New poles

Last October I finally succumbed to the lure of lightweight trekking poles, in particular the Black Diamond Carbon FLZ (arch). These weight 144 grams each, and thus cost approximately £1 per gram (ah... except that's for a pair, so a bargain 50p per gram really), as opposed to the older Leki ones I have lying around for comparison which are 230 grams each. This isn't a Leki-vs-BD comparison though, it is more the folding format.

Note that I didn't waste any money or weight on the height-adjustment version; also I know that I'm not very particular about the exact height. Mine are 115 cm version, selected after carefully adjusting an adjustable one to "the height I like". Here they are, in comparison to the Leki, folded:

and unfolded:

Note that the Lekis are the slightly-newer "flicklock" version, rather than the old style "twistlock".

The major advantage, apart from weight, is that the "folding" version folds up much smaller: 38 cm as against 65 for the Leki.

If you're think of buying poles, then your main choices are:

* telescopic, like the Lekis, or folding, like the Black Diamond (but both and other brands sell both),

* aluminium or carbon fibre,

* pay lots for the best or less for cheaper,

* height adjustable or not,

* one or two poles.

The telescopic ones are always height adjustable; the folding ones can be or not. Looking at the BD salesite now, the adjustment for the folding ones costs you about £30, and about 40 grams. Carbon is lighter, but perhaps more fragile, I am always slightly more cautious with mine. I wouldn't buy a cheap brand. Since I go "off piste" a lot I always like to have a spare, you never know when you may want to splint up a broken shin.

Refs

* New Leopard crampons.

* New boots.

* New hat.

* New rope.