Gossamer Gear has been making high-quality ultralight backpacking gear for 20 years, refining merchandise with a watch towards thru-hikers. The LT5 Trekking Poles replicate the care and expertise GG has gained, creating ultralight merchandise for backpackers and thru-hikers alike. Completely balancing weight and sturdiness, these poles have 1000’s 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 rather a lot. I used to be amazed at how mild and cozy they have been in my palms.
With pure carbon shafts, a easy however sturdy twist-lock performance, and cozy 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: If you happen to’re placing down huge 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 dimension
23.5″ -
Useable size
60-130 cm -
Materials
Carbon -
Lock fashion
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 working -
Twist-lock mechanism requires some upkeep to maintain working
Gossamer Gear LT5 Trekking Poles: Assessment
Via-Hiker Examined and Accepted
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 lightweight means my pack is comparatively snug, however the miles and terrain might be brutal on the knees. Having an excellent 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, typically pondering they have been superior to my previous twisting poles. Since then, I’ve modified to a unique perspective — no piece of apparatus is ideal, and all of it simply is determined by the standard of the product and the way nicely 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 situations allowed me to see what these poles are actually manufactured from. Not solely did they meet my expectations, I obtained extra enthusiastic about taking these poles out on longer, harder adventures.
Since taking the poles on their preliminary voyage on the AT, I’ve been utilizing them on path runs and massive day missions in Zion Nationwide Park, the place the steep, difficult terrain is plentiful and onerous on the knees and poles come in useful usually. 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 working, desert bushwacking, mountain climbing, and eight,000 toes of vertical acquire.
I’d been hesitant to place these poles via the wringer, uncertain how the twist locks and ultralight carbon shafts would maintain up below a whole lot of stress. However, they carried out amazingly nicely once I was thrashing via boulders and scree, scrambling up ledges, and working down the steep rocky ridges of the Zion backcountry.
On- and Off-Path Efficiency
Throughout off-trail bushwacking runs and traversing via Zion’s unstable slopes, I’ve been planting the poles onerous and aggressively trusting their assist. They’ve been loads robust and dependable pushing their limits as onerous 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 palms. The bulkier flip-locks are at all times getting snagged on straps on the skin of my packs throughout this course of, which annoys me enormously when it occurs repeatedly. The sleek 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 opponents, the LT5s are extraordinarily mild (at 9.8 ounces for the pair). I used to be shocked by how mild they have been in my palms. Sometimes, 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 a protracted and demanding day. It might sound small, however ultralight hikers are all in regards to the little particulars, and we all know they rely.
I can’t stress sufficient how mild these poles really feel. Swinging them in my palms was really easy, and I didn’t need or have to put them away once I was mountain climbing for hours. Stashed in my pack throughout huge 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 just a few occasions now, and so they have been supportive and reliable for the number of people with totally different physique varieties and mountain climbing skills who’ve used them up to now.
One of many issues I like essentially the most about Gossamer Gear’s tools is the texture of its merchandise. The poles are so snug. My final pair of poles had cork handles, with a more durable, thinner cork layer glued over the plastic deal with. They have been superb in a whole lot of 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 straightforward terrain and once I was actively powering up huge climbs. EVA is lighter and extra sturdy than cork handles and is usually 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 have 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 determine 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 sensible.
Replaceable Sections
If you happen to do break a bit of the pole on path, concern not, Gossamer Gear sells substitute sections, new suggestions, and baskets on its web site.
Personally, I’m a fan of the minimalist strap design. It’s straightforward to grasp how some people would possibly desire a extra vital or supportive entice on the trekking poles, so this may very well be an issue for some hikers who like having their palms within the straps all day.
I discover myself utilizing my poles by taking out and placing away one or each poles usually all through the day to take photographs, give my arms a break, or scramble. Straps on poles I’ve used prior to now have been extra supportive with bigger straps, however once I don’t have my palms 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 need the straps to be sturdy and cozy. The straps on Gossamer Gear’s LT5 poles are virtually as minimal as they will get, and whereas constructed from a snug materials, they aren’t the beefy supportive kind.
In April, I took these poles out on an ultramarathon in Zion Nationwide Park, working the Zion Traverse. The only-track backcountry path covers a whole lot of terrain, from steep, slick rocks to deep sandy washes.
As a lot as I like these poles, I didn’t love the straps. In the course of the day, they often 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 may not be as snug or pleasant for you.
Like every twist-lock mechanism poles, they are often more durable to safe completely and aren’t as straightforward as flip-lock mechanisms. Personally, I feel it’s a small distinction on a protracted path, and the design of the LT5 trekking poles makes them simpler to arrange than typical twist-lock poles.
In a path working 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 utterly inside my small summit bag or a working vest. Basically, these aren’t actually made for working, however for backpacking or thru-hiking, they’re of a better caliber than most choices available on the market.
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, snug, straightforward to make use of, and robust, they’ve a smaller viewers than another poles would possibly enchantment to.
These will not be the thrash-em-up poles you need to purchase should you closely abuse your gear. So, earlier than you utilize the LT5s like a bat for an on-trail recreation 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 in a position to assist heavy masses and plenty of abuse. Hikers and backpackers on the lookout for really 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 outside missions, hikes, and backpacking journeys this 12 months, and till somebody makes a lighter and extra reasonably priced pole, the LT5s will probably be my best choice for backpacking poles going ahead.