Gossamer Gear LT5 Three Piece Carbon Trekking Poles

A long-standing favorite of ultralight backpackers, and roughly half the weight of a typical aluminum pair. Three carbon sections adjust from 60 to 130 cm with twist locks, and the foam grips keep the swing weight low over thousands of steps a day. The trade-offs are real and worth knowing before you buy. Twist locks are slower and less confidence-inspiring than lever locks, they need keeping clean of grit, and testers have cracked the carbon shafts simply by overtightening them. Reviewers advise against them for walkers who crank hard on their poles. For careful hikers counting grams on a thru-hike, they remain hard to beat.