[pct-l] Trekking poles on sale (montypct)

[montypct]

In snow in 2005 is where they telescoped down.  In snow conditions like that my old REI UL Compact poles would have required retightening immediately after hitting the snow.  For all the pluses I get from them retightening a couple times is a small price to pay.

I don't know what my new ones are like on the inside.  The store is holding them for me.  I'm assuming 4.7 ounces or less each again and sturdy enough to hold my falling weight.

I like the Gossamer Gear trekking poles too, especially the weight and the quick response time in use, but the telescoping size of the UL Peaks fits my system.

Monty


Lightweight Backpacking
The fun goes up when the weight goes down
-Warner Springs Monty

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: C. Hansen 
  To: montypct at gmail.com 
  Cc: pct-l at backcountry.net 
  Sent: Tuesday, January 20, 2009 12:33 AM
  Subject: Re: Trekking poles on sale (montypct)


  As an '09 hopeful, I've been shopping poles for a while.  I also jumped at this offer from REI, although I bought the UL compact version.  I was fully aware of the poor reviews they received on the REI website, and seriously considered Gossamer Gear and Black Diamond as alternatives.  I didn't choose the GG poles since they are fixed length (that has since changed with the new Lightrek 4).  As for the Black Diamond, I had no such hangup, in fact I love their fliplock system.  So when I was in REI, I was there for the BD's and I saw the sale price on the Peak UL.  Fickle.  I know.

  I used the poles immediately on a two day snowshoe trip in North Idaho and they performed great, without any problems at all.  Not to mention they're crazy light in comparison to my snowshoe poles.

  C. Hansen 

  ------------------------------

  Message: 5
  Date: Mon, 19 Jan 2009 19:05:41 -0800
  From: "montypct" <montypct at gmail.com>
  Subject: Re: [pct-l] Trekking poles on sale
  To: "Diane at Santa Barbara Hikes dot com"
      <diane at santabarbarahikes.com>,    "Bob Sartini" <r.sartini at rcn.com>
  Cc: pct-l at backcountry.net
  Message-ID: <7F45D77B037D49EFB4001055CC1331D8 at Monty>
  Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
      reply-type=original

  REI Peak UL Trekking Poles on sale:
  I just bought a pair

  http://www.rei.com/search?query=peak+ul+trekking+poles


  Monty


  The fun goes up when the weight goes down
  -Warner Springs Monty



  ------------------------------

  Message: 6
  Date: Mon, 19 Jan 2009 20:15:45 -0800
  From: Timothy Akin <timothyakin at mac.com>
  Subject: [pct-l] Trekking poles
  To: pct-l at backcountry.net
  Message-ID: <2CD89F9C-86BD-4610-81ED-B3A836688F9C at mac.com>
  Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed

  I just have to chime in about trekking poles.  I have the Black  
  Diamond Alpine CF.  Aluminum poles make a clank noise while the CF  
  poles make a softer, more satisfying clunk.  I like the clunk, don't  
  like the clank.  Also, the locking mechanism is foolproof.  Poles  
  lock every time, no special technique required.  I've used them in  
  snow, rain, and heat.  I have about 400 miles on them now on the TRT,  
  PCT, and New Mexico hikes.  I need adjustable poles for my Tarptent  
  Contrail, so these work great for me.  Great poles. YMMV.
  Tim A.


  ------------------------------

  Message: 7
  Date: Mon, 19 Jan 2009 20:22:13 -0800
  From: Brian Lewis <brianle8 at gmail.com>
  Subject: Re: [pct-l] Trekking poles
  To: Len Glassner <len5742 at gmail.com>
  Cc: pct-l at backcountry.net
  Message-ID:
      <bd5c16ca0901192022p2b4aeb22k9095b015ba69ff2a at mail.gmail.com>
  Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

  Len asked:
  >
  > "Brian, could you describe the process by which you replaced the tips?"



  I found a picnic table with an appropriate sized gap between boards, put the
  pole such that tip was above the boards with the rest of pole below, I
  pulled down to sharply smack the hub of the tip against the boards until it
  popped off.  Pushed the new tip on (friction fit); repeated use of pole
  tends to hammer it down more firm thereafter.

  It's one of those things you do almost never (I had never done it before),
  but if you have problems you might well find other hikers around who can
  lend a hand; there were several thru's hanging around when I did mine, not
  an a-typical experience.

  Looking online just now I found a description for how to do this for another
  brand of pole (process is the same).  What they say:
  "To remove old tip, slide a hammer along the shaft to hit the rim of the tip
  and knock it off. Fit the new tip by placing it on the pole end and then
  giving it a sharp rap down onto a firm surface."

  I don't favor the hammer method so much, as it just hits one side of the
  tip; the gap-between-boards method gets two sides of the tip at once, if you
  can find the right size gap.  The key is just knowing that the tip is
  friction fit on and a sharp smack with force applied correctly will pop it
  off.


  Brian Lewis
  http://postholer.com/brianle


  ------------------------------

  Message: 8
  Date: Mon, 19 Jan 2009 21:07:03 -0800
  From: "montypct" <montypct at gmail.com>
  Subject: Re: [pct-l] New Trekking pole tips
  To: "Brian Lewis" <brianle8 at gmail.com>,    "Len Glassner"
      <len5742 at gmail.com>
  Cc: pct-l at backcountry.net
  Message-ID: <B33D7DBC9F974BA4B559C8091A1FA5DD at Monty>
  Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
      reply-type=original

  Two or three times now I've gotten new tips while hiking on the PCT.
  I let the outfitters change them for me.  Cheap.
  I think it was Wilson Sporting goods on the main strip in Bishop, CA the 
  first time.
  The second was Mammoth Mountaineering in Mammoth Lakes, CA (out at Reds 
  Meadow)
  I may have had it done there twice.
  The total was $18.00 or less including the tips.