
- Tungsten carbide tips
- Adjustable wrist straps
- Carry bag included
Best for: All-around hiking, any height
- Shaft
- Aluminum
- Weight per pole
- 9.4 oz
- Height range
- 24–54 in
- Packs down to
- 24 in (21 in apart)
- Grip
- Cork, EVA extension
- Locks
- Flip-lock
- Tips and baskets in the box
- All-terrain accessories (not itemized)
#2TrailBuddy 7075 Aluminum Trekking Poles
$30–$50
Lever locks that open and close one-handed, cork grips and padded straps on 7075 aluminum shafts weighing 9.7 oz a pole. TrailBuddy makes them in eight colors, so everyone in a hiking family can tell their own pair apart.
What owners say: Owners find them light but sturdy and quick to set to height, say they’ve been kept upright more than once, and like how easily they slip into a backpack. Most say they hold up well, though a few had a section break in use.
A closer look: Threaded tips keep the baskets and rubber feet from working loose in snow or mud. Taken apart, each pole is 21 in, short enough for a carry-on, and TrailBuddy suggests them for kids from about 7 as well as adults, backed by a 5-year limited warranty.
- Threaded tips hold baskets tight
- 5-year limited warranty
- Comes in eight colors
- Suits kids from about 7
- Padded wrist straps
Best for: Families with young hikers
- Shaft
- 7075 aluminum
- Weight per pole
- 9.7 oz
- Height range
- 24.5–54 in
- Packs down to
- 24.5 in (21 in apart)
- Grip
- Cork and EVA
- Locks
- Lever lock
- Tips and baskets in the box
- Mud and snow baskets, 4 rubber tips
#3Foxelli Carbon Fiber Trekking Poles
$50–$75
Carbon fiber makes these the lightest here at around 7.6 oz a pole, and the natural cork grips shape themselves to the hand over time.
What owners say: Owners describe them as light, well built and durable, one with hundreds of miles on them, and find them easy to set to height. The cork grips feel good and don’t slip, and several say the poles have kept them from falling.
A closer look: The foam section below the cork grip is there for steep climbs: hold lower down going uphill rather than shortening the pole every time. The clip in the box keeps the pair together in a closet or the car trunk, and replacement tips are sold separately for when the carbide points wear down.
- Cork shapes to your hand
- Clip keeps the pair together
- Tungsten carbide tips
- Padded wrist straps
Best for: Hikers who count every ounce
- Shaft
- Carbon fiber
- Weight per pole
- 7.6 oz
- Height range
- 24–54 in
- Packs down to
- 24 in (21 in apart)
- Grip
- Cork, EVA extension
- Locks
- Flip-lock
- Tips and baskets in the box
- Rubber tips, mud and snow baskets
#4KINGGEAR 7075 Aluminum Trekking Poles with Cork Grips
$20–$30
Cork grips with EVA foam below them, quick flip-locks and 7075 aluminum shafts, plus tips for every surface in the box: tungsten carbide for rock, rubber for sidewalks, Nordic walking boot tips, and baskets for mud and snow.
What owners say: Buyers rate the build, one finding them sturdier than expected. They’re easy to adjust and light, steady each step on inclines and help push up steep climbs.
A closer look: Put your hand up through the wrist strap from below, so the strap takes some of your weight on the way down rather than your grip alone. The angled boot tips are for Nordic walking on paved paths: fit them with the toe pointing backward, so the rubber sole meets the ground flat as you push off.
- Lifetime guarantee
- Tungsten carbide tips
- Adjustable wrist straps
Best for: Trails, sidewalks and Nordic walking
- Shaft
- 7075 aluminum
- Weight per pole
- 9.35 oz
- Height range
- 25.5–54 in
- Packs down to
- 25.5 in
- Grip
- Cork, EVA below
- Locks
- Flip-lock
- Tips and baskets in the box
- Snow and mud baskets, rubber and boot tips
#5Black Diamond Trail Trekking Poles (Pair)
$75–$100
Black Diamond’s FlickLock levers clamp the sections from the outside, quick to adjust with gloves on, and the dual-density foam grip extends down the shaft for choking up on climbs. Carbide Tech Tips bite on rock, dirt and ice, and at 17.1 oz the pair is the lightest aluminum set here.
