Your first decision is length: one-piece fixed poles cut to your height, or adjustable poles you set yourself. For fixed poles, start with the EXEL Nordic Walking Poles. For adjustable ones, start with the LEKI Instructor Lite.
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| Where you'll use it | A sensible first pick |
|---|---|
| Fixed-length poles cut to your height | EXEL Nordic Walking Poles |
| Adjustable poles you set yourself | LEKI Instructor Lite |
| Adjustable poles that pack into a suitcase | LEKI Traveller Carbon |
| Steadiness first, without the Nordic technique | Urban Poling ACTIVATOR 2 |
EXEL Nordic Walking Poles
One-piece poles in the length that matches your height
EXEL Nordic Walking Poles, one-piece carbon Available in 32 lengths, one every 2.5 cm Rubber asphalt paws and carbide tips Check stock and price on AmazonThe EXEL poles are one-piece and non-adjustable. The listing offers 32 different lengths, one every 2.5 cm (1 inch), so you choose the length that fits your height.
The shafts are carbon, made in Mantyharju, Finland, with a lifetime breakage warranty. Nordic straps come with the poles.
They come with removable rubber tips (asphalt paws) for pavement, carpet and indoor tracks, plus carbide metal tips for off-road. One pair covers both sidewalk and trail walking.
- Think twice if
- Sharing one pair between walkers of different heights
LEKI Instructor Lite
Adjustable Nordic poles for walking, set to your own height
LEKI Instructor Lite adjustable Nordic poles
Adjusts from 100 to 125 cm, clamp closure
Strap grip with quick release
Check stock and price on Amazon
LEKI states the Instructor Lite adjusts between 100 and 125 cm. The upper shaft is aluminum and the lower shaft is carbon.
The grip is LEKI’s Nordic Shark system with a breathable mesh strap, and a quick-release system makes it easy to get in and out of the grip.
The pole comes with a carbide tip for natural ground and a rubber tip for urban and indoor use.
The Amazon listing gives 380 g per pair. It usually ships within 13 to 14 days, so plan on about two weeks.
- Think twice if
- Heights that need more than 125 cm of pole
LEKI Traveller Carbon
Adjustable Nordic poles that pack down for a suitcase or backpack
LEKI Traveller Carbon telescoping Nordic poles
Fully carbon, adjusts from 90 to 130 cm
Collapses to 26 inches
Check stock and price on Amazon
LEKI describes a three-part telescoping pole that collapses to 26 inches and fits in almost any suitcase or backpack. It adjusts from 90 to 130 cm.
The grip is the Nordic Shark grip-strap. The pole comes with a carbide tip for natural ground and a rubber tip for urban and indoor use.
LEKI gives 191 g per pole.
Urban Poling ACTIVATOR 2
Walking with extra steadiness, built for rehab and long-term conditions
Urban Poling ACTIVATOR 2 walking poles
Strapless ergonomic rubber grip with wide ledge
Bell-shaped tips for stability
Check stock and price on Amazon
This is the balance-first alternative, not a true Nordic pole for the diagonal technique.
Its listing says an occupational therapist and gerontologist designed it for rehab and long-term conditions.
The grip is strapless, a rubber grip with a wide ledge, and the tips are bell-shaped. The maximum user weight is 320 lb, with each pole rated to 225 lb (102 kg).
It is a three-section collapsible aluminum pole at 1.44 lb (0.655 kg) per pair. It suits heights from 4 ft 2 in to 6 ft 4 in. It has a carbide tip plus removable boot tips.
- Think twice if
- The diagonal Nordic walking technique
Fixed or adjustable poles
A fixed pole has no joint to set, so the length you order is the length you walk with. The EXEL poles come in 32 lengths for that reason.
An adjustable pole lets you set the length and change it later. LEKI’s Instructor Lite adjusts between 100 and 125 cm.
The Traveller Carbon adjusts from 90 to 130 cm, so two walkers of different heights can share one pair, and it collapses to 26 inches.
Strap grips and loose straps
Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School’s consumer health publisher, notes that trekking poles have loose wrist straps. Most Nordic poles come with a special glove-like system instead.
All three Nordic picks here, the EXEL, the Instructor Lite and the Traveller Carbon, use a strap or grip-strap designed for Nordic walking. The ACTIVATOR 2 is strapless.
If you want the diagonal technique, choose poles with a strap or glove grip.
Rubber paws for pavement, tips for trails
WALX, a UK Nordic walking organization, says the rubber paws cover the carbide tips for use on hard surfaces like pavements. It recommends removing them on softer ground.
WALX adds that the paws are angled backward to give grip on harder surfaces. Harvard Health Publishing describes the same split: pointed tips for trails and rubber tips for sidewalks.
Pavement walkers keep the paws on. Trail walkers take them off. The EXEL, Instructor Lite and Traveller Carbon each list both tip types.
How long should your poles be
Two outdoor brands give a height rule. The Swedish outdoor brand Silva says to multiply your height in centimeters by 0.7. The French outdoor brand Cimalp says to multiply by 0.68.
Silva’s example is a 170 cm walker, which gives around 119 cm. Cimalp gives 175 x 0.68 = 119. The table below applies both multipliers to common heights.
| Your height | Starting pole length |
|---|---|
| 5 ft 0 in (152 cm) | 103 to 106 cm |
| 5 ft 2 in (157 cm) | 107 to 110 cm |
| 5 ft 4 in (163 cm) | 111 to 114 cm |
| 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) | 114 to 118 cm |
| 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) | 118 to 121 cm |
| 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | 121 to 125 cm |
| 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | 124 to 128 cm |
| 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | 128 to 132 cm |
Treat these figures as a starting point. Between two sizes on a fixed pole, Cimalp says to choose the smaller one.
Check the length with your elbow. Silva says your elbows should form a 90-degree angle with the tips on the ground.
When you don’t need to buy poles yet
You don’t need Nordic poles if you aren’t sure you want the diagonal gait. LEKI describes Nordic poles as made for the diagonal whole-body gait on level ground. It describes trekking poles as built for stability, control and versatility.
Trekking poles you already own were made for a different walk, so they are not a Nordic pair. Read how the technique works, then decide whether the gait suits you.
This isn’t medical advice. If balance or a health condition worries you, talk to your doctor before you choose poles.
Matching the poles to the walker
Learn the diagonal technique in how to do Nordic walking. If the poles you own are trekking poles, read how to use trekking poles on hikes.
Choose the EXEL poles for one-piece poles cut to your height. Choose the Instructor Lite for adjustable poles that do not need to pack small.
Choose the Traveller Carbon if your poles must pack into a suitcase. Choose the ACTIVATOR 2 if steadiness matters more than the Nordic technique.