This is the all-rounder rank. Every pole extends tall enough to set to your height, then competes on the numbers that decide whether it earns a place strapped to your pack: low weight first, then how short it packs.
Trekking Poles | Gear Matrix
| Product | GearScore (Backpacking) | Material | Weight | Packed | Max length | Price | Fold | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 94 | Carbon | 8.7 oz | 36 cm | 120 cm | $170 | Fixed | ||
| 80 | Carbon | 9.8 oz | 60 cm | 130 cm | $195 | Telescoping | ||
| 78 | Carbon | 12.0 oz | 40 cm | 125 cm | $240 | Folding | ||
4 | 77 | Carbon | 12.4 oz | 38 cm | 130 cm | $245 | Folding | |
5 | 67 | Carbon | 12.9 oz | 58 cm | 120 cm | $189 | Telescoping | |
6 | 60 | Carbon | 16.0 oz | 40 cm | 130 cm | $250 | Folding | |
7 | 59 | Carbon | 16.6 oz | 37 cm | 120 cm | $190 | Folding | |
8 | 55 | Carbon | 17.2 oz | 40 cm | 120 cm | $230 | Folding | |
9 | 48 | Carbon | 17.1 oz | 61 cm | 130 cm | $230 | Telescoping | |
10 | 47 | Aluminum | 19.1 oz | 37 cm | 120 cm | $56 | Folding | |
11 | 47 | Carbon | 16.0 oz | 76 cm | 132 cm | $65 | Telescoping | |
12 | 46 | Aluminum | 17.3 oz | 63 cm | 140 cm | $170 | Telescoping | |
13 | 44 | Aluminum | 17.6 oz | 66 cm | 125 cm | $160 | Telescoping | |
14 | 42 | Aluminum | 18.0 oz | 66 cm | 135 cm | $110 | Telescoping | |
15 | 40 | Aluminum | 18.0 oz | 74 cm | 140 cm | $120 | Telescoping | |
16 | 39 | Aluminum | 19.0 oz | 62 cm | 140 cm | $120 | Telescoping | |
17 | 38 | Aluminum | 19.2 oz | 64 cm | 140 cm | $119 | Telescoping | |
18 | 34 | Aluminum | 20.8 oz | 53 cm | 137 cm | $30 | Telescoping |
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Scatter plot
Plot any spec against any other to see the tradeoffs. Point color is the GearScore; size and shape are yours to assign. Hover any point for the details.
The full picture
A backpacking pole gets swung thousands of times a day and rides on your pack the rest, so the ranking gates on a usable max length, then leans on weight per pair, the number your arms and your pack feel every mile. Long enough to set to your height on the flats and shorten for climbs, without hauling a heavy pair you fight all day. Clear the length gate and low weight leads, with packed length alongside so a pole that is light but will not collapse small does not win on grams alone.
The poles at the top pair a real, adjustable length with a low weight, which is why the carbon models lead: 250 to 400 grams a pair that still set past 120 cm. Every spec is the manufacturer figure, and an unpublished one shows "n/s" and is never scored as a zero. Material, fold style, and lock type are shown for context so you can weigh a light carbon pole against a tougher aluminum pair you can lean on hard.
The honest tradeoff to know: carbon is lighter and stiffer but can splinter if it binds in rock or a fall, while aluminum is heavier but bends before it breaks and shrugs off abuse. Match the pole to how hard you are on gear, not just its weight. If you want the outright lightest, switch to the ultralight preset; if packing small for travel matters most, the folding preset leads with packed length.
Common questions
How much should backpacking trekking poles weigh?
Light backpacking poles run about 250 to 400 grams a pair in carbon and roughly 450 to 550 grams in aluminum. Lighter is easier on your arms over a long day, which is why this page leads with weight once a pole is long enough to fit you. Very light poles are usually fixed-length carbon or minimalist designs, so weigh the grams against how much abuse you give your gear.
Are carbon or aluminum poles better for backpacking?
Carbon is lighter and stiffer and dominates the ultralight end; aluminum is heavier but tougher and bends rather than snapping if it binds in rock. For most backpackers who are gentle on gear, carbon is worth the money; if you travel rough talus or lean on your poles hard, aluminum is the safer pick. Filter by material to see only one.
Should backpacking poles be adjustable or fixed?
Adjustable (telescoping or folding) poles let you lengthen for descents, shorten for climbs, and set them for pitching a trekking-pole tent, which suits most backpackers. Fixed-length poles are the lightest and stiffest but must be bought to your height and cannot adapt. This ranking gates on a usable max length so both types compete fairly.
How are these trekking poles ranked?
GearScore blends published specs into one 0 to 100 number: a max-length sufficiency check, then weight, packed length, and price. It uses no opinion or sponsorship, shows unpublished specs as "n/s" without scoring them as zero, and lets you re-weight any factor to match how you hike.
Bang for Your Buck
Dollars per point of GearScore. The lower the number, the more quality you get for your money. Each bar carries both metrics at once: a solid bar for the highlighted one over a faded ghost of the other. Sorted to the best value first, and always scored by the algorithm you've set above.
GearScore Algorithm
A GearScore ranks products on objective, published specs only, never opinions. It starts on a pre-tuned default; make it yours below, or pick a "Best for" preset up top.
Customize your algorithm
Answer a few quick questions, or grab the sliders yourself. Nothing changes the ranking until you apply it. Then everything re-sorts.