Gossamer Gear has been making high-quality ultralight backpacking gear for 20 years, refining merchandise with an eye fixed towards thru-hikers. The LT5 Trekking Poles mirror the care and expertise GG has gained, creating ultralight merchandise for backpackers and thru-hikers alike. Completely balancing weight and sturdiness, these poles have hundreds of miles within the tank.
All through my mountain climbing profession, I’ve used quite a lot of mountain climbing poles on thru-hikes, excessive routes, and backpacking journeys all around the United States and Tasmania. I’ve used Gossamer Gear for years, together with its UL Kumo pack and The One Tent on a number of thru-hikes.
And so, once I lastly obtained an opportunity to take the LT5s backpacking on the Appalachian Path, I anticipated to love them loads. I used to be amazed at how gentle and comfy they had been in my arms.
With pure carbon shafts, a easy however strong twist-lock performance, and comfy EVA foam grips, the LT5 Trekking Poles have all of the hallmarks of a set of strolling sticks that may put up with the two,000-3,000-mile trek and be able to do it once more subsequent season.
In brief: Take it from a veteran thru-hiker: In the event you’re placing down massive mile days on any of the Nationwide Scenic Trails within the U.S. (and even overseas), the Gossamer Gear LT5 Trekking Poles are the poles I see most path hounds utilizing. At lower than 10 ounces for the pair, these featherlight poles shave ounces the place it counts whereas retaining power the place it issues.
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Weight
9.8 oz. -
Packed measurement
23.5″ -
Useable size
60-130 cm -
Materials
Carbon -
Lock type
Twist
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Light-weight at lower than 10 ounces per pair -
Carbon fiber shafts are tremendous sturdy -
Twist lock mechanism solely requires setting size on one part -
Fairly packable -
Lengthy sufficient for use with trekking pole shelters
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Fairly minimal strap design, can loosen whereas operating -
Twist-lock mechanism requires some upkeep to maintain working
Gossamer Gear LT5 Trekking Poles: Assessment
Via-Hiker Examined and Permitted
Just a few years in the past, I obtained into fastpacking thru-hikes and excessive routes. These adventures border on ultra-endurance runs however are nonetheless backpacking journeys at their core. Going quick and light-weight means my pack is comparatively comfy, however the miles and terrain will be brutal on the knees. Having a very good pair of trekking poles has been important for making these miles simpler.
On my first thru-hike, I used a pair of hand-me-down twist lock poles, and afterward, I vowed by no means to make use of that sort once more. I’ve used trekking poles with flip-locks for a very long time, usually considering they had been superior to my previous twisting poles. Since then, I’ve modified to a distinct perspective — no piece of kit is ideal, and all of it simply relies on the standard of the product and the way properly you deal with it.
This previous winter, I took the LT5s backpacking on the Appalachian Path within the Roan Highlands to see how they carried out. I hiked in mud, over slick rocky balds, and thru ice and snow. The number of path circumstances allowed me to see what these poles are actually made from. Not solely did they meet my expectations, I obtained extra enthusiastic about taking these poles out on longer, tougher adventures.
Since taking the poles on their preliminary voyage on the AT, I’ve been utilizing them on path runs and large day missions in Zion Nationwide Park, the place the steep, difficult terrain is plentiful and arduous on the knees and poles turn out to be useful typically. In brief, utilizing the LT5s has been superior.
Most not too long ago, I made a decision to take the LT5s to climb the West Temple and East Temple of Zion in a day. This concerned roughly 18 miles of path operating, desert bushwacking, mountaineering, and eight,000 ft of vertical acquire.
I’d been hesitant to place these poles by the wringer, not sure how the twist locks and ultralight carbon shafts would maintain up underneath numerous stress. However, they carried out amazingly properly once I was thrashing by boulders and scree, scrambling up ledges, and operating down the steep rocky ridges of the Zion backcountry.
On- and Off-Path Efficiency
Throughout off-trail bushwacking runs and traversing by Zion’s unstable slopes, I’ve been planting the poles arduous and aggressively trusting their help. They’ve been a lot robust and dependable pushing their limits as arduous as I can.
As somebody who likes to backpack excessive routes and get into off-trail terrain, I incessantly take my poles out and put them away to transition between mountain climbing and scrambling once I want each arms. The bulkier flip-locks are all the time getting snagged on straps on the skin of my packs throughout this course of, which annoys me tremendously when it occurs repeatedly. The graceful profile of the LT5s twist locks helps take away this small however constant inconvenience on the path.
