9 of the best walking and running poles for all your adventures
Walking or trekking poles are becoming an increasingly common sight in long-distance running events. Light, durable and easily tucked away into a hydration pack, they come into their own on steep inclines, lightening the burden on your quads and glutes.
But before we get into the nitty gritty, it’s worth considering the circumstances in which you’ll actually be using poles. Jon Albon, an OCR and trail runner and part of The North Face Athlete Team, says: ‘When we talk about trail or mountain running, the word "running" should always be taken with a pinch of salt.
'I actually prefer to think of it as “moving in the mountains” because in reality you may spend far less time actually running than you think, and rightly so, as under certain circumstances hiking can be faster and more efficient than running.’
Best walking poles to shop in 2024
In a hurry? Here are the best walking poles at a glance. Keep scrolling for the full list, plus how to use poles when running.
What type of walking poles are best?
For trail or ultra-running, your first consideration should be weight. ‘I have gravitated towards the lightest and stiffest poles available for optimal performance,’ says Albon. ‘Made of carbon but with aluminium connecting joints, these poles fold into three pieces that I can easily stow away in a 'quiver’ attached to my TNF running vest.’
Albon favours detachable glove straps as they stay put and improve comfort and range of motion. You might also want to look for trekking baskets (also known as mud baskets), which are small, circular attachments you place towards the bottom of your pole to stop them sinking too far into mud. Most walking poles will come with them, and some may have interchangeable baskets for different conditions.
‘Something else to consider is length, especially if they are fixed like mine so you can’t adjust the height,’ says Albon. ‘I am 178cm tall and use 130cm poles for less technical trails and 125cm poles for more technical trails with big steps or rocks. For the CCC, which is a 100km route with 6,000m of ascent, I used and trained with the Leki Ultratrail FX.One Superlite.’
9 best walking poles – tested & reviewed
So, ready to hit the hills? From foldable running poles to ultra lightweight options, we've selected eight of the best walking poles available to buy now.
1. Leki Ultratrail FX.One Superlite Running Poles
The gold standard of running poles, favoured by many ultra runners and athletes. At 137g, the Leki Ultratrail FX.One are — as the name suggests — super light yet extremely durable and can be folded up into a third of their size to tuck away inside your race pack. Our tester used these during a 220km multi-stage ultramarathon in Tanzania (which she won!) and reported them being 'Super easy to use and super lightweight. The easy buttons mean you can whip them out at any sign of mud'.
They also come with a specially designed glove that you can lock into the pole, meaning you don’t have to worry about gripping it tightly.
The only downside is the price — at almost £200, it's worth considering how much you'll be using them before you invest. If it's just for a one-off event, there are some alternative options for around half the price.
2. Black Diamond Distance Carbon Z Poles
Like the Leki poles, these are extremely light and fold down small enough to fit into a running vest. They provide excellent grip, too, although they lack some of the build quality of the Leki and, as a result, aren’t quite as hard-wearing.
3. Mountain King Skyrunner
Watching every gram? These ultralight carbon poles from Mountain King are a solid bet. Weighing in at just 110g each and collapsing into quarters, they're among the lightest and most compact poles available, making them a great option for those who want to fly through the mountains unencumbered. They're easy to assemble and dismantle, come with trekking baskets for muddy days and, while the handle is not adjustable, it is comfortable and should fit most hand sizes.
4. Komperdell Carbon C3 Cloud Walking Poles
These telescopic poles from hiking connoisseurs Komperdell are compact, light, incredibly strong and easily adjustable from 105 to 140cm. Once you've selected your ideal length the lock system feels sturdy, while padded straps protect your wrists and the cork grips are comfortable and keep sweat at bay. They were designed with runners in mind but are also ideally suited to hillwalkers looking to go further or tackle more challenging terrain.
5. Leki Black Series FX Carbon Pole
The crème de la crème of hiking poles, the Black Series is pricey, but for the cash you get a lightweight, powerful and durable carbon pole that will help propel you up any ascent like ultra runner Kilian Jornet. It features the new ‘Aergon Air’ ergonomic shape for extra efficient propulsion, plus cork grips to ensure your hike or run remains comfortable.
6. Evadict Carbon Folding Trail Running Poles
Decathlon's range of hiking and trail running equipment delivers on its reputation for quality, no-frills kit that works - and these trail running poles are no exception. While they're not as cheap as you might expect from Decathlon, they're still on the more affordable end of the spectrum, and for that you get lightweight carbon construction, super fast deployment, ergonomic foam handles, adjustable wrist straps and trekking baskets.
