Our testers put everything from budget aluminum to the fanciest carbon through the wringer. These are the best trekking poles of 2026.

Some still debate the merits of using trekking poles, but nowadays, most hikers won't leave home without them. Poles can help you power up steep climbs, support your weight on downhills, and provide ...

In 2002, on day eight of my first-ever thru hike of the Appalachian Trail, I descended to the Nantahala Outdoor Center at mile 138 with a deflated spirit, a crushingly heavy pack, shin splints, and ...