10 Best Snowshoe Poles In 2023

How To Choose The Best Snowshoe Poles – Buying Guide

A good pair of snowshoe poles is going to make your step safer and more secure, whether you’re walking uphill, downhill, or on uneven terrain. Adding them to your gear improves your experience when snowshoe hiking because they help spread the weight evenly and reduce fatigue. Take a quick look at what you need to consider when buying them.

Length and Adjustability

Your poles must be long enough for proper use – it’s said that your elbow should be at a 90° angle when you grab the handle, while the tip is touching the ground. You should get poles that can be adjusted to that length, but that also allows you to easily change the length on different terrain (shorter poles for uphill and deep snow, longer poles for downhill).

Many shorter people have trouble finding the right poles, so we also featured several poles for short beginners, so that anyone can enjoy themselves and learn how to snowshoe.

Weight

Pole weight is an important factor for some people because heavier poles can cause arm fatigue faster. Luckily, most materials used nowadays are fairly light, so this shouldn’t be a deciding factor. Ultra-light poles are often less durable, so be careful when choosing.

Lock Mechanism

Adjustable poles are locked at a certain length with either a lever (flip) lock, or a twist lock. Twist locking means turning the shaft in one direction to unlock and adjust the length, then turn in the other to lock. It’s often unreliable because it unlocks itself. Top-rated snowshoeing poles have flip-locks that are more secure and much easier to use.

Shaft Material

Two of the most popular materials used are aluminum alloy and carbon fiber. Aluminum is stronger and more durable, but aluminum poles are a few ounces heavier. Carbon fiber is lighter and reduces strain on your arms, but it can get damaged or broken more easily. Some manufacturers even combine these two materials to give the best balance of strength and weight.

You might also like:  Boots For Snowshoeing 

Grip

The grip on your trekking pole is important for stability and comfort. The best snowshoeing poles have handles (grips) made of either cork or EVA foam (many offer a combination of the two). These materials wick sweat, don’t slip, and don’t retain odors. Avoid plastic and rubber because they are uncomfortable. In addition to handles, all poles come with wrist straps for better support. Make sure they are adjustable and padded, so they don’t chafe your skin.

Design

Snowshoeing poles offer 2 design solutions – telescoping and foldable. Telescoping poles have 2 or 3 pieces that slide into each other while folding poles have pieces that are detached from each other and then packed. Which type you decide to get isn’t significant, but the length of the folded trekking pole is. The best snowshoeing poles are compact when packed and can fit in your backpack.

Interchangeable Baskets and Tips

The snow (powder) basket is the thing that makes these poles usable on the snow. These are wide discs that compress the snow and prevent the pole tip from getting buried deep, allowing you to walk with good support. All products in our poles reviews come with snow baskets. They also have other accessories like mud baskets, rubber tips, or rubber boots, allowing you to use them for year-round hiking.

FAQs

Globo Surf Overview

As you’ve had the chance to see, a pair of poles makes a fantastic addition to your snowshoeing equipment. They offer plenty of benefits, and won’t set your budget back too much. If you’ve already selected the snowshoes you like, as well as a pair of boots for snowshoeing, think about snowshoeing poles. Numerous hikers can’t even imagine snowshoeing without them, so give them a shot and start enjoying hikes on the snow even more.