my 6 yr old son keeps stealing one of my leki s on every trip we go on so i have decided to research making him some short trekking poles so i can actually use both of mine

i need suggestions and sources for making an inexpensive set of very short poles for him with comfortable grips these poles will probably be 35 inches long or less as he is only 6 and not real tall

i know that the leki tips fit a .370 diamiter shaft but have no idea what to use
for them nor where to get them

if anyone has any suggestions or any parts that might help me out with this project

please let me know

thanks for any suggestions

kevin

Might want to check out this recent thread on materials/sources. I've seen MYOG poles using inexpensive (~$10) golf club shafts or finding a used pair of skiing poles for as little as $5.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=32460

I've seen really small kids hiking with standard poles that were simply adjusted shorter. Worked fine.

Would walking sticks work for your son? You can just sand down a straight branch or use bamboo if weight is an issue. It shouldn't be too hard to sew/tie/wrap handles or covers for them.

I made a pair of full-length poles out of carbon golf club shafts which I got from the bargain bin at the local golf emporium. Epoxy the Leki tips on one end and use bike-handlebar-tape for the tops.

Total cost, about 35 bucks. They weigh so little I haven't even bothered to weigh them.

Of course given the application durability may trump weight. Hard to say how long they'll stand up, but I've pushed on them enough to satisfy myself that they're not going anywhere.

j

One argument for adjustable poles is that you won't have to replace the poles every year as your son grows. In fact, one pair of adjustable poles should last him until he grows up!