7. Salomon Ultra Carbon Foldable Poles
Salomon is a powerhouse of off-road running gear, and these poles are suitably high-quality. Made from carbon, they’re strong yet light, while the ‘Split-Second’ folding system allows you to instantly break the pole down to a third of its size – handy for packing away on the move.
8. Mountain King Trail Blaze
Better known in the US, Mountain King poles tend to fly under the radar in the UK. But that doesn’t mean they’re not worth checking out. On the contrary, these light, comfortable and compact poles are perfect for long-distance runs in lumpy places. Compared with some of their rivals, they’re fairly cheap too.
9. Helvellyn PRO Carbon Z-Poles
Another pair of poles that have been rigorously put through their paces by one tester during a five-day ultramarathon. Made from 100% 4K carbon and with a streamlined design, the Helvellyn Pro poles weigh in at only 170g each. Despite their lightness, though, they feel stable and strong on the trails — our tester used them during a technical 6k ascent and decent up a mountain in Tanzania and said, 'These gave me plenty of reassurance tackling technical inclines and were fantastic for fatigued legs. At the same time, they're light enough not to be a hinderance on flatter terrain — you can carry them in your hands if you'll be needing them again quickly, but they're hardly noticeable stored in your race pack either’.
The Helvellyn PROs are also easy to assemble and disassemble, folding up into three parts with the click of a button. Fleece lined hand straps make them comfortable if you're using them for several hours, too. A truly quality piece of kit at an affordable price — especially compared with other products on the market.
What are the benefits of running with poles?
So, how can a set of walking poles help you during a long or mountainous race?
Studies have shown that using poles reduces your perception of effort going uphill, and that people who utilise poles tend to walk quicker than those without. Some other key benefits include:
Energy saving: ‘By using poles well, you can transfer some of the work from your legs to your upper body, protecting your leg muscles and allowing you to go much further, especially on longer climbs,’ says Albon.
Propulsion: Poles can increase your pace by adding propulsive force over four contact points, rather than just your two feet (albeit it clad in the best trail running shoes).
Balance: When carrying a load, ‘poles can also help with balance, especially once you get tired,’ says Albon.
Impact reduction: Poles can also assist on the downhills, taking some of the load off your joints and leaving your legs feeling fresher the next day.
> Best trail running shoes <
Are walking poles worth buying?
So, there are plenty of pluses for runners or walkers who are in for the long-haul. But you might still be wondering if walking poles are worth buying, particularly when you’re aiming to travel light on a long trail.
‘Poles do add a little extra weight to your kit, so you need to learn to use them well and a system has to be devised for carrying them when not in use,’ says Albon. ‘Thankfully, the modern carbon folding poles designed for trail running are so light and easy to stow away that the decision as to whether to use poles or not becomes much easier.’
Other than in particular situations, such as a vertical kilometre, Albon says the choice comes down to two variables: how much climb the course has, and how long it is likely to take.
'For me, once a course has more than 4,000m of ascent and/or takes over six hours to complete I will start to consider using poles, as it is at this point that the benefits start to outweigh the drawbacks.’
You should also consider terrain. ‘Poles are extremely useful on sustained long climbs, on snow or in swamps but they can be a nuisance on extremely rocky boulder fields, getting caught in the gaps between rocks,’ says Albon.
Your best bet is to introduce poles to your training early, so you can pinpoint where you will reap the benefits.
> Best hydration packs and vests <
How do you use poles when running?
Decided to take the plunge? Start practising with your poles months in advance of an event and familiarise yourself with different techniques. ‘This is so you can adapt your technique to different types of terrain or gradient and change to avoid getting any repetitive stresses on a certain part of the body,’ says Albon.
Follow these tips to get you started:
Strap smart: You should be able to push down on the straps – put your hand through from bottom to top and grip the handle.
Double up: A pair of poles means symmetrical support, so opt for two poles rather than one.
Synchronise: Walk normally, swinging your arms by your side. Then pick up your poles and use the same natural swing – opposite arm coming up with opposite leg.
Technique 1 - Alternate: Using your synchronising skills, angle your poles backwards as you plant them on the ground, allowing you to push forwards – ideal for a fast pace on steep terrain.
Technique 2 - Double pole plant: For really steep climbs, bring both arms up at the same time, driving both poles into the ground in front of you, then lean forward and walk on with them planted for three steps.
Technique 3 - Offset pole plant: Best for running easy climbs, endurance racing and ultra racing, with the offset pole you alternate planting your poles every three strides, basically a combination of the two techniques above.
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