America’s Best Backpacking and Outdoor Adventures
By Michael Lanza
If you’ve opened this story, you probably already recognize this truth: For backpackers, dayhikers, climbers, mountain runners, and others, trekking poles noticeably reduce strain, fatigue, and impact on leg muscles and joints, feet, back—and really on your entire body. And that’s true no matter how much weight you’re carrying, whether a daypack, an ultralight backpack, or a woefully heavy backpack.
By Michael Lanza
The Wind River Range, Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains, and the Grand Canyon (all numerous times now). Utah’s High Uintas Wilderness, Montana’s Beartooths, and Colorado’s Weminuche. Glacier National Park and the Tetons. The Canadian Rockies. Southern Utah’s Owl and Fish canyons, Buckskin Gulch, and Paria Canyon. The John Muir Trail and Wonderland Trail. Iceland’s Laugavegur and Fimmvörðuháls trails. New Hampshire’s Presidential Range and New Zealand’s Milford Track, Routeburn Track, and Tongariro Alpine Crossing.
These are just some of the places where I’ve recently tested the backpacking gear and apparel that I’ve reviewed at The Big Outside—so that I can give you honest and thorough, field-tested opinions that help you find the best gear for your adventures.
And that’s exactly how I came up with the following picks for today’s best backpacking gear.
By Michael Lanza
One of the most immutable truisms about hiking is this: Backpackers, dayhikers, climbers, mountain runners, and others who start using trekking poles almost never hit the trail without them again. No matter how much weight you’re carrying—from an ultralight daypack or running vest to a godawful heavy monster backpack—using poles will lessen your chances of an accidental fall and your leg muscles and joints, feet, back, and body will all feel better, thanks to the reduced strain, fatigue, and impact on them.
Trekking Poles
Leki Makalu FX Carbon Poles
$230, 1 lb. 1.9 oz./508g (per pair)
One size, adjustable 110-130cm/43.3-51.2 ins.
backcountry.com
What qualities are you looking for in trekking poles? How about good adjustability, packability, durability, comfort, reliability, and especially versatility? Those adjectives all describe the Leki Makalu FX Carbon folding poles—which I increasingly found myself reaching for when choosing poles for backpacking trips in places as rugged as the Wind River Range, High Sierra, Canadian Rockies, High Uintas, and more. In fact, I can point to just one drawback to them—although in this case, I question whether it can even be called that.
Trekking Poles
Leki Makalu Cork Lite Trekking Poles
$160, 1 lb. 1.9 oz./508g (per pair)
One size, adjustable 100-135cm/39.4-53 ins.
backcountry.com
The first detail to catch your attention with the Leki Makalu Cork Lite Trekking Poles is likely going to be the price—it’s significantly lower than many leading models of hiking poles. But look deeper into the specs and these poles grow more appealing, including a broad range of adjustability and very good durability. From hiking Idaho’s highest peak and in my local foothills to dayhikes and backpacking in southern Utah’s Capitol Reef National Park and Buckskin Gulch and Paria Canyon, these poles performed and held up in ways that convinced me they may be the best value in trekking poles today.