If you are someone who finds getting to the top a little hard then hiking poles might be something you use to help you get there, most people know about them but not that many people have actually got them so today I will be reviewing the Mountain Design Tread Cork Trekking Poles and seeing if they are really worth the trouble to get them.
So what are some of the reasons you would actually get some hiking poles? Well hiking poles are great for people who have any knee problems or struggle keeping their balance as they can act as almost a third leg and help support yourself while walking along any trails and especially along rough and tight terrain. Hiking poles have been a feature of hiking for many years and are a direct evolution from the walking sticks that hikers would collect while walking along trails to help them scale hills and support themselves along unstable parts of the track, because of how useful they were found to be many brands started to make custom make and reusable versions that could be extended and shrunk depending on your needs.
The Mountain Designs Tread Cork Hiking poles are well designed for use on all kinds of terrain, it's cork handles help prevent sores and blisters from forming on your hands and making hiking harder and more painful. The poles come with connectors so they can be tied together and easily stored, in addition to this the poles can be extended to make them the right height for you and shrunk to help keep your pack as small as possible. The end of the poles are spring loaded to help you scale more with less effort and gives something for you to push against when climbing up and down the winding paths of beautiful parks. On the very top of the poles you will find a strap for you to loop your arms through and stops you from dropping or losing them, these straps are quite large and will be easy for most to slip in and out of.
These Mountain Designs Hiking Poles come with most of what you would expect from a set of hiking poles, they have plenty of handy features to make your life easier but that comes at quite a cost which in my opinion is a little much for so little. If you are someone who needs a set of hiking poles because hiking becomes un-pleasurable without them then it might be worth the investment but otherwise I would suggest looking for a cheaper option or just borrowing some from a friend instead of spending you're money on it.
For this review I used the Mountain Designs Tread Cork Trekking Poles, Green which costs $99.99 AUD but the price can be significantly reduced when you are a club member of Mountain Designs. If you’re going to buy some hiking poles first make sure that you will use them, many people think they will be helpful only to find out that they are a little bit of a nuisance and get in the way, make sure you want them by asking a mate to try theirs first so you’re not wasting your money on something you don't need. Also make sure to look at other websites to find the cheapest price so you are not left out of pocket, most major outdoors retailers will have their own range of hiking poles so it's important to see what they have got and explore their ranges features.
So do you need them? Or are you good carry on without them or with a stick found on the side of the path?
Written by Josh Welch
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