Leki Trekking Poles: How to Choose the Right One for Your Needs & Budget

The more serious you become involved with hiking, the more you understand the benefits that come with using Leki trekking poles in Canada and the United States. These hiking sticks provide excellent stability while crossing uneven or loose terrain, set a nice rhythm while traveling long distances, and significantly reduce the impact on your ankles, knees, and hips. But once you start shopping for your trekking pole, you might quickly find many different options available, making it difficult to narrow down the right fit for you.

Today, we are going to discuss the three main categories of trekking poles—telescoping, folding, and fixed—and discuss their differences. This should help make it a little bit easier for you when you begin narrowing down your selection.

Telescoping – The most common style available, telescoping trekking poles are durable, easy to use, and time-tested. This option is popular among backpackers and day hikers and features two or three sections that slide in and out of one another—locking in place with a lever-locking or twist system.

Folding – Folding trekking poles come in sections that pull apart from one another and fold up, much like tent poles. Thanks to this folding action, these pols often have a narrow shaft which helps shed excess weight during your hike.

Fixed – Increasingly uncommon in the hiking world, fixed poles cannot be adjusted, which can make them somewhat challenging to pack or strap to a backpack when they are not in use. However, their simplicity makes them extremely light and often the most affordable trekking pole option on the market.