TrailBuddy Trekking Poles - Lightweight, Collapsible Hiking Poles for Snowshoe & Backpacking Gear - Pair of 2 Walking Sticks for Hiking, 7075 Aluminum with Cork Grip

I bought these hiking poles in early 2018 to use for stability while walking or hiking so I don't have to use a cane or crutches. I have been using them a few times a week for more than a year now, and I really like them.I am a 49 year old man who was disabled and forced into medical retirement at 34 years old following a parachuting accident in the Army. I have complex injuries at multiple levels throughout my spine and hips, and I've had 3 spinal fusion surgeries over the past 16 years. Chronic pain and muscle spasms are a constant part of my life, as are instability, sudden weakness, and endurance issues. Those all are obstacles I did not have to manage in my youth. I grew up as a 4-sport athlete and manual laborer who went everywhere on a bicycle. After high school, I was both a full-time Army soldier (Infantry and Field Artillery) and part-time college student raising a family and enjoying an active lifestyle heavy on fitness, sports, fun and excitement. After sustaining widespread injuries to such critical structural parts of my body, I have been struggling in what feels like a totally different life in a different body trying to adjust to the countless changes. For years, the damage to my spine and hips was getting worse, so I kept having to reduce my activities until I was about 80% chair/bedridden in severe pain and misery - and depression. After several surgeries and years of ongoing therapies, trying and adjusting medications, and learning what I can and cannot do (still learning 20 years after the accident), I finally found decent medical care and figured out things I can do to enjoy life again and manage my disabilities, pain levels, and muscle spasms and cramps. After years of atrophying and gaining weight despite reducing calories and eating healthy, I have been able to put together a therapeutic fitness routine to rebuild some physical capabilities and improve my mobility, strength, and endurance while also getting out and about more. That includes walking and some hiking on established trails. I'm not talking about 25-mile ruck marches with combat training exercises mixed in, and I'm not talking about climbing mountains or hiking all day off the beaten path like I wish I still could do. I walk routes of 1.5- to 3.0 miles around my home in a hilly area, almost entirely on asphalt roads or trails and concrete sidewalks. In public parks, the established hiking trails vary greatly in distance and usually are packed gravel, packed dirt, asphalt, grassy paths, or a combination of surfaces. In Ohio's Hocking Hills and Mill Creek Park, there are steps cut into the landscape made of stone, gravel, wood, packed dirt, and grass. Again, it's not climbing mountains, but it can include uneven terrain, steps of different height and depth, and some places can be slippery. For someone who has struggled with falling and fighting through pain and spasms to get out of bed or a chair, being able to walk outdoors and enjoy the scenery and fresh air again is thrilling!The TrailBuddy Trekking Poles give me the added confidence and stability support I need to be able to continue being active and working on my fitness. They look sporty and athletic, so I don't have to feel embarrassed using a cane or crutches -- and that can be a huge psychological factor for some people. I'm grateful to have my canes, crutches, and even an electric handicapped scooter when I need those devices, and I DO still need them all at times. When I want to feel a bit more like the athletic, physically fit, strong, active person I was the first 30 years of my life, grabbing my trekking poles to go for a walk or going to a park to hike in nature is a big deal, especially leaving the scooter at home and leaving the cane/crutches in the car.When I'm feeling really good, I can collapse the poles and store them inside their bag (in which I also keep spare tips and tips for different types of terrain), and I slip the bag into my light backpack or strap it across my back. The poles are lightweight. They're easy to adjust, and the licking mechanisms never have failed me or even slipped a little bit. I'm 6'0" tall and my weight has gone from 245-230 pounds. When I need to, I lean onto the poles for support, and they have always supported my weight without a problem.They're a great buy at a good price.I have never owned another pair of hiking poles, so I cannot compare with other brands, mechanisms, or materials. I used other people's poles a few times before buying my own, and I've checked out poles in sporting goods stores. I use tripods for my camera, binoculars and telescopes, so I've used collapsible devices with different kinds of locking mechanisms. I generally do not like adjustable/collapsible locking mechanisms that screw to tighten or loosen. The hinged flip-tabs on these poles actually have surprised me with how sturdy and reliable they are. They're adjustable, too, so you can tighten the locking tabs more or less depending on your preference.My wife, kids and grandkids have all used my poles, so they've been adjusted to different heights many times. The poles have markings on them to use as guides when adjusting. I know which markings I use for my comfort, and I can tell at a simple glance if the poles have been adjusted or not. I always check the locking mechanisms at the same time, and then I'm off!There can be some chafing on my hands around the wrist straps, but I prefer mine to be slightly snug. If I'm hiking, I keep gloves with me, and wearing gloves can reduce the chafing.All-in-all, I'm very happy with these walking poles for how I use them, and I recommend them to anyone who wants some mobility stability and support but doesn't need to worry about whether or not they're tough enough to make it to the top of Mount Everest. They might he good enough, but I'd probably take a backup set or two if I were going to do more strenuous and more rugged hiking and climbing. I also would seek advice from experienced climbers regarding the best equipment to use on rougher terrain.

