Best walking poles for 2024 | Tested and reviewed

The lightest poles on test, the Carbon C3 Cloud Compact from highly regarded Austrian brand Komperdell use a three-section, all carbon fibre construction. Despite their low weight they feel durable and well-designed, thanks to larger diameter shafts that increase stiffness and rigidity. These poles perform extremely well, especially if you’re moving fast in the mountains.

They also feature aluminium lever locks and a telescopic design rather than the Z-fold style of most ultralight poles. So, they’re not as compact as some, but are much neater when collapsed and easier to attach to a rucksack.

They have a decent range of adjustment but only extend to 120cm. Taller hillwalkers will need the standard C3 Cloud model instead, which extends to 140cm (the C3 Cloud is less compact, but still light at under 200g per pole).

Handles are made from a single piece of natural cork with a pronounced pommel, an ergonomic trigger-style grip and an extended lower section. Straps are very nicely padded, but durable and easy to adjust.

At the tip, a tungsten ferrule plants reliably, and the flexible basket stops the pole from plugging in soft ground. These can be easily swapped out for larger winter baskets, but they’re not included as standard.

These are great value carbon fibre trekking poles, with a considered design and high-quality materials that defy their reasonable price tag. We used and carried them on several big days in the hills with no dramas.

They use a three-section, Z-folding construction with EVA foam rubber grips and woven fabric wrist straps. The internal tensioning cord is sheathed in protective plastic, while the inner ferrules and lever-lock clamps are made from durable aluminium.

Tension does rely on a single button lock, but it seems secure. As with most poles, the tips are tungsten with screw-in trekking baskets. It’s all relatively simple but effective, and they proved to be reliable performers for us.

They’re lightweight and extremely packable, with the shortest folded length of any poles on test. This ensures they stash easily into a small daypack. But the maximum extended length is only 130cm, which isn't ideal for tall hikers, so we'd happily trade some compactness for more length.

We also like the integrated Velcro straps in the handle, which keep the folded sections together very neatly when not in use.

Although reasonably basic, for 3-season hiking and long distance backpacking we happily back these. In fact, one of our testers has an older twist-lock set of Alpkit Carbon Ultras that have done several hundred miles and are still going strong.

These are sturdy all-season trekking poles made from 7000-series aluminium alloy, with a three-piece construction. They feel comfortable and supportive – in fact, they were our favourite of all the poles on test in terms of comfort. And although they aren't the lightest or most compact, they are a solid choice for year-round use on mountain terrain and tough trails.

Black Diamond has had the sense to offer the Pursuit in two sizes, and better yet, the large size has larger grips for larger hands. The handles are made from natural cork with a lower section made from sustainable foam, derived from algal blooms. The cork does a good job of absorbing sweat, while the foam extension allows you to choke down on the poles when ascending. The wrist straps are also made from recycled fabric and are well sculpted.

These poles are easy to adjust and feel very solid too, thanks to Black Diamond’s Flicklock Pro mechanism. We’ve previously criticised this system because it was only adjustable via a tiny Allen key, which made fine-tuning on the trail tricky. Fortunately, Black Diamond has fixed this by including a 1.5mm Hex bit hidden inside the lower section of one pole – genius.

The lever locks also now have a soft-touch rubberised coating, which makes them easier to use with cold hands or bulky gloves. And you now get two sets of baskets supplied as standard: a smaller trekking set and a larger alpine/snow set. These are all worthwhile upgrades to what were already durable and dependable poles.

These poles from relative newcomer Oregon-based Trekology have a very clear focus on value. Sure, these walking poles are very well priced but crucially, we found they're very decent. Somewhat predictably, the finish doesn’t quite match the more established brands, but the materials and construction are high-quality. Certainly far better than other cheap rivals.

The four-piece shaft is made from 7075 aluminium alloy, connected via an internal cord with a protective plastic sheath. A lever lock enables a wide range of adjustment, employing a plastic collar with a metal clamp. At one end of the pole, you get a comfortable cork grip with an EVA foam extension and a simple fabric wrist strap. At the other is a tungsten carbide tip with a removable plastic trekking basket.

