Hi all,

Newbie here. Be kind to me, as this question is probably going to make me look very silly .....

Why do the baskets on the bottom of walking poles have a little semi-circular "cutaway" on their rims, like a hamster has taken a bite out of them? Why it is there? What is it for?

I have whiled away many a happy uphill hour pondering this question. Actually, that's untrue - the pondering bit, not the uphill bit - I just started wondering about it when I was cleaning them recently.

- To clip the poles together? Nope - wrong size.
- To give them flexibility? - What on earth for?

I'm stuck!

Dunno, I've seen them on the misses' Gabels, but my Khola poles don't have them and she's away out with her pal.

Mine clip together (you just have to extend the end section of one pole slightly)

yeah.. the idea is to use two poles, one in each arm (as opposed to one in each foot).

If you want to walk with them as one they clip together. Leki's come with a little clip just underneath the handle to clip to the corresponding part of other pole and the bottom section of one clips into the "hamster bite"

Bit pointless really but there we go

Nah, it's the hamsters, they are intelligent little creatures, they know a "gimmick" when they see one !!!!


;-)))))

There are more than one type of basket available for trekking poles. You can get a solid basket, which is designed for summer use, and is designed to stop you sinking into soft ground and to stop the force of the downthrust as you place your pole from causing stones to flick up. Winter baskets commonly have cut out sections, as you have described. The winter, or snow, basket is designed to prevent you sinking into snow by spreading the downforce over a larger surface area than just the tip but allowing a degree of movement of wet snow through the basket so that the "teeth" around the lower edge of the basket to get a sufficient purchase on the harder underlying snow. The idea is similar to that used for snowshoes, which are generally not solid plates, but have holes.

To clip two poles together, side by side, you should use the specifically designed attachment that looks similar to a figure 8 with a gap on each side designed to accomodate the pole shaft. You can also get a special attachment for Leki poles for toasting marshmallows.

am i gullible or can u really get a marshmallow toaster..? I WANT ONE!

;p

I thought it had something to do with snow/loose mud etc Dave, but I srill prefer the "Hamster" eaten version !!!

http://www.leki.com/html/trek_accessories_main.asp for details of the marshmallow/hotdog toasting accessory called the Schnitzel Stick.

It's quite handy if you use your poles for skiing as well as trekking. Then you can clip them together as described above, slot your skis through the handle straps, and carry the whole lot by holding one of the poles in the middle.

sod the poles! I like the marshmallow toaster things!! Considering buying leki poles just so i can buy these!!!