In comparison with the opposite trekking poles made by rivals, the LT5s are extraordinarily gentle (at 9.8 ounces for the pair). I used to be stunned by how gentle they had been in my arms. Usually, I’m actually conscious of the small however noticeable effort it takes to wield a pair of poles whereas mountain climbing down the path, particularly after an extended and demanding day. It may appear small, however ultralight hikers are all concerning the little particulars, and we all know they depend.
I can’t stress sufficient how gentle these poles really feel. Swinging them in my arms was really easy, and I didn’t need or must put them away once I was mountain climbing for hours. Stashed in my pack throughout massive missions, the burden doesn’t really feel like a burden on my again both.
I’ve lent the poles to shoppers throughout guided mountain climbing journeys in southern Utah a number of instances now, and so they have been supportive and reliable for the number of of us with totally different physique varieties and mountain climbing skills who’ve used them thus far.
One of many issues I really like essentially the most about Gossamer Gear’s tools is the texture of its merchandise. The poles are so comfy. My final pair of poles had cork handles, with a more durable, thinner cork layer glued over the plastic deal with. They had been superb in numerous methods, however the cork layer deteriorated over the course of my AT-thru-hike.
As an alternative of cork, the handles on LT5s are constructed from EVA foam. The softer grip is nice whereas casually cruising alongside simple terrain and once I was actively powering up massive climbs. EVA is lighter and extra sturdy than cork handles and is often hotter to carry on days with chilly temperatures, making the fabric an superior alternative over cork or plastic grip poles.
Glossy and Easy Design
Of all of the telescoping poles I’ve used, these had been the primary pair to have a barely totally different setup. The underside part of the pole is meant to be lengthened slightly below the “cease” line, and the higher part is adjusted to resolve the precise size of the pole. Eradicating the necessity to discover and match the markings on each the highest and the underside sections was a welcome design simplification and a type of issues that simply is smart.
Replaceable Sections
In the event you do break a bit of the pole on path, concern not, Gossamer Gear sells alternative sections, new suggestions, and baskets on its web site.
Personally, I’m a fan of the minimalist strap design. It’s simple to grasp how some of us may need a extra important or supportive lure on the trekking poles, so this might be an issue for some hikers who like having their arms within the straps all day.
I discover myself utilizing my poles by taking out and placing away one or each poles typically all through the day to take photographs, give my arms a break, or scramble. Straps on poles I’ve used previously had been extra supportive with bigger straps, however once I don’t have my arms in them, they really feel far more annoying and in the way in which than value having.
Room for Enchancment
I virtually by no means use pole straps on mountain climbing trails. Nevertheless, once I do, I would like the straps to be sturdy and comfy. The straps on Gossamer Gear’s LT5 poles are virtually as minimal as they will get, and whereas constructed from a cushty materials, they aren’t the beefy supportive kind.
In April, I took these poles out on an ultramarathon in Zion Nationwide Park, operating the Zion Traverse. The one-track backcountry path covers numerous terrain, from steep, slick rocks to deep sandy washes.
As a lot as I really like these poles, I didn’t love the straps. In the course of the day, they recurrently wanted to be retightened once I wasn’t actively placing my weight into them. If you need some actually supportive wrist straps to depend on all day lengthy, these thinner, lighter ones won’t be as comfy or gratifying for you.
Like every twist-lock mechanism poles, they are often more durable to safe completely and usually are not as simple as flip-lock mechanisms. Personally, I believe it’s a small distinction on an extended path, and the design of the LT5 trekking poles makes them simpler to arrange than typical twist-lock poles.
In a path operating context, they don’t break down as small as folding poles just like the Black Diamond Distance Z Poles, and I can’t stash them fully inside my small summit bag or a operating vest. Normally, these aren’t actually made for operating, however for backpacking or thru-hiking, they’re of a better caliber than most choices in the marketplace.
Gossamer Gear LT5 Trekking Poles: Conclusion
For minimalist thru-hikers and ultralight backpackers, the Gossamer Gear LT5 Trekking Poles are a prime gear alternative. Ultralight, comfy, simple to make use of, and powerful, they’ve a smaller viewers than another poles may enchantment to.
These is probably not the thrash-em-up poles you need to purchase in the event you closely abuse your gear. So, earlier than you employ the LT5s like a bat for an on-trail sport of pinecone baseball, suppose twice. Generally ultralight means ultra-careful, and whereas these aren’t the strongest potential mountain climbing poles ever, they’re fairly sturdy and capable of help heavy hundreds and plenty of abuse. Hikers and backpackers in search of actually ultralight poles so as to add to your setup, you’ve discovered those.
I’m excited to maintain utilizing these poles on quite a lot of out of doors missions, hikes, and backpacking journeys this yr, and till somebody makes a lighter and extra inexpensive pole, the LT5s might be my best choice for backpacking poles going ahead.
