REI Co-op Traverse Power Lock Cork Trekking Poles - Pair
This product is not available.
Providing steady traction on a variety of surfaces, these trekking poles feature easy and reliable external locking mechanisms.
Shop similar products- Strong 3-section aluminum alloy shafts collapse down to easily fit on your pack
- Power Lock™ external locking mechanisms are easy to use—even when wearing gloves
- Cork hand grips have an ergonomic, contoured shape and are easy to hold; adjustable padded neoprene wrist straps add support
- Fitted with trekking baskets and extra-durable tungsten carbide tips; included tip protectors are strictly for packing protection, not intended for hiking
- Trekking baskets promote stability on soft terrain; baskets easily twist on and off
- REI Co-op brand is certified to The Climate Label; we actively fund efforts to reduce carbon emissions across our business and support climate projects around the world
| Best Use | Hiking |
|---|---|
| Shaft Construction | 7075-T6 aluminum |
| Grip Material | Cork |
| Adjustable | Yes |
| Maximum Length (in.) | 55 inches |
| Minimum Length (in.) | 27 inches |
| Maximum Length (cm) | 140 centimeters |
| Minimum Length (cm) | 68.5 centimeters |
| Locking Mechanism | External Lever Lock |
| Weight (Pair) | 1 lb. 3 oz. |
| Gender | Unisex |
| Sustainability | From a Climate Label Certified brand |
Better gear is built together
From feedback to field testing, all of our gear is dialed-in by REI Co-op members. Their adventures informed every stitch and detail—making for better, longer-lasting gear.
Review this Product
Adding a review will require a valid email for verification
Most Helpful Favorable Review
Most Helpful Critical Review
Customer Images
Great Trekking Poles
Bought these poles for a hike along the AT. I found I was able to hike much faster using the poles. I do much better going up hill than down and I found the poles took some of the weight and shock off my knees. They saved me during a few slips and cushioned one fall when my feet went out from under me on slippery rocks enough that I ended up with only dirty pants, no bruises. My one ding is one the lower section of one of the poles repeatedly slipped. I think I tightened the setscrew enough to take care of that. Cork handles were very comfortable. Bought these on sale and for the price and performance I can’t see spending more.
Very reliable poles
I own a set of these poles that I bought a couple of years ago. They were recommended to me because I am 6'6" and these are longer than most poles. They have always been very reliable and have held up to any condition that I put them through. I do a lot of Geocaching while hiking, so I also have used these poles for digging and moving rocks around, as well as a lot of poking around in the brush. The cork separated at the top of one of the poles where the strap goes into the cork, but I really have put a lot of stress on these poles. I have replaced the older poles with the latest version because they do everything I need them to do. I have been very happy with these poles and recommend them to everyone.
Length markers off by 3.5 cm (1.3 inches)
I have the older REI Carbon Power Lock Trekking poles (love 'em) and I thought I'd try these, sacrificing the light weight of carbon for more malleable aluminum. Also, because I'm tired of sweaty palms with the foam grips on the carbon poles. (I sure wish they made the REI carbons with cork grips!) Anyhow, I set one trusty Carbon Power Lock and one new Traverse (Men's model) to 115 cm only to find the new Traverse was quite a bit shorter. 115 cm setting on the Traverse is closer to 111.5 cm. In taking the pieces apart I found the tip section of the aluminum to be the culprit. See the photos. It's disappointing because my most common tarp pitch uses a trekking pole at 140 cm. Sure, I can push the handle section the extra inch beyond the 140 "stop" marker, but then stability is jeopardized. I also wonder how much weight would be added to these poles if the tip section was the correct size—it's obviously too short; not just marked incorrectly.
Extra help
I hike up and down the river bluffs around St. Louis, these are a great tool to have with me. While I only need them about 25% of the time that I'm walking they are light enough to carry along and not be a bother.The only time the shaft loosened up is when I tried to jam them into the ground, trying to make them stand up on their own. Not a good idea but the point is that's the kind of abuse it takes to make the shaft slip. This was my first pair of trekking poles and the REI associate at the St. Louis store took plenty of time explaining the pros/cons of the differerent types. I'm glad that I took his advice and I'm very happy with my purchase.
REI Traverse Power Lock Cork Trekking Poles - Pair
The poles are quite good for what I do. I hike in primarily 2 areas. One is the San Francisco Bay, the other area is in the Sierras near Lake Tahoe. The bay area hills are mostly dirt, with an occasional rocky area. The Sierras have much more loose rock and hard rocky surfaces. These poles worked well in both environments. The cork handles are a great feature. My hands keep a grip and don't slip. The only downside is that the basket seem to pop off occasionally. It could be that I did not attach them correctly, but it has happened more than once. I have also used them for snowshoeing and they work great for that too. The snowshoe baskets are a bit larger than the hiking baskets.
Pleasantly surprised
Was a little worried buying these as there were no reviews. They turned out to be excellent. I think that they are even lighter than my old black diamonds. Bought another pair for the girlfriend and she loved em to. Locking mechanism is easily adjustable(phillips head screwdriver) and holds very well under alot of pressure, cork handles are confortable
Well-made poles
I put as much weight as I can on my poles when I'm hiking, and my previous poles were screw-tight mechanisms. I used to have to frequently tighten them, as they would periodically collapse. The 'power-locks' on these poles worked amazing. Just a reminder to bring a screwdriver to tighten during your first use. After that, they were perfect. Also, the cork handles helped wick sweat, and didn't create the blisters that my plastic handles did before. Great value too.
Survived brutal use in the Sierras
I bought these poles as a last minute guess-I-need-them (literally, on the way to the airport). I don't normally hike with poles, but I decided to get them for a longer trip (JMT through Sierra Nevada range). The poles held up really well, considering the brutality I put them through. I'm 6'1", 170 with a 40 lb pack, and I used these poles a LOT. The hike took me through and over large granite mountains and the poles worked great in this terrain, as well as the dirt and sandy forested areas. The ends were bashed against rocks a lot, sometimes got stuck in cracks and jammed all over the trail, but never broke. The only downside was that over the first few days I noticed the locks were slipping a bit and shortening the poles. I found a screwdriver and tightened the screws on the locks by a 1/2 turn and then they held their length perfectly. Not enough to ding them a star, but I would recommend putting these through a test hike as soon as you get them.
Oh, snap.
I wasn't too displeased with these poles, all things considered. The bottom disks came off in about 10 minutes, which is par for the course in New England, and I can't blame REI for that one. The poles were just a bit too thick to fit into my Osprey backpack loops, which meant I spent a fair amount of time either tossing them up or letting them slide down an incline. Again, my bad. The real heartbreaker, though, was on the sixth day of an eight-day Long Trail trip, when one of the handles just snapped in half. Not the pole, just the handle. I'd had a tight grip on them all day long -- rainy day, sliding up and down rocks -- but it wasn't *that* tight. So I'd have to call these guys a big disappointment.
Great trekking poles
Purchased these as an upgrade from my current trekking poles. I opted for these over the lighter carbon fiber poles due to the variety of hiking and climbing environments here in Oregon, and I wanted to ensure they'd be durable in snowpack and walking downhill. Overall, I've been really impressed with the quality of these poles. The cork handles don't leave any blisters on my hands, and the locking mechanisms work well; I've yet to have a single problem with the poles collapsing on me mid-hike. The only issue I've run into are the baskets falling off. This has happened several times. On the last hike, the basket came off and I wasn't able to recover it, so I wound up traversing through snow pack with a pole that kept getting stuck. Aside from that issue, love these things for hiking and backpacking!