New walking pole

[Huntsman247]

So I've been using the carbon montbell alpine pole with the cork handle. Absolutely loved it and it held my weight without breaking over countless stumbles.
I've snapped the tip clean of unfortunately as it got wedged in a narrow granite crack.
I've seen aluminum poles bend and snap over much less.
My question is, would a full carbon fiber pole be stronger? The mont bell us an aluminum shaft with a carbon fiber shell.
I'm after a pole that can save me from a fall and not snap, cork handle and anti-shock was nice but not essential.
All reviews seem to promote the black diamond alpine carbon poles. But their double the weight of the mont bell and not keen on how the handle looks.
I'm trying to decide if I should stick to the same pole or is there something better?

[crollsurf]

One things for sure, when Carbon fails, its catastrophic so if you're using it as a tent pole, go Aluminium. You can normally fix Aluminium to some degree with tape, especially if its telescopic. A splinted Carbon Fibre tent pole in the wind... you can imagine.

I use my pole like an old persons walking stick so can't really comment further other than to say after using an anti-shock pole, I would never go back to a pole without it.

[Petew]

The Helinox poles are pretty study. Aluminium, pretty light. Plus, if you manage to break it you can get spares/get it fixed easily enough.

[photohiker]

I have had the PacerPoles since 2010. Mine are aluminium. http://www.pacerpole.com

Have used them since 2010 around AU and over places like NZ, UK, EU.Still using the same ones, and have never had problems with them, never bent or broken them.

The top of the Pacer is bent compared to most other poles which are straight. Never had a problem with the bend and like the bent Pacers.

The carbon ones are lighter, but probably easier to wreck them.

[crollsurf]

Drop (massdrop) have Fizan poles that look like a good price/weight/strength combo. Worth a look
https://drop.com/buy/massdrop-fizan-compact

[CraigVIC]

Kathmandu sell Fizan, so you can check them out in-store.

[Wazza1]

I am with Photohiker. My Pacer poles are 8 years old and covered many thousands of kms in Aust and Europe.
When I used them first time they were a revelation compared with other poles which I had used previously. I am 78yrs old and known to stumble. They have saved me many times without any damage except for scratches.
I credit them with extending my bushwalking life (with Aarn packs) by many years.
I recommend go web site then read the reviews, spare parts are available.
For what it is worth they are standard equipment for UK mountain squads.

[Huntsman247]

Thanks for the suggestions so far but i would really prefer one with a cork handle. Does anyone know of another manufacturer that makes 'hybrid' poles i.e aluminum core wrapped in carbon?

[Petew]

Sounds like you should stick to your montbell ones?

[Huntsman247]

Sounds like you should stick to your montbell ones?

I'd like something I can get spare parts for....

[Petew]

Have you had no luck with montbell parts wise? I know Larry Adler/Montbell stores in Aus have an annoying exclusive deal which means you can't order direct from Japan.

Have you looked at the Lekki? Range of poles? I believe that spares are available. Otherwise do montbell still make the same poles you have? You already have a ton of spares;)

[Huntsman247]

Have you had no luck with montbell parts wise? I know Larry Adler/Montbell stores in Aus have an annoying exclusive deal which means you can't order direct from Japan.

Have you looked at the Lekki? Range of poles? I believe that spares are available. Otherwise do montbell still make the same poles you have? You already have a ton of spares;)

No luck with montbell aus. Probably if I was in japan I could get spares but I don't think they really want to bother. New stuff and accessories only. I.e baskets and rubber tips.

I'll take a look Lekki ones tonight. Never heard of them.
I do have spares now lol but i foresee that the lower segment which is the thinnest, really is what is most likely to break. That's the part that snapped.

[Redtail]

Thanks for the suggestions so far but i would really prefer one with a cork handle. Does anyone know of another manufacturer that makes 'hybrid' poles i.e aluminum core wrapped in carbon?

