See All Trekking Poles

REI Summit

*Est. $60 per pair

Reviewed by ConsumerSearch

Budget trekking poles

Pros

Low price
Simple, no-frills design

Cons

Poor shock absorption
Slippery grips
No positive-angle handles
Limited durability

Our Analysis
Specs

We didn't find many reviews for REI Summit on websites catering to experienced hikers. An exception is BackPackGearTest.org, where two narrative reviews of REI Summit poles provide great detail. REI's website posts helpful user reviews, and a quick Q&A on the Outside magazine website also discusses the REI Summit poles as a good budget pick.

REI Summit trekking poles are a basic, budget choice for light hiking and first-time pole users. They do well in comparisons of like-priced poles, but reviews indicate that hikers who navigate more tricky terrain will want to spend more money for higher-quality poles. REI Summit poles are made of aluminum alloy, which, some users complain, can cause the poles to bend or collapse. Users also say the rubber handgrips become slick when wet, and aren't sufficiently comfortable. REI Summit trekking poles telescope and collapse into three sections. Summit poles can be extended from 25 to 55 inches.

Our Sources

1. Outside Magazine

In Outside magazine's Gear Guy column, readers ask for advice on outdoor gear. In this short column, REI Summit trekking poles are said to be a good basic choice and are compared to the more expensive LEKI Super Makalu Cor-Tecs (*est. $140).

Review: Are Trekking Poles Just One MoreThing to Carry?, Outside magazine's "Gear Guy", Apr. 5, 2005

2. REI.com

The REI website provides user reviews of the company's Summit trekking poles. More than a dozen user reviews are available, most indicating that the Summit poles are a good basic choice. A few dissenters, however, claim the Summit poles bend and are hard to hold. One user also says the Summit's lock mechanism slips.

Review: REI Summit Trekking Poles Reviews, Contributors to REI.com

3. BackpackGearTest.org

Two hikers test REI Summit trekking poles and offer detailed reports. One who never used trekking poles before was impressed, and says that even with some slippage the poles feel sturdy. The other user, a more experienced hiker, says REI has found a "sweet spot" between performance and affordability with Summit poles.

Review: REI Summit Trekking Poles - Pair, Contributors to BackPackerGearTest.org

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