I guess there is still some life left in this old thread. I've had more pressing matters to deal with so I havent given much thought to the adjustable poles. After researching suppliers I wonder if MYOG makes sense for this project. I havent found materials at a cost thats substantially lower than what I would pay for the LT 4 or Ti Goat poles and then there is shipping... The fixed length poles in this thread are adequate for now, though I admit they are uncomfortably short when walking even moderately steep terrain. Hopefully I can get to the adjustables over the winter. Any more sources and/or suggestions are welcome. Have fun out there.

Standard driver shafts are available in 46" and 47" lengths for $12-$30 and up. There are even some 50" driver shafts available, but they are very pricey (like $200 each). Replaceable tips add about 1".

To go longer you could buy CF tubing with 1/2" I.D. and 5/8" O.D., cut two pieces of the length you want to add, splice the pieces on top of the shafts with an internal brace of 1/2" O.D. aluminum or CF tubing, and cover the splice with your grip. Golf driver shafts have handles that are 0.6" O.D.(5/8" = 0.625") and I.D. a hair over 1/2", so it should work.

David Thanks for the info. Longer fixed length poles should be easy enough but I think if I were to build another set I'd go with adjustables. When I pitch my tarp I dont like having to search for sticks or trees to tie off to. Adjustable poles give me a lot of pitching options. Back when I originally posted this I had found some carbon tubing that I think would have worked. Pretty sure it was Rockwest that had it, but the cost was just to high. Hopefully when Im ready to start a new project I'll be able to find something that works.

"Not sure I understand what you're saying here. Could you clarify, please?"

Rusty,
I was thinking that the Gabel Super Lite carbon trekking poles might still be available cheap from Costco, but apparently not. The do have Yukon Charlies that are part carbon for $50, but no idea what they weigh. There are also the Fizan carbon poles that could be shopped for a low price.

The point being that if a finished carbon pole were available for around $50-75 a pair, it might make more sense to buy them instead of MYOG, when the cost of the raw carbon tube on the websites noted by David G. is so expensive.

Even though it appears more difficult to find a bargain than it was a year or so ago, I would still be a little leery about buying the raw carbon tube. Looking at the websites posted by David G, the 1/2" to 3/4" diameter raw carbon tube that is "wrapped," "braided," or "rolled," as opposed to pultruded, is quite expensive, and none of it appears from the sellers' descriptions to be all filament wound (like some smaller diameter arrow shafts are - look at Roger Caffin's posts about carbon filament winding machines). You'll not know for sure how strong it is until it breaks. If you buy the finished trekking (or tent) pole for less money, and it breaks, you might be able to obtain a refund or replacement. I'd want to know a lot more about the more expensive raw tube before buying it, like maybe an analysis and recommendation from an expert. I can buy arrow shafts, cut off short lengths and break test them; but in terms of both safety and expense, I'm not up to break testing a tube around the diameter of a trekking pole. From the most recent posts, I think the OP may have some of these concerns, also.

If I were determined to make my own carbon trekking or shelter pole, I might want to wait until the end of ski season, and look at sales for carbon ski poles, especially the longer X-C ski touring poles, to try to find something light and with enough untapered length to cut up to make sections that could be ferruled together to make a pole that breaks down and folds up like the new Black Diamond ones do.

Given the obvious need for strength in a ski touring pole, I would be hoping that the ski poles would be a variety of carbon that is not pultruded. The sale price would have to be low enough to justify a gamble on this. The list prices are all over the walk and run from under $30 for a pair of poles up into the several hundreds. I have no idea what one might be able to find in carbon in ski country in the spring, but have found ver light high tempered aluminum alloy tube very cheap this way to use for making camp chairs.

I've also noted that some of the ski poles being sold now either telescope or break down as trekking poles do, and can be readily converted to hiking poles by changing to a smaller basket. I've seen mostly aluminum alloy ones, but there are carbon ones out there also.

Hope that is a little clearer.

Just fabricated a new set of trekking poles from 46" (117 cm) golf driver shafts, 6" EVA foam grips, and tire stud tips. With no straps, weight = 3.0 oz each.

Also fabricated a pair of "adjustable" trekking poles with long 13" grips as suggested in one of my prior posts, with Wilcor replacement tips (basket-compatible) Weight = 3.9 oz each.

Also fabricated some strap adapters with 1/2" round aluminum bar plugs for the pole tops, steel screws and to hold the straps. Used some long straps I had laying around. Weight = 5.4 oz each. Have some 1/2" round Delrin bar and titanium screws on order. Will update with new weights after they arrive.

Also, I fabricated one strap adapter with a stud and nut, and the other with a threaded hole and screw. The stud is 1/4" x 20 threads per inch, so it works as a camera mount. Plus, the poles can be screwed together at the handles so the double pole can be used as an avalanche/crevasse probe.