I've been using the carbon version of the BigStik this season. Love it!
There's also an alloy version along the lines of what you're asking for.
Not cheap.
The website looks like it was built in the 90's (or earlier, if that's possible?), but they're for real. Mine was delivered within 10 days.
http://www.neotrekk.com/

[Petew]

That website is old school. I like it.

[coimon]

I thought the Ruta Locura website would trump it, but I was wrong

[Biggles]

"I'm trying to decide if I should stick to the same pole or is there something better?"

Better. And not CF. Blind faith in carbon fibre poles is disastrous. And costly.

A broken tip is significant as this part of the pole is by design the strongest. It has to be. If that breaks, the pole as a whole is very doubtful.
]
Strength and durability do not go together with carbon fibre. You can have the lightest carbon pole you can find, but that won't make it also the most durable or strongest. A broken tip? I have never, ever had a broken tip in any of my trekking poles, and I certainly do not mollycoddle them. People I walk with haven't had breakages, and their poles are veterans of goodness-knows how many walks. I have broken a basket though.
A good recommendation is to look at the exceptionally well made Leki range of poles (Anaconda has them, as a suggestion), with anti-shock (some models without), cork or neoprene (my earliest pair are from 1997 and have cork handles that are still minty!). All parts are replaceable, and a nifty camera tripod mount is available to attach to the top of the handle. Geekish, but may be the thing for weight-weenies...

Unfortunately, nobody will benefit from a fly-weight carbon or hybrid pole when it breaks its tip in a tiny crevice, leaving you with just a pole when a long, found stick would be a better stand-in... There are very good and proven reasons why carbon fibre (and titanium) are not used in high stress applications: repeated stress weakens carbon fibre. Even carbon fibre/hybrid/Ti camera tripods present problems unless they are multiweave/resin-impregnated for additional strength. Trekking poles do not fall into that exotic manufacturing category. Shop carefully.

[highercountry]

There are very good and proven reasons why carbon fibre (and titanium) are not used in high stress applications... repeated stress weakens carbon fibre.

Your post is very reminiscent of the early (and current) debates on carbon fibre bicycle frames.
Carbon fibre composite does not fatigue with repeated stress. Aluminium and steel do. In fact, properly constructed, it can be cyclically flexed indefinitely without any weakening of the composite matrix. Impact and bending beyond it's design limit causes failure. Carbon fibre is used in many high stress applications, everything from bicycles to cars and planes.
It doesn't always fail catastrophically. Stress lines and hairline cracks form first and are generally evident on close inspection well before it breaks.
My point is that carbon fibre may or may not be an appropriate material for walking poles. It all depends on the design and construction of the pole, not just the material.

[Biggles]

... repeated stress weakens carbon fibre.

Your post is very reminiscent of the early (and current) debates on carbon fibre bicycle frames.
Carbon fibre composite does not fatigue with repeated stress. Aluminium and steel do. In fact, properly constructed, it can be cyclically flexed indefinitely without any weakening of the composite matrix. Impact and bending beyond it's design limit causes failure.
It doesn't always fail catastrophically. Stress lines and hairline cracks form first and are generally evident on close inspection well before it breaks.

I'm not a newbie to CF or cycling (I own 5 bikes, all carbon, MTB/road and a tandem). Why CF? Because I have a commercial interest in suppliers/stockists.
The road bike is used to ride from Melbourne to Bendigo and back on some weekends. I would prefer aluminium for this longish ride because of the amount of stress on the frame approaching Bendigo.

The roadie group I ride with on Saturday mornings is actively debating the merits of CF in competition; there have been a few catastrophic, unexplained failures with CF frames (BB/ head triangle, seat/rear stay) without provocative stresses or evidence of hairlines. The focus for some of these failures has been the origin of the product: China. There is something wrong there. Trekking poles may or may not be made in China. Leki certainly are not.

[highercountry]

The focus for some of these failures has been the origin of the product: China.

Exactly.
The problem lies with poor quality control at the construction stage rather than an inherent material characteristic.
The most common failure cause usually arises from "voids" ie. improperly resin-impregnated fibre.