I was so excited to receive these TrailBuddy trekking poles. I used to enjoy hiking and long walks, but after a series of health issues, my mobility has suffered. These are like new legs for me and provide stability and traction for different terrains. I will probably never use them in snow, but for general trail walking, and trekking around on my son’s farm, these have been a game changer. These are light weight but very strong, come nicely packaged with several types of tips. Great instruction booklet for getting the poles to the correct height, as well as tips for maintenance and care. I loved the color choices but red is always my favorite. You don’t have to be over sixty to use trekking poles, they are great for all ages (except young children). And sometimes you don’t need two, but one will be just fine. So happy to be outdoors again!

Fantastic poles, so versatile. 72 year old male with ankle and knee issues that loves to wander nature trails. Found the quick adjustability and the sturdiness a must, so easy. As mentioned by other reviews it would be nice if the very top of the handle were padded or more comfortable. On an in town walk on sidewalks ended up lowering the poles to the height of a cane. Worked really well but was a bit uncomfortable to grip.

After torturous hours of reviewing polls from different websites for features and pricing, I bought these walking poles (black) for trekking the rugged terrain at my ranch. There's a lot of difficulty here.. uneven uphill and downhill, boulders, small rocks, slippery rock chips, dirt and sometimes muddy spots... It's just overall a very unpredictable and exhausting terrain to navigate. I am a woman over 65 and actively managing my ranch. The last few fence checks done at the higher bluffs and elevations, I began having some troubles with "gravity". ;) Sooo, I bought these poles to assist with uplifts and balance (wise at my age but a bit defeating to the ego). The poles arrived within 2 days of ordering and were nicely boxed and packaged. As always, I read all the inserts, instructions, and labels before beginning. Here's what I found...Pros:First, the color brochure is nicely done with only 1 problem (see Cons). The brochure is a combination of customer services info (nice!), how to get replacement parts (nice!), descriptive details, and instructions for assembling and using the poles. The manufacturer includes lots of value-added accessories: snow feet "baskets", mud baskets, and a spare pair of rubber tips for hiking on hard, flat, or rocky areas. I love that they included a tip (no pun intended) for using rubber tips at places like Machu Pichu to protect the terrain. Very thoughtful. Also included is a storage bag with a slide-adjust toggle closure and an adjustable carrying strap. The bag is very light weight and feels like it's probably water resistant. All these extras are so nicely accommodating for the consumer.Cons (assembly):For the pole height I followed the recommended height and length (46" for a 5'8" person). That's when the frustrations began...Very difficult to unscrew the adjustment screws! I assume they are machine-tightened before packaging because I couldn't get them to budge. First I tried a grippy pad. No go. Then I tried a pair of channel locks with padded tips. Success. After 20+ minutes of making height adjustments, testing, repeating, I FINALLY got the poles assembled in matching heights. BUT, they were too tall! OHMYGOSH, I had to re-do the entire process again. I shortened the recommended height by about 1/2" then tested the poles outside on several sets of stairs, each with different configurations, risers, building materials, etc. The shortened height on the poles worked well up and down the stairs with the standard rubber feet.Cons (a print issue):The brochure is a good read except for the section titled "Uphill or Downhill". The gradient blue fill behind the white text fades off into oblivion on the part where the light side of the blue background color. The white text on light blue background makes this section difficult to read.With all the well-thought out accessories included, I hope the manufacturer might consider including a small pouch for carrying the spare gear, i.e. alternate baskets. Also, please consider including a shorty 7/16" wrench or other tool for making screw adjustments during trekking. It is possible, in some geographic trekking locations, one will encounter different types of ground conditions, e.g. snow in some spots and mud in others. It would oh-so helpful to have that little pouch on hand to carry the alternate baskets and the small tool for adjusting height for uphill/downhill. I bought a short 7/16" wrench to carry on my treks. I had an old small cosmetic bag (approx 4"x4") that I attached to one of the poles with a zip-tie. Now I've got all the gear with me, just in case.Bottom line: these are GREAT POLES with supportive customer services and an overall highly recommended product!