At last a British Made Pair of Lightweight Poles, which are strong, compact, able to perform on the hill and folds down small enough to slot into your rucksack. And they come in different colours too - just perfect!
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Available in two fixed lengths of 110cm and 120cm they arrive in a neat mesh pouch for storage. Weighing in at only 131g and 135g per pole they are lighter than any carbon based pole currently available. Just pull the cord running down the shaft and they lock into place!
The wrist loop is fixed, so no fiddling as you walk. The hand grip is of the 'firm foam' airflow variety, not the normal hard material. Made from 11mm 7075 Aluminium Alloy, the standard carbide tip will give you miles of wear along with the exchangeable trekking basket.
How do they perform?
We've had ours a few weeks now (End Oct 08) using them to run with on the hills for a OMM Mountain Marathon and for casual walks whenever we can. Great for climbing fast and supporting our balance when descending at speed. When you accidentally apply weight (staggering!) the 11mm aluminium certainly flexes more than the normal carbon poles we've used, however at no time has there been a feeling of the pole bending, breaking or snapping at all.
I know that the item has been on trial in Scotland for several months and has been heavily abused prior to launch. The pair in question certainly looked like they had been worked well, but didn't show any signs or detrimental damage, which could effect use.
As light as they are, they also catch the breeze in a strong cross wind, so you have to be careful not to walk onto the pole by accident!
Conclusion?
We love them! They have now become our pole of choice, especially as they will compact down small enough to pack either in the rucksack, or clipped onto the shoulder harness by shockcord, ready for use.
In the off chance a pole should be damaged in some way preventing it's use. All spare parts are available from Mountain King a great little British company based up in Newcastle, where their factory overlooks Hadrian's Wall.
Which size do I need?
Hold you forearms parallel to the ground and measure the distance from the top of your fist to the floor. If you are between sizes, go for the nearest pole measurement. Your hand movement is more effective holding a pole and pushing down, rather than pulling up!
Details:
110cm Pole. Weight Each: 131g. Folded Length: 33cm
120cm Pole. Weight Each: 135g. Folded Length: 36cm
Supplied in mesh travel bag
Colours: Black, Blue
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