What owners say: Owners rate the quality and find them very sturdy, one saying they’ve come through slips, trips and falls, and a few credit them with saving them from serious tumbles.
A closer look: Rubber tip covers are sold separately and worth adding for paved paths, and they protect the carbide tips in the car. To pack the poles, open both FlickLocks and slide the sections all the way down to 25 in, short enough to strap to the side of a daypack.
- Adjusts with gloves on
- Carbide tips bite on ice
Best for: Cold-weather hikes in gloves
- Shaft
- Aluminum
- Weight per pole
- 8.6 oz
- Height range
- 39–55 in
- Packs down to
- 25 in
- Grip
- Foam, extended
- Locks
- FlickLock (lever)
- Tips and baskets in the box
- Trekking baskets (rubber tips extra)
#6Hiker Hunger Folding Trekking Poles
$30–$50
Z-style poles that fold to 15 in and disappear into a daypack between the steep sections, made in two sizes so short and tall hikers both get the right fit, with metal flip-locks and cork grips. Hiker Hunger is based in Montana and tests its poles in the Rockies.
What owners say: Owners find them sturdy (one says they hold up to 300 lb), quick to put together and adjust, fairly priced and steady on rocky ground. Most say the locks hold firm, though a few found theirs didn’t stay put.
A closer look: Pick the size by height: the 39–47 in pair suits hikers up to 5 ft 8 in, the 45–53 in pair 5 ft 9 in and taller. Snap the sections together, set the length with the flip-lock, and fold them back into the carry bag for flat stretches or the trip home.
- Folds into a daypack
- Metal flip-locks
- Carry bag included
Best for: Travel and part-time use
- Shaft
- Aluminum
- Weight per pole
- 9.95 oz
- Height range
- 39–47 or 45–53 in
- Packs down to
- 15 in (folds)
- Grip
- Cork, EVA extensions
- Locks
- Folding, flip-lock
- Tips and baskets in the box
- Mud and snow baskets, rubber tips and feet
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 6.
| Feature | #1Foxelli aluminum | #2TrailBuddy | #3Foxelli carbon | #4KINGGEAR | #5Black Diamond Trail | #6Hiker Hunger folding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Lightest | Best budget | Best folding | |||
| Picked Rating | 9.6 | 9.4 | 9.4 | 9.3 | 9.1 | 8.9 |
| Price | $30–$50 | $30–$50 | $50–$75 | $20–$30 | $75–$100 | $30–$50 |
| Shaft | Aluminum | 7075 aluminum | Carbon fiber | 7075 aluminum | Aluminum | Aluminum |
| Weight per pole | 9.4 oz | 9.7 oz | 7.6 oz | 9.35 oz | 8.6 oz | 9.95 oz |
| Height range | 24–54 in | 24.5–54 in | 24–54 in | 25.5–54 in | 39–55 in | 39–47 or 45–53 in |
| Packs down to | 24 in (21 in apart) | 24.5 in (21 in apart) | 24 in (21 in apart) | 25.5 in | 25 in | 15 in (folds) |
| Grip | Cork, EVA extension | Cork and EVA | Cork, EVA extension | Cork, EVA below | Foam, extended | Cork, EVA extensions |
| Locks | Flip-lock | Lever lock | Flip-lock | Flip-lock | FlickLock (lever) | Folding, flip-lock |
| Tips and baskets in the box | All-terrain accessories (not itemized) | Mud and snow baskets, 4 rubber tips | Rubber tips, mud and snow baskets | Snow and mud baskets, rubber and boot tips | Trekking baskets (rubber tips extra) | Mud and snow baskets, rubber tips and feet |
| Best for | All-around hiking, any height | Families with young hikers | Hikers who count every ounce | Trails, sidewalks and Nordic walking | Cold-weather hikes in gloves | Travel and part-time use |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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