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Norman with his Helinox TL Series poles on a trek to Everest base camp, Nepal.
Walking with poles brings many benefits - not just the added stability.
Using the correct technique gets the upper body muscles active, turning a walk into full body excercise. This in turn helps propel you forward more effeciently, meaning you'll travel faster with no increase in effort from your legs.
Scroll down to get a free copy of our 'Australian Bushwalker's Guide to Walking Poles' and learn the how to get the most from walking with poles.
Sally uses Helinox Passport TL Series poles on her treks in the Blue Mountains. Here she is ascending from Blue Gum Forest.
The ideal walking pole length is based on your height. If you are older or nursing an injury, a shorter length may be better – up to 5 cm less. If you're very fit or competing, a pole up to 5 cm longer could be considered. These figures are a guide and may vary according to differences in body proportions.
Pole length is given as the total overall length from tip to top of handle.
| Height | Pole Length | Height | Pole Length |
| 120 cm / 3'11" | 82 cm | 170 cm / 5'7" | 115 cm |
| 125 cm / 4'1" | 85 cm | 175 cm / 5'9" | 119 cm |
| 130 cm / 4'3" | 88 cm | 180 cm / 5'11" | 122 cm |
| 135 cm / 4'5" | 92 cm | 185 cm / 6'1" | 125 cm |
| 140 cm / 4'7" | 95 cm | 190 cm / 6'3" | 129 cm |
| 145 cm / 4'9" | 98 cm | 195 cm / 6'5" | 132 cm |
| 150 cm / 4'11" | 102 cm | 200 cm / 6'7" | 136 cm |
| 155 cm / 5'1" | 105 cm | 205 cm / 6'9" | 139 cm |
| 160 cm / 5'3" | 109 cm | 210 cm / 6'11" | 143 cm |
| 165 cm / 5'5" | 112 cm | 215 cm / 7'1" | 146 cm |
Allana climbed the Annapurna Range in Nepal using Helinox walking poles.
Our range of walking poles is divided into three groups:
Helinox Passport Walking Poles are the lightest and most compact in the Helinox range. They are great for day walking when carrying a light pack and travelling on well made tracks.
Helinox Ridgeline Walking Poles are the 'all-rounders' of the Helinox family. Their larger diameter provides better resistance to flexing under load. Perfect for a casual day walk right through to multi-day hikes over difficult terrain.
Helinox Causeway Walking Poles are the heavy duty members of the family. Large diameter pole sections and strong locking mechanisms are designed to support higher loads in rough terrain. The extra length adjustment is great for supporting a tent or tarp.
Our guidebook "The Australian Bushwalker's Guide to Walking Poles" will show you:
Fill in the form below and we'll mail you a free copy!
What should you look for when buying a pair of poles? Here are a few pointers on the technical aspects of pole selection.
Smaller diameter poles from the Passport range are lighter and well suited to general bushwalking. When carrying a heavy pack or tackling arduous conditions a larger diameter pole from the Ridgeline or Causeway ranges will be more resistant to flexing under load.
All of our walking poles collapse for stowage and transport. There are a number of ways in which the sections of a pole are secured together when expanded for use.
Poles with a tension lock system use a single locking button to keep the folding pole sections together. An internal elastic cord maintains constant tension on the pole sections while the button is in the locked position. Depressing the lock button releases tension and the sections come apart for stowage. Tension lock poles have the shortest compacted length in our range.
Tension Locks (TL) are used in Helinox Passport TL Series poles.
Friction locks operate via a screw or twist action. The sections of the pole telescope – one sliding into the other. Twisting in one direction will loosen the pole so you can adjust length. Twist in the other direction to lock the pole in place. As this lock type relies on friction, over-tightening by applying extra force will not improve the holding power of the lock.
Friction Locks (FL) are found in the Passport FL120 and the Ridgeline FL135.
Lever locks apply clamping force to the pole section to hold them in position. Pole sections are telescopic and freely slide to the desired length when the lever is released. How the lever is positioned is an important consideration. Helinox poles use vertically operating levers that are less likely to get caught and accidentally disengage in thick scrub. Helinox lever locks can be adjusted for tension and feature a unique lever 'rest zone' to help prolong service life.
Dual Lever Locks (DL) are featured on Causeway DL145 poles.
Using a combination of a lever and multiple button locks, these poles are a revolution in ease of use. A single movement of the lever loosens and locks the pole sections. The lower sections slide into place using locking buttons. Once the lever is opened the lower sections freely slide back into the compacted position without needing to depress the buttons.
Lever and Button lock combinations are used on Helinox Ridgeline LB135 and LBB135 poles.
In a quantum leap forward in walking pole technology, Helinox combined locking grooves with a friction/twist lock mechanism to produce a walking pole with immense load carrying capacity. The friction lock internally 'mates' with the locking grooves. This produces a light, yet heavy duty pole ideally suited to arduous conditions.
The Groove Lock (GL) system is only found on Helinox Causeway GL145 walking poles.