Your questions on walking poles answered What are the best walking poles? For a decent all-rounder, I love the Treklite carbon walking poles . Their carbon fibre build feels durable and the clip locks are straightforward to adjust mid-walk. They are a touch on the lengthy side when packed down, though. If that's a concern for you, pick the Trespass forus walking poles instead, which pack down to just 43cm, or treat yourself to the premium Helinox ridgeline LBB120 , which pack down to 51cm. If you want the lightweight feel but would prefer aluminium, check out the Vango kesugi walking poles, which weigh 10g less per pole than the Treklite best buy. How I tested walking poles I tested each walking pole out on the trails, across different types of terrain. During my tests, I assessed the poles against the following criteria. Comfort: I looked at grip materials. Cork is great at wicking sweat and avoiding blisters, but foam is more immediately comfortable.…