Having your own pair of Nordic walking poles means you can go out any time you want and get all the benefits that Nordic walking has to offer. If you are thinking about buying your own poles, here’s some things to look out for and our top picks.
Materials
Poles are generally carbon, aluminium, or a mix of the two. Aluminium poles are cheaper. They provide a good balance of weight, strength and cost. Higher end poles are made of carbon which is lighter than aluminium and absorbs more vibrations when the pole strikes the ground.
Straps
You can buy small, medium or large straps to suit your hand size. The manufacturers Leki and Gabel also sell straps integrated into a full or half glove. These are useful if you have arthritic hands as it helps to spread the load, making it more comfortable to push through the strap.
Don’t accidentally buy trekking poles for Nordic walking because you won’t get the same benefits and you will place stress on your writs, and forearms using them with the Nordic walking technique.
| Nordic walking straps are different from Trekking pole straps | Looped strap of a trekking pole | Example of an integrated glove strap – great if you have arthritic hands. |
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Fixed length v adjustable poles
You can buy fixed length, adjustable, telescopic, or folding Nordic walking poles. Fixed length poles are generally the cheapest. They feel nice to use and very little can go wrong, but you need to know the correct height pole for you and they’re not easy to travel with. Adjustable poles are a good option if you are a beginner and don’t know your pole height.
The top manufacturers
Many companies make Nordic walking poles but sadly our choice in the UK is limited. Reputations change but here’s the general view of the main brands:
- Leki – The largest manufacturer of trekking and Nordic walking poles with a huge range to choose from. They offer quality poles from budget to innovative top end designs. You’ll rarely go wrong with a Leki pole.
- Exel – The original Nordic walking pole brand. Their fixed Nordic walking poles and All Terrain tip system are excellent.
- Gabel – A popular budget pole manufacturer.
Our current top picks of Nordic walking poles
Fixed Length poles
| Low cost – £29 | Mid cost – £79 | Top of the range – £149 |
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| Gabel Stride Light. A great value aluminium Nordic walking pole. | Leki Flash Carbon. A popular quality aluminium pole. | Exel Nordic Pro Alis – 100% carbon with an integrated paw system so you never lose your paws. One of the best Nordic poles around. |
Adjustable/Travel Poles
| Mid cost – £74 | Top of the range – £94 | Folding travel poles – £195 |
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| Leki Spin Shark. A quality aluminium pole – but price is about to go up | Leki Instructor Lite – A bestseller for years, the bottom section is 100% carbon which makes it lighter than most adjustable poles and it feels great to use. | Leki Cross Trail FX Superlite. The most expensive pole on the market. Folds down small. Great for travelling. Very light. |
Where to buy
The best place to buy Nordic walking poles is online. You will find the cheapest price and benefit from any special offers. Email us at info@letswalkbristol.org if you need any help.
Want to know more about Nordic walking poles?
There’s a great in-depth discussion about Nordic walking poles on the Walking on Air podcast. Click here for the link.