And despite their low cost, these poles come with two sets of baskets. Really, the only quibbles we had on test were that they're not the quickest to deploy, since the telescopic section partway up the shaft needs to be extended to lock the pole tension, which isn’t immediately obvious. And at 300g each, they're relatively heavy.

These are hefty-looking poles, but they are surprisingly light. That’s because they’re made from a custom aluminium alloy (TH72M) specially developed by DAC (the manufacturer of the best aluminium tent poles).

On test, we spent a lot of time roaming Snowdonia’s rugged Rhinogydd mountains with these poles, which is the perfect environment for them. They feel well-built, well-balanced and made to last.

In terms of performance, it’s just about the strongest aluminium alloy out there (around 20% stronger than the commonly used 7000-series ‘aircraft-grade’ alloy). Yet the LBB135 still weighs just 238g per pole.

The larger-diameter shafts feel impressively stiff and robust, and they’re well suited for hard use. They use a four-section construction with an unusual combination of lever locks and automatic locking buttons. This minimises weight and makes for a streamlined design. It also means the collapsed length is shorter than most rival telescopic poles.

The adjustable wrist straps are made from tough, partially padded nylon webbing. But on the downside, we found them quite narrow and the pommels of the handles are made from hard plastic rather than soft rubber, so they’re slightly less comfortable on descents.

These are some of the stiffest carbon fibre poles we’ve tested, with thicker diameter shafts that feel very sturdy. They are solid and well-balanced. However, they’re still commendably light, tipping the scales at precisely 200g per pole.

They’re a three-section telescopic construction with an excellent range of adjustment via twin flick locks. The levers can be hand-tightened via a dial, requiring no tools, unlike some rivals. Measurements are also clearly marked on each pole section, making them easier to adjust in the field, though the flick-locks add a little bulk and seem slightly more prone to getting knocked about or clogged with dirt. Still, we experienced no issues on test.

But we had differing opinions on the comfort of the handles. They're a chunky mix of cork and foam, which Matt liked very much, but they were a bit too big for Ellie’s smaller hands to grasp comfortably. And speaking of oversized, the supplied baskets are also very large – ideal for deep mud and snow, but a bit unwieldy for general trail use. Nor are the Silva Trekking Poles Carbon the most compact walking poles, but that solidity-compact trade-off is to be expected.

These are top-end trekking poles made from premium grade performance racing carbon fibre. We tested the women’s-specific Cressida FX Carbon variant, while the men’s version is named the Makalu FX Carbon.

In use, they feel stiff and stable, yet very well-balanced in the hand. But their real benefits are in their speed and ease of use when it comes to deployment.

Both are Z-folding designs equipped with Leki’s innovative ELD folding system. You can basically just shake out each pole and pull the top section until it clicks, locking each section securely in place via precision aluminium collars and a plastic-sheathed internal cord. Disassembly is just as easy.

The five-section construction ensures they have an extremely compact folded length too. They’re short enough to stash inside a daysack and come with a neat storage bag. Other features include Aergon Air grips, with a rubberised head, contoured cork handles and cutaway sections to reduce weight.

We found them ideal for mountain routes that include a mix of terrain like pole-friendly paths plus steeper, hands-on scrambles.

Check out the men's Makalu FX Carbon Poles here

These trekking poles are relatively inexpensive, but don’t skimp on design or materials. The shafts are made from high-quality 7075 grade aluminium alloy, with extended EVA foam rubber grips and fabric wrist straps.

The top of the handle is a softer rubber rather than a hard plastic. They have a switchable anti-shock system that is turned on or off with a quick twist. The poles have a wide range of adjustment too, ensuring one size fits most.

The three-piece telescopic design employs modern lever locks rather than the older-style twist-lock system. The locking pins are metal, but the collars and clamps are plastic, while the tips are tungsten carbide with screw-in baskets. They’re also supplied with a carry bag.

They’re not the lightest walking poles, but don’t feel too unwieldy either. We've come to happily trust them long-distance trips or big hillwalking days. However, they're not very compact, with their 65cm collapsed length sometimes making them awkward to attach to a daypack.