EquipeakHiking Poles Collapsible Lightweight & Adjustable - Quick Lock Foldable Trekking Poles, Hiking Sticks with Cork Grip & Foam Handle, Nordic Walking Poles for Women, Men & Seniors on Travel

I needed a new pair of hiking poles for a 2-week backpacking trip and they needed to be very compact to go on an airplane. If you get name brand from one of the outdoor outfitters you can expect to pay anywhere from $150-$300 for a pair. I didn't have that kind of money for poles but they are a really important piece of equipment. After some careful looking I selected these hiking poles and somewhat nervously hit the trails.I have to say I am impressed. These poles withstood some pretty rough conditions in harsh mountain terrain. We were hiking in the Sawtooth Mountain range where you had to navigate boulder fields and slides of all sorts. Solid footing was important and I can't begin to tell how many times I got these stuck between rocks and lost my footing and was sure the poles would have bent or broken as I held on to them yet they never did. When you hiking, they sort of jiggle a little at the joints but the construction is solid and, if one was going to bend or break, it would have with what I put them through.The adjustment for height is solid - not once did these slip or need readjustment. The cork handgrips were solid and kept me from getting blisters even when sweating heavily in the harsh heat and sunlight on the sheer rock faces we climbed. We forded streams and small rivers and these kept me solidly on my feet against currents as well and showed no sign of issue with water getting inside.One of the things I really like about the feet for these is that they have a metal bracket inside each foot for the pole tips so that if you do need the rubber feet you won't wear through them with the tip. I only used the round guard sleeve to prevent the poles from going too deep into the ground or rocks but will make good use of the others when hiking in other conditions.Collapsing the poles took some trial and error. You absolutely have to collapse the top section with the other segments hanging so the internal cable stays hanging. If you don't, it will get bunched up inside the casing and the rod won't fit back inside and then you cannot fold the other sections. Once you know how to properly collapse these, they are super quick and easy to manipulate.I have been extremely happy with this purchase and for under $50 these are a great price for quality hiking poles. If you are in doubt, just get them - they work and work well.UPDATE 9-11-2023I have been using these for more than a year now. They have been on 4 long backpacking trips and countless day hikes. They are still strong and work as intended. Hundreds of miles have been packed into the time covered. The cork handles are still there, although stained with sweat and oils, but not a bit of disintegration. I have not had a single blister on my hands while hiking with these. The tips are showing a bit of wear after all these miles as I consistently use the same set for most of my hiking. Additionally, I have not had any trouble with the adjustment nut. At this point, even if I eventually break these, I will buy another pair. Absolutely fantastic.

These are great hiking poles. I just returned from a trip to hike 5 of the high peaks in the Adirondacks, NY and the poles performed well. They aren't the lightest available, but I think they're a great value.The cork handles are comfortable, the wrist strap is comfortable and very easy to adjust for length, the poles are easy and quick to deploy and adjust to length or fold, the point has good friction on rock. I was worried about a very slightly loose joint between the handle and next section of pole, but didn't notice a problem in use. The length adjustment cam is easy to manipulate while wearing gloves, and holds securely. The folded length is so much shorter than my previous poles, it makes it much easier to stash them for scrambling without anything sticking above the pack to catch on rock or branches.I do wish there was another even shorter option. I am 5'7" and when adjusted for level ground, I had about one inch available to decrease the length. When climbing, I wished I could shorten the poles more and still be able to use the wrist strap in the conventional manner. I also wish the package included larger baskets for use in snow.Overall I'm very happy and the poles seem like they'll last a long time.

A bit more expensive but worth it!

I really do like my new walking poles. The biggest factor was needing poles that I could collapse and be able to carry in my backpack or suitcase for our airplane flight. I have another set (different brand) of sticks but they wouldn't collapse enough to travel with. Besides the collapsibility the Equipeak sticks are sturdy, light weight, comfortable to use, and quality made. If I were to have a negative thought it would be for two reasons. I am 5' tall. The sticks are nearly 2" longer than the older sticks I own. I can use them but they took a little getting used to. I would have preferred them to be a little shorter to fit my height. Also, although the color on the sticks is pretty, I would prefer a more neutral color, if given a choice.

I bought this prior to making a long vacation in Europe touring castles, cathedrals, museums, etc. It worked fantastic. Folded up quickly and easily small enough to go into my small carry bag. The instructions were very helpful in learning to fold and unfold the poles. They covered all the issues I found when trying it (read them!). The only negative I had was the small round rubber tips. I blew through the first one in 10 miles and the second in 12 miles. The pole made a hole in the bottom and the end came out. Fortunately the tips that look like feet were MUCH more durable. I put one on and used it the next 70 miles of walking. It is still in good condition. I am over 6 feet tall and around 300 pounds. The pole had no issue in adjusting to my height and handling my weight. The height adjustment was quick enough that I could easily change it on steep slopes and stairs to make up or down easier. I used this pole throughout my trip instead of the cane the doctor prescribed for me. It worked great and didn't put as much pressure on my hand as the cane does.

Have had them several years and always use poles for hiking as I have had both hip joints replaced. Used them on several sections of the CDT and 800 miles +- last year on the Camino de Santiago (including to Muxia and Fisterra). Was in snow and rain and rocks and steep uphills and steeper downhills and the lever locks never slipped. Even the original rubber tip guards lasted 2/3 of the Camino. Would buy them again but probably won't need to.