Cost for "adjustable" poles: driver shafts from Dallas Golf $18 per pair, Wilcor replacement tips from Amazon $1.95 per pair, 13" EVA foam grips from Mud Hole $12.29 per pair, straps ???. Grand total for pair of "adjustable" poles = $32.24.

Just for fun I threw on a pair of heat-shrink "Shaft Skinz" with a green flame pattern. Adds a couple of grams per pole.

Finally, took an old 6' CF telescoping fishing pole I had in my equipment box and removed the handle and intermediate line loops. It fits perfectly onto the Wilcor tips and results in a 10' Tenkara fly fishing pole. Weight of fishing pole = 1.1 oz.

Pictures show poles with Black Diamond Z-pole replacement tips with small integrated baskets. Same weight.

Great info here David. 3 ounces! That's fantastic, and at a great price. The strap adapter/camera mount/crevasse probe idea is very clever also.

Thanks, Samuel. Makes sense.

And David. Excellent job! Post more pics if you have time. I have pondered for a long time how to make my own. Problem is, I want them adjustable so I can change the height of my shelter to match weather conditions. Still, I love seeing the ingenuity of others. Inspires me.

"If I were determined to make my own carbon trekking or shelter pole, I might want to wait until the end of ski season, and look at sales for carbon ski poles...."

Thrift stores are a great place to pick these up for just a few dollars.

Thanks Rusty.

I call these poles "adjustable" fixed length poles. My idea as expressed in an earlier post is "Here's an idea for "adjustable" fixed-length trekking poles: Use a long golf driver shaft (46"-47" available) and a long (9"-14" available) fishing pole grip. When you need a long pole you grip higher up, when you need a short pole you grip lower down. Long straps can be added too, so you don't have to rely only on your ability to grip."

With the long grips, the effective length of these poles can be adjusted between 48" (122 cm) and 35" (89 cm), depending on where you grip and how you have the straps adjusted.

I use a tarp shelter which, depending on conditions, I pitch between 48" and 32" high. I use the poles in their upright position and run the ridge line cord through the strap. Adjusting the height and/or tautness of the pitch is a simple matter of adjusting the strap length.

Thanks, David. I really like (& prefer) the simplicity of what you present. However, I'm using a Zpacks Hexamid where the pole goes inside. I also ride my trail bike to remote and not easily assessable trailheads. So, ideally, the poles need to collapse enough that when attached to my pack, they don't snag on overhanging trees while riding. Early on, I tried mounting fixed length poles to my bike but I couldn't figure out a way to do so without interfering with me or presenting a snagging hazard.

Great idea David. Ive never used straps in the past, and have even cut them off mass produced poles that Ive owned. It never occurred to me that I could run my guy lines in this manner and adjust the straps to the desired height. Thanks.

How long does your Hexamid pole need to be? You can make a pole jack of the appropriate length from a third golf shaft cut down and plugged with an adapter to screw onto the stud on one of the trekking poles.

What kind of bike do you ride? Did you try bungee cording the poles along the sides of the top frame tube?

I adjust my trekking pole for the Hexamid to be in the neighborhood of 36"-42".

I should have clarified my "bike". It's actually a motorcycle...Suzuki DRZ 400S to be exact. If it were open roads, attaching them would be no problem. However, there's brush and overhanging trees.

Yep, sounds like you need adjustable poles.

David, do you do any touring? If so, do you use a backpack (I don't see rack mounts on the bike)? It seems to me that having the poles like that could potentially cause issues if you use a handlebar bag. Also potential for issues with tall rear/front panniers (my current rear panniers would be very unlikely to work with that setup.

A side note, I use velcro to attach spare spokes and a folding aluminum tarp pole (for a 1/2 pyramid) and it works great...I'd imagine that bungies, while they function just fine, aren't as good as velcro.

JP,

Yes, I do some touring (I guess the rack mounts don't show in the photo, but they are there). Biked through England and Ireland a few years back. I don't use a handlebar bag, I use two low-slung front panniers. My rear panniers also fit low enough that the poles would not interfere. Usually I put my sleeping bag on top of the rear rack, but the poles would interfere with that. Maybe I could attach the sleeping bag to the poles; haven't tried it.

You're right about the Velcro. Lighter and more secure.

So....I'm thinking of bridging from MYOG to MGFOP (Make Gear For Other People) on these trekking poles, and adding them to my line of cottage industry products. Would $70 sound like a reasonable price?

Hope I'm not violating any BPL protocols by asking.

Seems perfectly reasonable to me. The comparable Gossamer Gear poles cost $110 and weigh only a bit less and the Ruta Locura poles cost $100 and weigh a bit more. Then consider that both are often out of stock and $70 seems like a real bargain.

Thanks Bruce. Do you know if there is a permissible/appropriate way to announce to the BPL community that I'm opening a cottage business?

Seems reasonable to me as well.