REI Trailmade Trekking Poles Review
REI Trailmade Trekking Poles are sturdy three-section aluminum trekking poles with oversized, self-adjustable lever locks and contoured EVA foam hand grips with adjustable wrist straps. They have carbide tips and come with extra-large trail baskets to prevent tip entrapments that can lead to breakage. Economically priced ($79.95), they’re an excellent option for new or occasional hikers who want a quality set of poles that won’t break the bank.
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- Gender: Unisex
- Weight: 17oz
- Shafts: 7075 T6 aluminum
- Fits Heights: 5’1″ – 6″ (approximately)
- Maximum Length: 55″ / 140 cm
- Minimum Length: 41″ / 105 cm
- Collapsed Length: 25″ /63.7 cm
- Carbide Tips: Yes
- Trekking Baskets: Yes
- Snow Baskets: Sold separately
- Rubber Tips: Sold separately
- Pros: Adjustable oversized lever locks, large trekking baskets, strong 7075 aluminum shafts
- Cons: Rubber tips and snow baskets are not included.
REI’s Trailmade Trekking Poles are sturdy and well-made trekking poles suitable for hiking, backpacking, and recreational walking. While they cost more than the cheap trekking poles you can get on Amazon, the quality of their manufacture is apparent as soon as you pick them up and start walking with them. They have a solid feel, are stiff, and bear weight well.
The Trailmade poles are telescoping three-section poles with secure lever locks that can be easily tightened without tools if slippage occurs. The shafts are made with 7075 T6 aluminum, which has a high strength-to-weight ratio and weighs 17 oz/pair, which is respectably lightweight. They expand from 105 to 140 cm and collapse down to 63.7 cm or 25″. Snow baskets and rubber tips for walking on pavement are not included but are available and sold separately.
Their contoured grips are made with EVA foam and are moderately sized, making them suitable for a wide range of hand sizes. They have a trigger finger rest so you can apply some downward pressure on the poles with your forearms and triceps, which is helpful when climbing hills. The handles thicken at the bottom to prevent the heel of your hand from slipping off the bottom of the grip. The wrist strap is an unpadded webbing strap but still comfortable and easy to adjust. Lastly, the round top of the grip provides a comfortable pommel to put your palm on, increasing stability when descending a slope.
The trekking baskets are oversized to help prevent the tips from getting trapped between two rocks and breaking. REI suggests that the baskets are suitable for use in snow, but I think they’re too small for proper flotation and I wouldn’t get your hopes up on that score. There is still value in having oversized trekking baskets, however, because they really do reduce tip breakage.
Trekking Pole Comparison
| Make / Model | Grip | Shaft | Locks | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Diamond Pursuit | Cork | Aluminum | Flick | $170 |
| REI Traverse | Cork | Aluminum | Flick | $119 |
| Leki Khumbu Lite | Cork | Aluminum | Flick | $130 |
| Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork | Cork | Carbon Fiber | Flick | $230 |
| Black Diamond Distance Carbon FLZ | Foam | Carbon Fiber | Flick/Folding | $240 |
| REI Trailmade Trekking Poles | Foam | Aluminum | Flick | $80 |
| Durston Gear Iceline | Foam | Carbon Fiber | Flick/Pin | $189 |
| Leki Legacy Lite | Cork | Aluminum | Flick | $110 |
| Fizan Compact | Foam | Aluminum | Twist | $70 |
| Pacer Pole Duolock | Plastic | Carbon Fiber | Flick/Pin | $172 |
Recommendation
REI’s Trailmade Trekking Poles ($79.95) are lightweight aluminum trekking poles with contoured foam grips. They are affordable and a good value if you want a pair of robust poles for day hiking, backpacking, or recreational walking. These poles have a very competitive feature set and reliable lever lock adjusters that are preferred by most hikers.
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My first pair of trekking poles were REI Traverse poles. These look comparable to those poles, although the traverse were twist locks, which, after a few years of moderate use, became more and more finicky.
The Traverse poles were actually made by Komperdell. Their logo is stamped right on the poles. I wonder if these Trailmade poles are made by Komperdell as well.
Probably. I know they make a lot of poles for other manufacturers as well.
I tried a pair of these and on a backpacking trip in VT, a wrist strap broke and a pole completely separated iwhen I tried to lift it from the mud. I wanted to like them, but they are way too flimsy. I had them less than a year.
Is that the Crown 3 40 Eco that you’re using in this article? And if so will there be a review? I’ve been considering getting one. TIA!
Next week! – I’m loving it. I’ve owned the 38L for years and its on its last legs. This is a worthy successor. It will be my winter pack.
Thank you! I was thinking that this would be a great winter pack, possibly an overnight summer pack too. Currently using the Blaze 60 and love it