k-bob
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 29, 2009
- Messages
- 2,371
I have gotten tired of having the tip section of multi-section wading staffs get stuck in sand or muck, causing the sections to pull apart when I pull up. Since I also fish down long rail grades, and have to make time-consuming hikes in, I bought a pair of REI Peak UL winter carbon fiber trekking poles from the REI in conshohocken, suburban philly, late in the summer.
The poles are lightweight have one good latch to adjust height, and greatly speed walking on a good trail or abondoned rail grade. They also never have the fine carbide tip get stuck in sand or muck and pull apart like most multi-section wading staffs made for fly fishing. The best thing is that with two of them you can walk faster on good roads or trails. They were marked down from over $100 to about $40 for a pair in late summer and they very light. They did have more of them in late summer, don't know if they would now. If you can still get a pair for $40, you'd only be trashing a $20 object if you break one or lose one.
The first time I used them on a pocono rail grade I know, I walked so much faster that I walked right past my turn!
I fish way out there, and these things help a lot and save time.
Down sides: 1) if you whack them on the sides, they could weaken, 2) I would not trust my full weight on one of them, the pole or adjustment latch probably could not take it, 3) they float and you have to make sure they don't get carried away by the current when you get carried away fishing (yes, I lost one that way!) , 4) you may look like some norwegian olyimpics wannabe looking for summer snow walking with them, but the added speed and stability with two sticks is worth it for me.
The poles are lightweight have one good latch to adjust height, and greatly speed walking on a good trail or abondoned rail grade. They also never have the fine carbide tip get stuck in sand or muck and pull apart like most multi-section wading staffs made for fly fishing. The best thing is that with two of them you can walk faster on good roads or trails. They were marked down from over $100 to about $40 for a pair in late summer and they very light. They did have more of them in late summer, don't know if they would now. If you can still get a pair for $40, you'd only be trashing a $20 object if you break one or lose one.
The first time I used them on a pocono rail grade I know, I walked so much faster that I walked right past my turn!
I fish way out there, and these things help a lot and save time.
Down sides: 1) if you whack them on the sides, they could weaken, 2) I would not trust my full weight on one of them, the pole or adjustment latch probably could not take it, 3) they float and you have to make sure they don't get carried away by the current when you get carried away fishing (yes, I lost one that way!) , 4) you may look like some norwegian olyimpics wannabe looking for summer snow walking with them, but the added speed and stability with two sticks is worth it for me.
