How to Buy The Right Trail Running Poles

written by The Trail Co. on 11 January 2023

To the untrained eye, we know that Trail running poles can look pretty similar – especially if you're buying online. So just in case you can't make it into one of our specialty trail running stores in Brisbane, here's our advice on what to look for when you buy trail running poles online.

Do I need running poles?
What should I look for in a trail running pole?
Carbon running poles vs aluminium running poles
What size running poles should I buy?
What poles should I use for a trail ultra?

Do I need trail running poles?

Before you start comparing Leki to Black Diamond to Salomon, or reading about the virtues of carbon fibre, ask yourself, "do I need poles to start with?".

Trail running often means making traverses across uneven terrain, going up steep hills, and undertaking long climbs. Trail poles are great for helping you tackle these elements. Trail running poles allow you to use your arms as well as your legs to stabilise yourself and drive yourself forwards, or uphill, more easily than with your legs alone. They also help with stability on technical descents with a couple of extra points of contact with the ground for balance.

Trail running poles are useful for training and racing on very steep trails, or if you want to sustain efforts on big climbs, or over long, hilly races like The Guzzler Ultra or Ultra-Trail Australia, mountain runs like the GSER, or further-afield UTMB – trail running poles can help.

If you're planning to undertake a trail race or ultra with lots of vertical gain, trail running poles can be a great addition to your gear to help you get through a big day on the trails.

What should I look for in a trail running pole??

Running poles are made from a variety of materials and come in different lengths, girths, weights, and with different grip types. The best of these things to get right is the right pole length for your body (more on that below...).
The right material: depending on how frequently you're going to use your poles and what sort of terrain you're looking to tackle, you might want to consider whether a more durable material like aluminium is better, of if you're using poles for racing, whether a strong, lightweight material like carbon fibre is better for you. We cover this below in carbon vs aluminium running poles,
Locks: check that the poles you want lock at the length you need them. You don't want them to collapse under you when you lean on them,
Decent grips: foam-type grips will be more comfortable in your hand than hard plastic, but will be less durable. Cork can absorb vibration, but so too can ribbed materials. Check that your running poles have a tether or strap – or Leki offer a unique trigger grip attachment with custom gloves – that will keep your running poles with you if you slip or lose your grip sightly. You don't want to lose one off the steep side of a mountain, or to snaop those awsome selfies without dropping a pole,
Good tips: the ends of the pole should have a sturdy material like metal on them, or are sometimes rubber tipped metal.We suggest a wider tip over pointy, unless you'll be running on ice, and don't forget to take the protective caps off them before you go off for your run. (Yes, I may have forgotten once.)
Basket size: Baskets are the cuff at the base of the pole near the tip and come in various sizes to add extra traction when needed. If you're trail running with poles in Australia, we reckon you don't need large baskets unless you're headed somewhere really muddy, snowy, or with very soft ground. In fact, a larger basket is more likely to glance off rocks or get caught in roots, so slimmer is better for technical trails in our opinion,
Do they collapse?: unless you're doing a VK or up-hill-only run, at some point you're going to want to put your poles away. A decent set of poles should be able to collapse, fold, or pack down telescopically to a manageable size in order to go into or strap or onto a running pack. Or be small enough to carry in your hands without being a trip hazard,
As lovers of the environment, we also think that poles are a long-term investment. Buying a set that are right for you will last for years, so it's also worth checking whether the poles you buy have spare parts available – like new tips – to keep them going even longer without having to replace them.

Trail running poles: grips and tips?

Carbon running poles vs aluminium running poles

Aluminium and carbon are both good materials for trail running poles. However, one material may be better for you and the trails you love to run. We consider the benefits and drawbacks of each when helping customers which suits them best:
Aluminium Running Poles:
+ Less expensive
+ Less likely to snap under pressure
+ Lightweight,
- Can bend or be crushed under pressure,
- Heavier than Carbon fibre,
- Slightly less durable than Carbon fibre.
Carbon Fibre Running Poles:
+ Very strong and stiff
+ Excellent in-hand feel
+ Very lightweight,
+ Great for picking through tricky trails,
- More expensive than aluminium,
- Can snap under extreme pressure.

What Size Poles?

What size running poles should I buy?

How to measure what size running pole you need To find out what size trail running poles you need, we suggest you take a measurement from the palm of your hand to the floor, with your elbow bent at 90° from your waist. This is best done while wearing your favourite trail shoes, and not in bare feet. That way you'll get an accurate measurement of what you'll need while you're running.

You can use this measurement to assess and set up an adjustable pole to the correct length, or if you're in-between two sizes of a fixed length pole, go to the one that's nearest your measurement. (Up in size is probably better than down if you're in the middle.)

Poles that are the right length will allow you to add forward drive to your running, without adversely affecting your posture or causing your to stoop.

Buying the right size trail running pole is the number one thing to get right, we suggest it's not worth buying second hand or cheap poles that are too long or too short for you in the long run (pun intended).

What poles should I use for a trail ultra?

Carbon fibre poles are one of our most popular types due to being strong and light, so they add very little weight to a pack full of mandatory gear for an ultra.

Ultimately, we suggest that the best poles for an ultramarathon are ones that are the right fit for you. If you're using any sort of gear for hours at a time, it needs to feel right and not affect your running. Make sure you buy poles that are the right length for you and pack away and fit in a way you can get to them and use them easily over a very long day on the trails.

Top tip: it pays to practise using your running poles in your training and on your longer runs before your ultra-marathon event. As a runner, your upper body may not be used to a multi-hour workout without training.

BuyTrail Running Poles

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How to Buy The Right Trail Running Poles

Do I need trail running poles?

What should I look for in a trail running pole??

Carbon running poles vs aluminium running poles

What size running poles should I buy?

What poles should I use for a trail ultra?

Sort

Refine

How to Buy The Right Trail Running Poles

Do I need trail running poles?

What should I look for in a trail running pole??

Carbon running poles vs aluminium running poles

What size running poles should I buy?

What poles should I use for a trail ultra?

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